This 18th century barn near Fairfield, Connecticut was converted into a 10-room residence in 1982, 200 years after it was first built. The property had a large red barn with two horse stalls, two hay lofts, and a stove to dry the onions that were grown in local fields. It also had two sliding barn … Read more
While this is far from being an example of natural building, it does demonstrate an interesting concept for habitat that automatically responds to weather. Professor Weiguo Xu of Tsinghua University and his team have built a tourist reception center in China that opens and closes in response to the weather.The structure is used as an … Read more
Delta Bay, a 12-acre RV park and tiny-house resort, on the banks of the San Joaquin River about 40 minutes outside Stockton, California is a legal tiny home community. Homes on wheels started rolling in just four years ago. The community has a biannual Tiny House event where tiny-house owners open their doors and allow … Read more
Sustainable Life School‘s mission is to empower themselves and others with natural building and sustainable living techniques. Morgan and Mary Jane Caraway have been homesteading off-grid since 2009, when they built their first earthbag home. They held their initial public workshops in 2011, while building a sun room addition on to their earthbag roundhouse. In … Read more
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