Feature article
Built from the ground up: Inside Poroti’s unique stacked earth home
Discover how one couple turned a rugged volcanic landscape in Poroti into a stunning eco-friendly home.

AI summary
Discover a unique eco-friendly home at 46 Kahikatea Drive, Poroti, now on the market. Built using the stacked earth (or adobe-in-situ) method, this four-bedroom house offers exceptional sustainability and durability on volcanic land.
The thick earth walls create a natural thermal mass, ensuring the home is cool in summer and warm in winter with minimal heating. It features handcrafted details, including a rimu kitchen, and offers a rare sense of permanence not found in modern builds.
Murray Ruffel outside his Poroti home
The walls of the house were poured layer by layer over 14 weeks
The result is a masterclass in sustainable architecture that combines raw natural craftsmanship with modern efficiency.
The house is cool in summer and warm in winter


Murray in the kitchen he built from windblown kauri
The handcrafted kitchen and dining room.
The home boasts dual verandahs for morning coffee and evening drinks.
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