Green House Plans & Straw Bale House Plans From

Natural Habitat received the Western Home Award from "Sunset" magazine, and has been featured in numerous books and magazines. Some of these include the newly released book, "The New Strawbale Home", the May/June 2004 issue of "Natural Home" magazine, and "Real Simple" magazine. This stunning and inspirational strawbale family home does not isolate its residents from one another or from the surrounding environment. The architects, David Arkin & Anni Tilt, a husband and wife team, conceived of and designed this home to give the residents a sense of being at home in nature.

This four-bedroom home is a showcase of environmental innovations, beginning with its modest size. The smaller claim on resources of all kinds is where building green really begins. At 1,860 square feet, it is 470 square feet smaller than the average new American house, yet it feels open and unconfined and more than big enough for a family of five. The kitchen, living and dining areas share one generous space with differing ceiling heights, from an intimate 8 feet to a lofty 16 feet, to define each area. While compact, the floor plan still includes a variety of intimate spaces - a separate entryway, a laundry room, and a window covered office alcove behind the kitchen - providing private places to retreat to.

The thick strawbale walls provide a depth reminiscent of an Italian villa, though, thanks to its post-and-beam structure, the home can and has been built using standard frame construction. The exposed nubby textured pressed rye grass panels covering the walls and ceiling of the entryway cast a golden glow as the light changes throughout the day. The colored concrete floor endures hard use, yet is warm underfoot from the floor radiant heating system. Another unique feature is a two-door shower, one opening into the master bathroom and the other directly into the yard, so adults and kids alike can get as dirty as their hearts desire and simply step into the shower from outside. Clerestory windows that frame the cupola of the central space draw in light and heat, and the patterns of the night sky. The middle of the home is supported by the Great Wall of Storage, making creative use of a structural wall, and an outdoor fireplace warms the heart on colder nights.

Foundation Info
This house was originally designed to have a slab foundation. You can of course change it to a full or partial basement, or to a crawlspace, but you will need the help of a local builder or designer, and the new foundation plans should be reviewed by a structural engineer prior to construction.