Architecture and design: Earthships land in Aotearoa

An example of an Earthship building. Photo / Supplied

Last week three Waihekians went to Christchurch to participate in a hands-on Earthship building workshop, with "Garbage Warrior" guru Mike Reynolds from the USA. This was Reynolds' first visit to New Zealand where he built with a crew of 30 volunteers, a small 10m3 earthship building in three days using old tyres, cans, bottles, earth and cement.

An earthship is a type of passive solar house house made of earth-filled tires, using thermal mass construction to naturally regulate indoor temperature, utilizing local and recycled resources and energy from the sun. Internal, non-load-bearing walls are made of recycled cans and bottles joined by concrete. On the front of the building is a greenhouse that further regulates the indoor temperature, treats wastewater by passing it through botanical cells, and provides for food production.

Plans are afoot to have Mike Reynolds come to Waiheke Island next summer to build an earthship in Onetangi. Liz Ross and Dana Darwin want to provide an opportunity for young people to train with Mike Reynolds by participating in their earthship build and in doing so cultivate the development of a skilled NZ earthship crew that can help to meet the growing demand for sustainable, healthy, affordable housing.

Ross and Darwin want to create the opportunity for young people that participate in the Waiheke earthship project to be sponsored to attend the Earthship Academy in Taos New Mexico that will, together with the practical experience provided by the Waiheke project, gain them a qualification to work for Earthship Biotecture on New Zealand and international earthship projects.

Ross and Darwin are looking for like minded thinkers to join their small eco-housing project in Onetangi. "We are looking for committed people who wish to participate in creating cost-effective and sustainable housing models achieved through appropriate building technologies and pooling resources and expertise," says Ross.

Ross also says that the programme will also aim to support Maori and Pacific youth. "We are hoping to use our project as a training ground for youth, iwi and Pacific Island communities to learn about Earthships with the hope that they take that knowledge back and build Earthships, or some modified version of, in their own communities."

Three north facing sections are available within the project which is based on permaculture design principles and independent living within an aligned vision and culture of neighbourly cooperation. The Waiheke build will take place early 2014. For more information,

or to sponsor a grant for a young person to attend the Earthship Academy in Taos, contact Ross or Darwin on 09 372 6122 or visit http://earthship.co.nz/.