Building a House to Last 500 Years

500 year old homes are not an impossibility in many parts of the world. But in the United States, we don’t think of homes as something that can last centuries, so don’t try. Our comparatively young country and tradition of building with wood have partially blinded us to the possibility of building something to last for ages.

It’s easier than ever to build a house with a reasonable chance of lasting hundreds or maybe 1,000 years. Roman concrete in the Coliseum has lasted over 3,000 years. But we’ve taken the wrong lesson from this story— there’s nothing magic about Roman concrete, The Romans were both lucky and smart. Lucky enough to have a special type of volcanic ash available nearby, and smart enough to develop concrete that self heals when water begins to penetrate.

The point is that modern concrete can be much better, is constantly improving, and affordable enough to be used by everyone. What’s missing is the desire to build homes that could last hundreds of years after we’re gone. Building a home intended to last centuries is a gift to future generations and a wise use of resources.

Coming Full Circle

When I began working on the concepts included in this website, I imagined that the result would be a modern home that maintained a strong connection with nature. Cutting edge materials, such as SCIP panels, would be softened by finishes, natural materials, and plants to create a home that people would want to live in. From a disaster resistance, cost, and simplicity standpoint, it’s hard to beat a concrete box. But who wants to live in a concrete box? A whole layer of additions would be necessary to transform a concrete box into a home.

But I discovered that my goals in Reimagined Homes mostly returned full circle to Mediterranean architecture from thousands of years ago. As a prime example, look at this artist’s rendering of the Palace of Knossos, as it existed 3,500 years ago:

The Palace of Knossos

Yes, it’s a palace instead of a home, but look at the details— indoor outdoor spaces, surrounding gardens, flat roofs, large windows to let in light (OK, there aren’t windows because clear glass wasn’t invented for another 2,500 years). Why does this look like a modern performing arts center or hotel, instead of a European castle? Climate is part of the reason. The mild Mediterranean climate meant that indoor/outdoor spaces and courtyards were beneficial almost year-round. The palace isn’t a fortress because the palace is on the island of Crete, Greece so the Minoans didn’t need to worry about invading armies.