This video shows exactly how the traditional yurts of the Shahsavan nomads in Iran are built. The whole structure is pre-tensioned before the felted wool cover is placed over the framework, which gives the yurt the ability to withstand the gales that blow across their high mountain landscape. The Shahsavan are some of the world’s … Read more
The Ulaman Eco Retreat in Bali is not only gorgeous, but is fully carbon zero. The nearby river has a number of small waterfalls that produce enough flow to power a hydro electric generator that can power all of the buildings within the complex. And all of the natural building materials were sourced in that … Read more
When Tas Careaga first saw this 16th-century church it was advertised for sale as a “land plot with built-in ruins”. Abandoned for decades, it was being sold by the local bishopric for very little, but the new owner was required to rebuild it. Careaga and friends spent 3 months just clearing the structure of debris … Read more
Greg Parham and his company Rocky Mountain Tiny Houses has built 80 custom tiny homes for customers across the country. He and his wife live off-grid and onsite at the company in Durango,Colorado. They customized everything to their particular needs, from a mechanical elevator bed to a tabletop that slides (with wax) into multiple positions. … 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
Below is an excerpt from Home Work: Hand Built Shelter (Shelter Publications, 2004) by Lloyd Kahn. This book features more than 1,500 photos that illustrate various innovative architectural styles and natural building materials such as cob, papercrete, bamboo, adobe, strawbale, timber framing and earthbags. If you love fine, fun or funky buildings, you will enjoy … Read more