Rainy Hill Retreat in Melbourne

‘Rainy Hill Retreat’ is a four-bedroom mud brick bungalow surrounded by bird life and landscaped gardens near Melbourne, Australia. Natural light pours into the open living, kitchen and dining areas thanks to the 7m-high ceilings and glass foyer entry. Whitewashed mud bricks and timber posts are consistent finishes throughout the home as well as the … Read more

The Stories That Old Australian Walls Reveal

Curious wanderers comb the Australian landscape, exploring derelict homes and other deserted buildings, ultimately preserving their memory through photography. They join social media groups in their thousands, sharing their discoveries with one another. Old & Abandoned Australia currently boasts more than 200,000 members. Greg Davis, administrator for the group, says “It’s just grown and grown.”The … Read more

Traditional Elm Bark Lodges Return to the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes Lifeways Institute is joining forces with Indigenous nations in Minnesota and Ontario to build three elm bark community lodges as part of a growing effort to bring traditional lodges back to the region after more than 100 years. “These grassroots projects brought together dozens of people, created powerful collaborative synergy between diverse … Read more

The First Earthship on Prince Edward Island is Still Working Great

After 10 years the first Earthship on Prince Edward Island in Canada, builder Jordan Cameron is glad to see that its features are still working as intended. He began the project in 2013 when he was 21 and relatively fresh out of College and had spent several years dreaming of building his first project. Like … Read more

School in Ladakh Heats and Cools Itself

The SECMOL (Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh) School building features rammed-earth construction and passive solar architecture. The region has a cold desert climate with temperature variation from 20°C (68°F) in summer to -30°C (-22°F) in winter. Luckily this area has over 300 sunny days per year, so the sun is a reliable energy … Read more