Straw Bale Houses in Southern California

Rebecca Tasker, with a crew of apprentices, is building two straw bale houses near Escondido, California. So the building project is also a teaching site. “Using straw fits in with permaculture. People like sustainability,” Tasker said. “When you talk of energy used for building materials, that energy was already used in growing the food that … Read more

A Luxurious Eco-Resort in China

On a remote, rural mountain near Zhejiang, China, a new eco-resort in was made from local materials and designed designed by kooo architects. This Retreat Village is a cluster of luxury suites that blends into its surroundings. Rammed earth walls are complemented by bamboo, red bricks, stone and carbonized wood.  Other locally produced and recycled … Read more

4000 Year Old Chinese Mole Town

Tucked outside of Sanmenxia City in China’s Henan Province is a 4,000-year-old Chinese town nicknamed the “mole town.”  More than 3,000 people live in underground dwellings known as yaodongs (or “house caves”). They’ve only recently become accessible to tourists looking to experience them firsthand. The yaodongs originated during the Bronze Age—a period when it was … Read more

A Unique Australian Beach House

Austin Maynard, the Australian architects who designed this St Andrews Beach House say that, “Beach houses exist for simple relaxation, an escape from the city, for quietude and downtime with family and friends. It should provide contrast from day-to-day normality, be super low maintenance, relatively self-sustaining and basic, but not without simple creature comforts.” This … Read more