Building Materials Cut From the Earth: A Look at Sod Construction Around the World and in New Mexico

Author

Giulia Caporuscio, University of New Mexico - Main CampusFollow

Publication Date

Summer 7-10-2024

Abstract

Terrón, or sod, is an earthen building technology that is being lost. The blocks are cut directly from the ground, generally along banks of bodies of fresh water, marshlands, or grassland valleys. The resulting blocks are clay rich with plant root systems that provide strength to the construction material. This building material is found in archeological and modern structures around the world. Today the material and knowledge behind this earthen technology is being lost.

This paper starts by summarizing other studies of sod construction in Indigenous cultures of the Americas, homesteaders of the Plains of the United States and Canada (specifically Nebraska), Iceland, Germany, Russia, and Spain. This section highlights different construction methods, stylizations, and show some of the historical conditions in which this material flourished. The second half of this paper describe examples in New Mexico, focusing on one building with a condition assessment.

Language

English

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Architecture

Level of Degree

Masters

Department Name

School of Architecture and Planning

First Committee Member (Chair)

Francisco Uviña-Contreras

Second Committee Member

Audra Bellmore

Third Committee Member

Tim Castillo

Keywords

New Mexico, Building Technologies, Terrón, Sod

Recommended Citation

Caporuscio, Giulia. "Building Materials Cut From the Earth: A Look at Sod Construction Around the World and in New Mexico." (2024). https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/arch_etds/242