Dirt

Dirt is prominently featured in a fair few creation myths.  This is no great mystery given that the basis of the terrestrial food chain is, *ahem*, rooted in dirt.  The ubiquity of dirt presents an issue in its use.  Everyone knows what dirt is, where it is, and that it's everywhere.  Yet just like air, dirt pervades our sense thereby escaping our perception.  In some places dirt is entirely hidden from sight though it's being employed in the most fundamental of ways; foundations.  Building foundations are technically thought of as the structure upon which the building sits.  This foundation itself, in most cases, is held up by dirt.  Sure, bed rock and exposed rock make up a fair few foundations as well, though I dare say your house is neatly situated on the dirt.  No wonder creation myths presume we came from dirt.  By all accounts, dirt can be described with the same terms used to describe (the) God(s).

I'm going to build with dirt.  I'm going to build a house where the walls are thick with the stuff.  Before I can build that house, however, I have to learn how to do it.  Shelter creation used to be under the purview of the person(s) being sheltered.  As time went on, others took up the specialization of building and selling shelters.  I'm going to reclaim the human right to build my own shelter only, I'm going to start small.

The Chicken House

I say chicken house because that's what my grandma used to call it.  I don't prefer coop because it implies a small tight space.  I certainly would be cooped up if I had to live in this poultry shelter, but my rotund little egg poopers will have ample space in which to cluck, scratch, and peck about (in that order).  Their house, for a short time, will be of higher quality than my current sorry excuse for a dwelling.

Dirt Building

I have a few options for this house.  I'm debating between Cordwood Walls (Google Images) or Compressed Earth Blocks (Google Images).  CEBs will be the preferred material for the people house but the chicken house can use either technology (or both).