The Clay Walls of the Maya Guesthouse

Clay is one of the oldest building materials in the world.

For over 9000 years  this natural product is used by humans. Such an “archaic” material is perceived as genuine.  It is available everywhere and very widespread.
For someone who is looking for a healthy indoor climate, clay is what he should use. It is easy to handle and not more expensive than other building materials.
Since we spend about 90% of our time inside the house, the indoor climate affects decisively our well-being and our health. This indoor climate depends on the building materials used as well as the room temperature,  the ventilation and air movement, humidity and the contaminants in the air. Clay has a balancing effect on all of that.
Clay has the ability to absorb dust, gases and steam to  store them and release them again with a delay. This particularity has a favourable effect on the indoor climate.
It also binds pollutants from the air to the clay minerals .

Clay can quickly absorb and release humidity as needed. The regulation of the humidity contributes to a healthy indoor climate. The humidity in a house with clay walls was 50% almost all year long. This was the result of scientific measurements over a period of five years.
When clay  is applied conventionally it has a drying time of up to six weeks. Interior clay plaster contain no additives they are made of pure earth. If they are mixed with plant fibres and straw the surface of the plaster changes and gains an additional charm.
The inner walls of the guest rooms of  the Maya Guesthouse will be made out of  straw bales with a 4 cm  layer of clay. In every room we will have a so-called window somewhere on a wall through which one will be able to see the straw.
The outer walls of the main house will be straw bales plastered lime on the outside and the inside with clay. The interior walls will be made with wood.