Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis

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Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis

Information

  • Project Name: Economy of Straw Bale
  • Student Name: Kotaro Shiraishi
  • Awards: Design Excellence Award (UC Berkeley)
  • Softwares/Plugins: Rhinoceros 3D , Adobe Illustrator , Adobe Photoshop
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Excerpt: ‘Economy of Straw Bale’ is an architecture thesis by Kotaro Shiraishi from the ‘UC Berkeley College of Environmental Design.’ The project aims to use straw bale construction as a visible, experiential model of sustainable and circular design while creating a welcoming community gateway for O2AA. By integrating natural materials into everyday programs, the project demonstrates how low-carbon building methods can support art, living, and public engagement.

Introduction: Economy of Straw Bale creates a public gateway for O2AA, bringing together a gallery, café, administrative spaces, studios, living quarters, and shared areas for resident artisans. At its core, the project uses straw bale construction not only as a building material but also as a way to tell a story about sustainability and community. By pairing traditional straw bale techniques with contemporary wood and metal construction, the building showcases how natural materials can coexist with industrial methods in an urban setting. Everyday architectural elements—like deep window niches formed by thick straw bale walls and exposed stacking patterns used as shelving—invite visitors to understand and experience the material firsthand. The result is both an accessible introduction to low-carbon building practices and a living example of circular design in action.

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Site Context

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Site Isometric
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
O2AA (O2 Artisans Aggregate) is an eco-industrial campus for small artisan businesses who are committed to preserving craft and ecological practices.
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
O2AA (O2 Artisans Aggregate) is an eco-industrial campus for small artisan businesses who are committed to preserving craft and ecological practices.

The project intervenes at O2AA (O2 Artisans Aggregate), an eco-industrial campus in West Oakland housing over forty small artisan businesses committed to preserving craft and ecological practices. The site’s residents create everything from handmade soba to ceramics, wood and metal work. Despite hosting some public programs, however, the site remained enclosed by fencing, creating a disconnect between the community and its activities. 

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
O2AA (O2 Artisans Aggregate) is an eco-industrial campus for small artisan businesses who are committed to preserving craft and ecological practices.
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
A fence enclosed the site, even though it hosted public programs
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
A fence enclosed the site, even though it hosted public programs

To tackle this issue, the building aimed to establish a public entry point to the many aggregate activities on site while housing a gallery for public exhibitions, a cafe, administrative offices, studios, living spaces, and shared common areas for artisans in residence, bridging the gap between O2AA’s vibrant maker community and the surrounding neighborhood.

Design Process

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Plan (Prototype Study Model)
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Section (Prototype Study Model) | Axonometric (Prototype Study Model)
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Axonometric Construction Detail of Refuge II (Case Study)

Straw bale was selected as the primary material because it embodies O2AA’s circular-economy ethos through a fully natural material cycle—from harvest and baling to prefabrication, construction, use, and eventual disassembly. At the end of its life, the material can be converted into mulch or biofuel, returning directly to agricultural production. This closed-loop process aligns closely with the community’s values of sustainability and ecological responsibility.

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Axonometric Process Drawing of Straw Bale Cycle
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Construction Detail (Prototype Study Model)
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Massing Study Model

The design process began with case studies of precedent straw-bale projects, particularly Refuge II by Wim Goes Architectuur, which highlighted the material’s structural capacity and environmental advantages. Development continued through prototyping a small-scale housing and gallery module to maximize the performance of straw bale construction and test its adaptability to multiple programmatic needs while expressing its inherent material character.

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Prototype Study Model – Exterior
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Prototype Study Model – Interior

The exploration also included testing complementary materials—such as shingles—to pair effectively with straw bales and ensure that this unconventional construction method could be feasible and contextually appropriate within Oakland’s climate and regulatory environment.

Final Outcome

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Ground Floor Plan
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
East Elevation & Section

As a result, Economy of Straw Bale creates a welcoming threshold that opens the site to the broader community while illustrating the full natural lifecycle of straw bale, forming a tangible link between O2AA’s artisan community and the surrounding neighborhood. 

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Second & Third Floor Plan
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Perspective Section
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Worm-eye Axonometric (Left: Straw Bale Structure Projection)

The building’s vertical organization highlights the material’s versatility across multiple uses: the second floor contains living spaces that demonstrate its residential applications, while the third floor provides open studio environments with strategically placed skylights that bring natural light through double-layered structural systems and varied roof pitches.

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Physical Model – Main Entrance
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Physical Model – Gallery

Across all levels, straw bale–specific architectural details are integrated into everyday functions—thick window assemblies provide built-in seating, and exposed bale-stacking patterns become shelving—offering a comprehensive exploration of how the material can support diverse programmatic needs while celebrating sustainable construction practices.

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Physical Model – Façade Detail
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Physical Model – East Façade

Conclusion: Ultimately, this project reveals how straw bale construction can shape meaningful community spaces while making sustainable, low-carbon design visible, approachable, and integral to everyday experience.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]

Site Context

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis

Design Process

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis

Final Outcome

Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis
Economy of Straw Bale: Cultural Architecture of Low-Carbon Construction Through Straw Bale and Wood | Bachelors Design Thesis

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