Straw Bale Cabin at the University of Utah: Project Update

Earlier this spring, I was invited by a group of faculty at the University of Utah to take part in a really exciting hands-on research project. The initiative brings together teaching and applied research around low-carbon construction by building a series of small cabins—each 15' x 13' (roughly 200 square feet)—using a range of natural and low-impact building techniques.

The goal is to construct eight cabins of identical size and design, each using a different material system, including straw bale, rammed earth, adobe, cob, and hempcrete. By keeping the design consistent, the project allows students and researchers to directly compare performance, constructability, and long-term potential of these methods.

I was asked to develop the construction drawings for the straw bale cabin, which was an honor and a great opportunity to contribute to the growing body of research around natural building systems. The cabin is being built by students and faculty as part of the course, making it both an educational tool and a real-world test case.

Construction began earlier this summer, and I recently received progress photos from the site. The straw bale walls are now up, and the project is moving into the next phase: framing and roofing. The roof will be a low-pitched Dutch gable, after which the walls will be plastered.

I’ll continue to share updates as construction progresses, including details on the plastering, roof assembly, and lessons learned along the way. It’s exciting to see straw bale construction being explored in an academic setting, and I’m grateful to be part of a project that’s helping push low-carbon building forward.

Check out more ph0tos in my portfolio post. Thanks for following along.