[PLAY] Dreaming of self-sufficient luxury castle, homestead designs

[Anjou]

This for me is purely in the realm of musing, but have always thought if living many centuries ago in a stone castle-y thing that I'd consider trying to locate a stone cistern just over a roaring hearth for hot water... with some sort of pull-thing that would let it go flowing down an aqueduct to my 16th century oversized bathtub. Of course, could have another cistern (must be in a rainy locale) for cool water too. Likewise, you could develop some flow system of aqueducts around the rim of the house that would get heated by the hearth and trickle slowly elsewhere to provide warmth... would have to figure a way to get heated flooring too. Besides sheepskins, which would definitely help.

Also, if planning where to locate a cottage, would love to try on a hill adjacent to a stream -- with the top floor significantly higher than the stream, and secured on rocks, but some movable wood aqueduct to power a water wheel and also provide running water to the lower floor.

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Some 'castle life' links:
http://www.castlewales.com/life.html
http://www.castles-of-britain.com/castlesl.htm
http://www.getmedievalonline.com/building.html
http://www.pennsic.net/luxury.html <- pretty funny luxury 'cheats' used by some re-enactors... kind of prep related

 

[lostinaz]

Take a look at "cast earth". www.castearth.com There's also an architect in AZ that uses it, www.michaelfrerking.com . Basically, it's a soil-cement mixture that is poured into forms, and what you get is beautiful, 3' thick artificial rock walls. Take a look at the picutres of the walls and you will see why I think they are so interesting. You can even insert a "thermal break" in extreme climates by means of a 1" thick rigid insulation panel inserted in the middle.
The advantage over concrete walls is that you don't have to rebar, stucco or drywall it, just the leave the walls as cast. It also should be cheaper since you're using 5-10% concrete or calcined gypsum, and 90% dirt.
I don't know that I would reccomend this in really humid or wet enivronments (unless perhaps you cover the outside with stucco?), but it's some pretty cool stuff. I am strongly considering having them pour walls for me and I do the rest. They can be poured in a day.

 

[lostinaz]

Take a look at "cast earth". www.castearth.com There's also an architect in AZ that uses it, www.michaelfrerking.com . Basically, it's a soil-cement mixture that is poured into forms, and what you get is beautiful, 3' thick artificial rock walls. Take a look at the picutres of the walls and you will see why I think they are so interesting. You can even insert a "thermal break" in extreme climates by means of a 1" thick rigid insulation panel inserted in the middle.
The advantage over concrete walls is that you don't have to rebar, stucco or drywall it, just the leave the walls as cast. It also should be cheaper since you're using 5-10% concrete or calcined gypsum, and 90% dirt.
I don't know that I would reccomend this in really humid or wet enivronments (unless perhaps you cover the outside with stucco?), but it's some pretty cool stuff. I am strongly considering having them pour walls for me and I do the rest. They can be poured in a day.

 

[Anjou]

That's pretty cool, thanks!