After discovering an abandoned World War II bunker while on a hike in northern Norway, Henrik Lande Andersen spent two years transforming this former German lookout into an overnight refuge open to all. Over the course of two years, Henrik made the hike from town – the only way to access the site – carrying … Read more
Yama-Tani is a small residential project in Paris designed by the Japanese architecture studio Kengo Kuma. The project aims to recreate the intimate scale of a village within the urban environment of the French capital city while incorporating nature into the design. One of the project’s key strategies is its stepped composition, which allows maximum … Read more
Known as the “Wonder Haus,” this home is nestled into the earth for maximum energy efficiency and has a four-story tower. The design was modeled after the Anasazi Tribe’s stargazing practices. Located on almost seven acres in Pagosa Springs, CO, it has been a wildly successful short-term vacation rental for the current owners. Its eye-catching … Read more
Awareness Ranch uses the ideas of permaculture design to grow food and create buildings. Following the adage of “think globally and act locally” they aim to provide a working model of sustainable agriculture and construction which can be replicated or adapted to many settings. By cultivating an awareness of our interconnected world, they believe we … Read more
A cellar with a paved floor beneath a home is an almost unheard of feature for the Neolithic period. Members of the Funnel Beaker Culture (around 4000 BCE) created the cellar on the island of Falster in southeast Denmark, where workers stumbled on the remains of ancient homes while extending a railway in the area. … Read more
I am a big fan of masonry heaters. For additional heat during the cold season using wood as a fuel, these are extraordinarily efficient and produce almost no emissions, with minimal effort. Plus they can be used for cooking, like this beehive dome masonry heater. You can find out much about this heater and how … Read more