Building with the earth, for the earth.
For nearly two decades, we've been exploring the possibilities of building with rammed earth in Ontario. Along the way, we've learned that the benefits extend far beyond performance metrics. Again and again, homeowners speak about comfort, quiet, durability, and a deeper connection to the places they call home.
Rammed earth offers a rare combination of beauty, durability, comfort, and permanence — creating homes that feel grounded in their surroundings and designed to last for generations.
Whether incorporated as a feature wall, a landscape element, or the structure of an entire home, rammed earth brings a richness and connection to place that few materials can offer. It can serve as structure, enclosure, landscape, or art — sometimes all at once.
→ View a Selection of Past Projects
→ Learn More about Rammed Earth in our Field Notes
Why we build with
rammed earth
There is a reason rammed earth has been used around the world for thousands of years.
Its thermal mass helps create comfortable indoor environments throughout the seasons - even here in Ontario. Its durability is measured in generations rather than decades. It is naturally resistant to fire, pests, and weathering, while requiring very little maintenance over time. Perhaps most importantly, no two walls are ever exactly alike. Each layer tells the story of the natural materials from which it was formed.
For us, rammed earth represents more than a building material. It reflects a commitment to creating homes that are resilient, thoughtful, and deeply connected to place.
→ Watch Sylvia on CBC’s Disrupting Design
→Pedro and Graham discuss the Petra, Aerecura’s pre-designed rammed earth home
Building With Rammed Earth
Rammed earth can be incorporated into a wide range of projects, from custom homes and additions to landscape features and architectural elements. Like any building material, it performs best when its unique characteristics are understood and considered throughout the design and construction process.
Because rammed earth influences everything from wall design and detailing to performance and construction sequencing, there can be significant value in considering the material early in a project's development. Through our design-build approach, these conversations happen from the outset.
We also regularly collaborate with architects, designers, engineers, and homeowners who are interested in incorporating rammed earth into their projects. Whether we're involved from the earliest planning stages or joining an established design team, we bring nearly two decades of experience working with the material and helping projects realize its full potential.
“Working closely with Aerecura throughout the design process helps ensure that ideas translate successfully into construction. Their collaborative approach keeps projects practical, straightforward, and ultimately leads to beautiful buildings.”
Our Services
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From initial concepts through construction, we design and build high-performance rammed earth homes that balance beauty, durability, and everyday livability. Our team guides projects from early planning through completion, ensuring every detail is carefully considered.
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We construct structural and architectural rammed earth walls for residential, commercial, and institutional projects across Ontario. Whether serving as a defining design feature or a primary building element, each wall is crafted with precision and care.
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Rammed earth can bring warmth, texture, and permanence to outdoor spaces through retaining walls, garden walls, seating areas, and other landscape features. We also create custom interior applications for hospitality, commercial, and residential environments.
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For clients, architects, and project teams exploring rammed earth, we offer design support, feasibility guidance, and consultation to help integrate the material successfully into a project.
Why Homeowners Choose Rammed Earth
Built to Last
One of the things we appreciate most about rammed earth is its simplicity. Durable, low-maintenance, and naturally fire resistant, it offers homeowners confidence that their home is designed to perform well for generations. Fewer replacement cycles, fewer future repairs, and a material that ages gracefully all contribute to its long-term value.
Exceptional Comfort
Comfort is about more than temperature. Stable indoor conditions, quiet spaces, natural materials, and a sense of solidity combine to create homes that feel comfortable throughout the seasons. It's a quality that's difficult to measure, but one that many people notice the moment they walk through the door.
“They cared about end quality, they cared about building somebody’s dream home, they cared about energy efficiency and building a home to last centuries, but most of all, they cared about us, the client.”
Connected to Place
No two rammed earth walls are exactly alike.
Colour, texture, and pattern are influenced by the natural materials used to create the wall, resulting in surfaces that feel more akin to stone or wood than paint: rich, varied, and inherently unique. While mineral pigments such as iron oxide can be used to influence colour, subtle variation remains part of the beauty of the material.
