AN IDEA: microclimate for a growing area

windy

One day I noticed that the plants on the balcony with an open balustrade are growing at a much slower speed than the plants on the other balcony with a glazed balustrade.
On a windy day, the plants were waving their leaves and stem evoking the movemebt of a messy hair on a windy day. As plants, it’s hard to focus on growing when it is too windy…..

CRINKLE CRANKLE WALL

Crinkle Crankle Wall is an ancient wall building technique. The sinosuidal plan geometry of the wall forms a lateral structural support. The endulation of the wall helps optimise the wall thickness to be built much thinner than that of a straight wall section.
Coincidentally, the alcoves formed by the endulation in the wall, combined with the sun exposure, create a warmer microclimate. This characteristic was adopted as an older precursor to glasshouses for growing fruit trees in colder climates. Not only do the walls proviode warmer microclimate, they form significant protection from the wind. The no-messy hair day!

TO BE BUILT FROM THE GROUND

An idea emerged from an afternoon conversation with Rowland Keable. What can we make with what is in the ground?

The resulting idea is a four sided growing area, utilising the thermal mass of earthen walls.
South and West aspects = Sinosuidal crinkle crankle wall built of adobe brick walls
East aspect = Cob-built thermal mass wall with V shaped roof to collect rain water