Rex Hohlbein and his daughter, Jenn LaFrenier, are both architects in the Seattle area. In this TEDx video they present a novel approach to reducing homelessness. They suggest that we should “reimagine our personal space by inviting homeless residents to move into beautifully designed, off-grid, homes built in residential backyards.” Called “The Block Project” these … Read more
Fair Companies has assembled a wonderful collection of video segments that offer advice from many parts of the world. For some, preparing for the unexpected has been a way of life for years. We visit (via their cameras) permaculture farmers in Tulsa, Oklahoma growing much of their food in backyard hoop houses, a rainwater harvester … Read more
Shelter Publications has done it again! Lloyd Khan and his partner, Lesley Creed, have produced a gorgeous peek into their alternative lifestyle in the book The Half-Acre Homestead: 46 Years of Building & Gardening. As with all of Lloyd’s books, this one is full of hundreds of full color photos, arranged in delightful spreads. The … Read more
People are staying home these days to avoid the spread of Covid-19, and unfortunately this means that many of the wonderful workshops that have been offered for learning about natural building and sustainable living have been cancelled. This is a loss for both the folks who organized and promoted the workshops and all the potential … Read more
Jim Gagnepain and his wife, Stephanie, built their retirement home in eastern El Paso County, Colorado. Jim, who has a background in electrical engineering, acted as the general contractor, and he and Stephanie did a lot of the work. The result is an almost completely self-sufficient bermed earth home. Jim and Stephanie had long been … Read more
Mark and Chera rescued and renovated an old cabin and transformed it into an epic off-grid home for their family of 5. There’s no road to get there, so they had to figure out how to do absolutely everything by boat and barge: transporting building materials, equipment, belongings, workers, as well as commuting to and … Read more