An eco-friendly, green-roofed home that not only embraces landscape views but is also built with hempcrete — a bio-composite building material seldom used in the country.
When architect Lina Koníček Bellovičová was asked by Koníček to build with hempcrete — a composite of hemp hurds and lime with insulating properties typically used to construct non-weight-bearing infill walls — she knew it would be a challenge. The architect had never seen it used as a building material in the Czech Republic. “First struggles evolved in a valuable experience and fascination with its features and its history,” said Bellovičova, who used hempcrete for House LO’s walls. “Building with hempcrete is easy and allows the builder to build their house on their own.”
In addition to ease of construction, hempcrete also has carbon-sequestering and insulation benefits; it can be recycled and is resistant to pests, fire and mold. The architect topped the home with a green roof for additional insulation.
Completed over the course of a year, the timber-framed cabin features a simple, modern design to blend in with the landscape. The single-story dwelling includes a concrete basement that houses technical equipment, storage, a lounge and a special chamber where the client develops his photographs. The ground floor above is a light-filled space centered on an open-plan living area, dining room and kitchen flanked by two bedrooms and a bathroom. A large terrace that is sheltered by deep roof overhangs wraps around the entire cabin and can be accessed by sliding glass doors that bookend the main living space.
Source: https://inhabitat.com/green-roofed-czech-cabin-is-built-with-recyclable-hempcrete/