Adobe is an amazingly versatile material. For hundreds of years, it dominated construction in the American Southwest and it can be used economically in a full range of structures. In recent years, modern building techniques have further increased adobe's flexibility. Presented here are two plans for adobe homes. Round House (below) shows the amazing flexibility of the material to escape the basic box. Orchard House illustrates how adobe material can be effectively employed in a pitched-roof design that would be compatible with any regional architecture.

Plan 1: Round House

The curved porch and courtyard of Round House create an outdoor living room with both sunny and shady sides. The courtyard gate leads along the porch to a front door flanked with buttresses.

From the entry, a curved hallway leads left to the bedroom and bath. To the right, a stepped adobe wall and banco frame a living and dining area with high ceilings and generous south-facing glass. An alcove off the living area can be either a private workspace or closed in for extra storage. Beyond a partial wall lies the kitchen with its own service porch.

The expanded house grows around the courtyard to include another bedroom and a large suite with fireplace and private courtyard. In the expansion shown, one wall of the original bedroom can become an opening that frames a study, formal living room or adult retreat.

At the other end of the house, the service porch turns into a utility/storage room leading to the garage. The illustration shows a garage for a house that faces north. For an east-facing lot, move the garage and door as shown previously.