Born in Iran as one of nine children, architect Nader Khalili found his calling in one simple mission: Empower refugees and people experiencing poverty to build homes using the earth under their feet.
His most well-known invention — the SuperAdobe construction system — has been recognized by NASA and the United Nations and has helped shelter countless refugees and displaced people worldwide since the 1990s.
Although Khalili passed away in 2008, his work carries on through his nonprofit CalEarth, which continues to build sustainable shelters — and teach people how to do the same.
SuperAdobe structures are constructed using long sandbags, barbed wire, and on-site “earth,” like dirt, clay, and mud.
“There is a sustainable solution to human shelter, based on Timeless Materials (earth, water, air and fire) and Timeless Principles (arches, vaults, and domes),” Khalili preached.
“Every man and woman should be able to build a shelter for his or her family with these universal elements, almost anywhere on the Earth and other planets. These principles, interpreted into the simplest form of building technology, have created emergency shelters which can become permanent houses, and which have passed strict tests and building codes.”
To build a SuperAdobe, sandbags are filled with moistened earth and arranged in layers or long coils to create a dome-like structure. Strands of barbed wire are placed between each layer to reinforce the bags, and stabilizers like cement, lime, or asphalt may also be added.
They’re kind of like a giant version of a coil clay pot one might make in a pottery class.
From there, builders plaster over the sandbag structure, often using a mix of “earth and cement,” to protect it from erosion and the elements — and to give it an aesthetically pleasing exterior.
The method isn’t just eco-friendly; it was designed with safety in mind. The sandbags add flood resistance to the home, and being built with earth itself provides insulation and fireproofing.
Khalili’s method took years to refine, but now that it has been proven — and tested for inclusion in the Uniform Building Code — these structures are popping up all over the world to provide eco-friendly and affordable housing to people most in need.
In fact, the SuperAdobe blueprints are open-source, which the nonprofit offers to the world “at the service of humanity and the environment.”
With step-by-step classes, video tutorials, and blueprints, the organization offers people the education they need to build one of these shelters on their own.
At their on-site location in Hesperia, California, the organization also offers apprenticeship programs and workshops for those hoping to learn.
On the heels of the devastating wildfires in Los Angeles earlier this year, CalEarth offered its resources to Angelenos for free.
“If you or a loved one has been affected by the wildfires and are looking into alternative ways to rebuild, we are here to help,” a release from the nonprofit reads. “Learn how to build a home, using just a few simple materials, including the earth beneath your feet.”
It almost sounds too good to be true, but after a photo went viral on social media, showing a backyard SuperAdobe that emerged from the Eaton fire intact, Californians are considering a new approach.
According to The Los Angeles Times, the organization saw a 131% increase in the number of people viewing their videos following the fires.
“If everyone comes together at this moment, it could be an incredible opportunity to build these neighborhoods back with safe, fireproof housing that also works in harmony with nature,” Dastan, Khalili’s son, who has been running CalEarth with his sister since his father’s death, told The Los Angeles Times.
“It could make Los Angeles a beacon for the country that would revolutionize housing to be safe from climate change.”
The SuperAdobe system has been utilized with resounding success in other parts of the world, especially in areas with a large population of refugees or people displaced by disaster.
CalEarth built structures for people displaced by the devastating earthquake in Haiti in 2010, as well as other disasters in Nepal and Pakistan.
Their efforts inspired them to create a Duffel Bag Dome, which weighs less than 35 pounds and includes all of the tools and materials needed to build a 6-foot emergency shelter.
Other organizations have also used the SuperAdobe system to help displaced groups.
The Gandhi Worldwide Federation built a home in India for rescued child laborers.
Palestinian architects built a stunning SuberAdobe home with the materials that already existed in their area, amid years of relying on international aid.
Emergency Architecture & Human Rights even built sandbag schools for Syrian and Jordanian refugees just outside of the Za’atari refugee camp.
Whether emergency housing, disaster-proof residences, or even playgrounds, CalEarth counts that SuperAdobe domes have been built in at least 49 countries on six continents. With climate change and increased homelessness impacting the housing industry’s next moves, SuperAdobe homes may become even more common.
“CalEarth Institute inspires ingenuity, creates opportunities, and unleashes innovation to solve one of society’s most pressing problems: housing insecurity,” the nonprofit shares.
“Using sandbags, barbed wire, and the earth beneath your feet, SuperAdobe is a truly accessible and sustainable way to build homes anywhere on the planet.”
Header image courtesy of CalEarth
