More info from the architect

The architect wrote me back again and offered some additional advice, which was really kind of him. He looked at the drawings I made for my plans and told me some things that would work and not work.

First he mentioned that the wall that separates the rooms from the "greenhouse" portion of the Earthship was actually a no-no.

Apparently Michael Reynolds can do this in NM, but we cannot. It doesn't meet US and Canadian building codes for egress. This disappointed me, but I don't mind playing with floor planner, so I redid the drawings.

This will probably change a dozen more times, but the bedroom now complies with egress.  I'm still up in the air about closing off the two middle rooms.  My husband really wants to close off the living room at least, because we have a parrot, and she can be really loud.  That fish tank looking thing is actually the size of her future habitat.  The exercise/office room can be used as a spare room, but I don't want to label it that or I might have to make it fit egress code as well. All the same, if we have guests, I think they want privacy.

I also did this plan as an alternative:

It is longer and narrower. Same sqftage, which is 1650 or so.

I still see people doing the green house style plans, but code is code and I really don't need more road blocks dropped in front of me.

Oh and you will notice that I'm doing the rounded back walls.  He recommended them over the straight walls.  I can't pour cement, and I'd have to hire someone to pour it, so the round walls will save me money.  They will just take additional tires.