On a site in rural France time stood still a little. We find here much of the conditions from the old times:

• Fewer building rules. Because we’re building on the foundation of an old house, we can use a simple renovation permit process.
• A private location. The building sits on our own plot, surrounded by our other buildings. All neighbors are well informed and supportive of the project.
• Abundant natural materials. The local environment provides excellent building resources: Douglas fir construction wood, small local straw bales (47×37×60 cm), and clay for plastering.
• Skilled and generous friends. We’re lucky to have hardworking friends with machines, tools, and plenty of expertise.
• Good times. We keep it enjoyable with good food, Burgundy wine, and great company.

A perfect place to test how we can greatly simplify the building process — even in our complex modern times!

This prototype served as a testing ground for many of the unique processes developed for URBUILD. We began by adapting our parametric model to the existing building's original walls. Our version of URHOUSE was intentionally simplified, featuring a 45-degree roof angle and substantial overhangs. To achieve that distinctive 'UR feeling,' we incorporated rectangular (150x150mm) beams for purlins and the ridge beam. The rafters, also 150mm high, integrate seamlessly with the overall design. For the openings, we adopted a practical approach, utilizing reclaimed windows in various locations to complement both the floor plan and surrounding views. In the seating area, they are placed low and horizontally, offering views of the garden, while in the kitchen, they are positioned vertically. On the first floor, two symmetrically placed glass doors create French balconies. This symmetry ensures identical frontal facades, significantly simplifying fabrication. The design, with its prominent roof, echoes many vernacular buildings – a choice that likely stems from its inherent practicality. The generous space beneath the overhangs effectively extends the interior, ideal for storage or outdoor seating. It also significantly mitigates the impact of weather on the facade and openings, allowing for simpler detailing.

The parametric model directly provided us with the order list for the local sawmill. It's crucial to order well in advance, as they custom-produce everything, which can take up to a month. Aside from the wood for the main construction, we endeavored to source all other materials locally, preferably directly from the source rather than through commercial businesses. Straw is readily available in this region, primarily used as bedding for cows. As a waste product from grain production, it costs only around 2-3 EUR per bale. Knowing the exact bale size before construction begins is important, as it needs to fit precisely between the studs. Once again, parametric design proved invaluable here; there's no need to painstakingly (re)create construction drawings, as the computer handles this for you. A friend generously provided some reclaimed triple-glazed windows, another fantastic deal that saved us thousands on window costs. There's a great feeling that comes with having all the materials neatly stacked near your building site. With all interdependencies resolved, the project is now fully in your hands!

Let's face it: people have been building for ages. And, of course, there's a tendency to overcomplicate things when seeking the 'perfect' solution for a specific site, requirements, or tastes. For URHOUSE, we prioritize proven solutions based on the collective experience and consensus of builders.

Straw building encompasses many different systems, with each country often having its own specific, almost cultural, approach. Germans, for instance, typically use wooden beams with a section matching the entire depth of a straw bale (around 30 to 40 cm). This method is very sturdy and simple, but the beams are heavy to lift and expensive.

France also boasts a strong tradition in straw building, and their organization, Réseau Français de la Construction Paille (RFCP), offers multiple systems. Since we were building in France, we opted for one of these: a double wooden frame construction. We later learned this method is slowly becoming a consensus across Europe.

This system consists of two wooden frames connected on the short sides with OSB boards and blocks per stud. It's very lightweight, making it easy to assemble—even by one person—and uses significantly less wood. While it is a bit more labor-intensive, keeping the design simple and rational means the frames are all identical and can be quickly produced on the ground, stacked on top of each other. The first frame then serves as a template for the rest. We also incorporated some detailing tricks from classic American stick framing, which is optimized for quick on-site production and assembly using only one beam section: the famous 2x4" or 2x6".

Because the straw bales need to fit precisely between the studs, getting this distance right is crucial. Straw bales are generally placed vertically (with their longest side upright), and their smallest side forms the depth of the wall (37 cm in our case). The other dimension then fills the distance between the studs (46 cm in our case). For a tight fit, make the distance between studs about 0.5 to 1 cm smaller than the bale's actual size. Modern farmers don't stock small bales as much, but you can measure the canal of the straw bale press to predict the eventual bale size!

The other parts of the main construction are simple and straightforward. For the roof, we used purlins and rafters to create overhangs on all sides. The two ridge beams are supported by the front and back walls, along with a central truss that is a modern interpretation of those found in local farms.

Main construction (demolishing of old building, repairing walls, timber construction, roof and roof finishing) took around 100 days with on average one to two persons and at times multiple friends jumping in at once.

After this period we have closed the roof, which gives us some flexibility to go into the other steps depending on the weather. The straw bales are stocked on the first floor where they can dry a bit more. We also did some tests with clay plastering using our locally sourced clay and straw bales. No need to go to the store!

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