By making a building mostly solo, I hope to demonstrate that most anyone can make shelter in a way that fulfills their soul, makes their body strong, exists in harmony with nature, and does not require mortgage payments for decades of their life.
Kelly Hart
Neither Bricks nor Cement: This School in Delhi Is Stronger, Cheaper & Better
Amish Enterprise Book
Maybe we can learn something from the Amish. Amish businesses on average are 95% successful, while US businesses in general have an 85% failure rate. The Amish seem to understand the difference between practical knowledge and academic knowledge. Even though the Amish go against almost all conventional business advice (no computer skills, no degrees or advanced business marketing plans, etc.), their success speaks for itself.
Javier Senosiain – Organic Architecture
Aranya Housing Project, India

Traditionally, architects have contributed little to housing for the Third World urban poor. Those who opt to work for the poor need to rethink their roles; the numbers are overwhelming, the issues complex and the resources are very limited. One solution is to use land as a resource to produce housing for the urban poor, by allowing them access to it to build their homes. A study was conducted of such initiatives in a case study in India: The Aranya Housing Project, completed in 1988 and considered a model project.
Top Architecture Prize Goes to Low-Cost Housing Pioneer From India
Balkrishna Doshi, the winner of this year’s Pritzker Prize for architecture doesn’t talk just about his buildings. This architect, urban planner and educator talks about how his buildings aim to foster a sense of community, how space can promote inner peace, how cities can contribute to the health of a society.

