German architect Anna Heringer is very fond of rammed earth and its potential to replace the ubiquitous use of concrete. She feels that it can help reduce the dominance of lobbies and preserve and enrich local know-how, and thus transform construction into a tool for reducing inequalities. The Anandaloy Building, a center for people with … Read more
At Cornerstone Housing on the outskirts of Leeds is a six bedroom house that is part of a co-operative where the participants have been able to buy the house and then rent it at an affordable price back to themselves as tenants. Nearby, Chapeltown Cohousing plans to build build an eco-community of up to 30 … Read more
With walls made from old tires packed with earth, as well as upcycled glass bottles and cans, Earthships have always been built with mainly found materials. The home provides its own energy (with photovoltaics, passive solar and geothermal tubes), water (rainwater and even dew-water capture) and grows food in the greenhouse (necessary for temperature regulation … Read more
The ‘Xiangyuxiangyuan Home Stay’ in China combines old and new construction into a hospitality complex reflecting local culture and beliefs. The project comprises the restoration of three ancestral houses built in different times with the addition of two new buildings. Instead of repairing the old buildings the architects have inserted contemporary spatial elements where repair … Read more
Michael Henry, who co-authored Essential Natural Plasters wrote an extensive article titled At Home with Natural Plasters that was published in the current issue of Mother Earth News. He delves into a description of traditional techniques and why they are often superior to more modern wall treatments. The article features his own recipe for a … Read more
In Phuket, Thailand the Keemala Eco Resort is an exclusive retreat tucked into a lush hilly landscape overlooking the Andaman Sea. The lodging options were inspired by the legend of four fictitious clans that began to form individual communities, “all the while being helpful and respectful of one another.” The guiding philosophy of the resort … Read more