Earth-sheltered homes are built into the land on at least three sides, keeping energy use to a minimum. An engulfed home allows for more stable temperatures throughout the home as well as less exposure to the elements. Underground America Day was created by “the father of modern earth-sheltered architecture,” Malcolm Wells, in 1974. He died … Read more
In a backyard in Temple, Texas sits a playhouse for the homeowner’s grandchildren. “You mix play sand and straw together,” says builder Tracy McLoud. “You just take the lumps of cob and actually sculpt the structure without any formwork,” she adds. “It’s almost an exact replica of the miniature model that we built.” The cob … Read more
This modern, eco-friendly home in Kerala, India is built primarily of mud and other natural materials, along with recycled elements. Passive principles were applied to let in light and much-needed natural ventilation for relief from Kerala’s tropical climate. To combat the heat and the monsoon rain, most conventional homes feature sloped roofs with thick overhangs … Read more
Thousands gathered in the World Heritage city of Djenné in Mali for the annual Grand mosque plastering ceremony. This adobe building is considered to be one of the greatest achievements of the Sudano-Sahelian architectural style. The plastering is done with banco, which is a mixture of sand, water, shea butter, rice bran and baobab powder … Read more
With 25,000 euros and 1000 hours of work, Maurizio Cesprini and his partner Paola Gardin rebuilt a ruined home in the medieval village of Ghesc, Italy. They hope other young families will consider their example with a plentiful supply of medieval ghost towns. They also feel drawn to save the rich architectural heritage of artisanal … Read more
In an article titled “Students rebuild communities with sustainable bamboo architecture,” published in www.northbynorthwestern.com it is explained that after the 7.8 magnitude earthquake struck coastal Ecuador in 2016, the country suffered from severe damages and casualties. The use of heavy building materials was to blame for some of the casualties. Because of the damages from … Read more