As I continue my research into concrete and the warming hut, I realized that I want this project to be, if at all possible, made from things found on site (the mountain). This means using rock found on site as pieces of foundation, trees in nearby for wooden benches (and for firewood), and using the natural slope of the site to my advantage. One of the processes that can contribute to those three points is a method called cut and fill.
The process involves removing earth from one part of the site and placing it in another part. This means that you use all the material that existed on the site before the building was erected. This helps with a concrete building because you can cut out material to build foundations or walls, and use that excess earth for the form work for the walls above ground. Instead of hauling a large amount of plywood, glass, or other forming materials, you use the natural materials on-site to your advantage.
This can also be done with floor slabs. As seen in the image above, you can take material out on one side of a slope, and fill it on the other side, making the ground more flat. This cut and fill can help to level out the ground, allows you to pour concrete on a more even surface, and doesn’t require bringing in any extra material. You can also use the floor slab (once poured, dried, and cured) to form other walls or even the roof.
