Nader Khalili

Nader Khalili ( born February 22, 1936 in Tehran, Iran, † March 5, 2008 in Los Angeles, USA) was an architect and author. He is considered a pioneer in the field of self- building systems in the Third World. His world view is managed by the mystical poet Jalal ad-Din ar - Rumi.

Life

Nader Khalili studied architecture at the University of Tehran, Istanbul Technical University and then went on New York and San Francisco to Los Angeles. After receiving his license in 1970 as an architect in California, he worked in the U.S. as well as in Iran.

Geltaftan

Tired to build conventional residential high-rises, and parking garages, he worked since 1975 with small dwellings made ​​of earth. To this end, he undertakes a journey by motorcycle through rural Iran, where he remains for the next five years. From the need of a stronger resistance of the found structures of mud brick ( adobe ) against the forces of nature Khalili resulted innovative concept of a ceramic house. To this end he burns the built Lehmstruktur over several days. After returning to the U.S. he developed this further to Geltaftan Earth -and- Fire system, which he adapted from 1984 for NASA for construction of residential structures on the moon.

Super Adobe

More significant is Khalili simpler approach to the consolidation of earthworks, which he called Super Adobe. To this end, he fills locally corpus of earth in sandbags (later produced especially in long tubes ), which he built in layers to vault structures and this fixed against each other, the individual layers with barbed wire. In a rudimentary way, this is an ideal design concept for temporary structures in refugee camps and leads to appeal Khalili as advisor to the United Nations. These structures are, first realized sporadically for a refugee camp for Iraqis in Baninajar Camp, Khuzestan (Iran).

A more robust implementation of the principle by means of wet earth and binders, as well as a plaster makes the buildings for long-term use compatible. He developed several models for this purpose, which he transforms into Hesperia (California ), including the house Earth One with a barrel-vaulted rooms ranking and Eco -Dome, a circular building with smaller apses.

Teaching and Awards

Khalili taught 1983-2008 at the SCI - Arc. In 1986 he founded the Foundation Geltaftan and 1991, the California Institute of Earth Art and Architecture ( Cal - Earth) in Hesperia. For his research, he received the 1984 award for " Excellence in Technology " of the California Council of the American Institute of Architects ( CCAIA ). In 1987 he was honored by the UN. In 2004 he won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture for his Super Adobe prototypes.

Writings

  • Racing Alone ( autobiographical )
  • Ceramic Houses and Earth Architecture: How to Build Your Own
  • Sidewalks on the Moon ( autobiographical )
  • Rumi, Fountain of Fire
  • Rumi, Dancing the Flame
Khuzestan Province Binder (material) Hesperia, California Integrated Authority File
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