Like stone, wood, or the landscape itself, rammed earth reveals the character of its ingredients and the process by which it was formed.
Climate Resilience
Sustainable building isn't only about reducing environmental impact — it's also about creating homes that can adapt to an uncertain future. As Ontario experiences increasingly unpredictable weather, many homeowners are looking for buildings that offer durability, stability, and long-term performance. Combined with modern building science, rammed earth can play a valuable role in creating resilient homes designed to endure.
Selected
Projects
Over the years, we've come to appreciate that rammed earth can do more than create buildings. It can help shape landscapes, mark significant places, create opportunities for gathering, and tell stories through the material itself.
The projects featured here represent a small selection of our rammed earth work. Together, these projects reflect our ongoing commitment to natural materials, thoughtful construction, and building places designed to endure.
The Palatte Of Earth
No two rammed earth walls are exactly alike.
Colour and texture are influenced by the natural materials and techniques used to create the wall, resulting in surfaces that feel rich, layered, and unique. While mineral pigments such as iron oxide can be used to influence colour, rammed earth is not intended to achieve the perfect uniformity of paint. Subtle variation is part of the beauty of the material.
Like stone, wood, or nature itself, rammed earth reveals the character of its ingredients and the process by which it was formed.
Rammed Earth FAQ
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Yes. When properly designed and integrated into a high-performance building assembly, rammed earth can - and has for the past two decades - perform exceptionally well in Ontario's climate. Our projects have successfully weathered years of hot summers, harsh winters, and extended power outages.
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Not at all.
Rammed earth can be incorporated as a feature wall, structural element, landscape feature, retaining wall, memorial, or integrated into a broader building system. -
One of the things we appreciate most about rammed earth is its simplicity.
Rather than relying on layers of manufactured finishes, rammed earth walls are formed from natural mineral-based materials and often remain exposed as both structure and finish. The result is a building material that is durable, low-maintenance, and deeply connected to the landscape from which it came.
Many people are initially drawn to rammed earth because of its environmental benefits, but we believe its greatest contribution may be its longevity. Homes built to last for generations require fewer replacement cycles, fewer renovations, and fewer resources over time.
For us, sustainability is not only about reducing impact today. It's also about creating buildings that continue to serve people well for decades to come.
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Absolutely!
While many rammed earth projects are developed through our design-build process, we also regularly collaborate with architects, designers, engineers, and project teams interested in incorporating rammed earth into their work.
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Rammed earth is remarkably versatile and can be incorporated into a wide range of projects.
Over the years, we've used rammed earth in custom homes, cottages, additions, retaining walls, memorials, public landscapes, and architectural features. It can serve as structure, enclosure, landscape, or art — sometimes all at once.
Some projects use rammed earth extensively, while others incorporate it more selectively as a feature wall, garden element, gathering space, or focal point. We've also collaborated on installations and artistic projects that explore the expressive potential of the material beyond traditional building applications.
What unites these projects is a desire to create something durable, meaningful, and deeply connected to place.
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Rammed earth is a specialized building system and is typically incorporated into custom homes and projects where durability, performance, and material quality are priorities.
Project costs vary depending on factors such as design, location, site conditions, and the extent to which rammed earth is incorporated into the project. In some cases, rammed earth may represent a premium compared to conventional wall systems.
When considering cost, we encourage clients to look beyond the initial construction budget and consider the broader life of the building. Durability, longevity, maintenance requirements, resilience, energy performance, and the experience of living within the space all contribute to the long-term value of a home.
Every project is unique, and we're happy to discuss whether rammed earth is the right fit for your goals, priorities, and budget.
Let's Talk About What's Possible
From custom homes and cottages to memorials, landscapes, and public spaces, we've spent nearly two decades exploring the possibilities of building with earth.
If you're considering a project and wondering whether rammed earth might be a fit, we'd love to hear from you.