This converted barn nestled into the Wales countryside, called Ysgubor, has modern facilities, a pretty garden as well as facilities for multi-generational living. Converted in 1990 the old barn became a three bedroom home. There was more conversion work in 2007 when the detached stable was changed from a home for horses to a two-bed … Read more
An earth-sheltered home in Carlisle, PA, has a succulent covered roof that has three impervious layers covered with 3 feet of soil and never needs mowing. “Currently, it’s all blooming yellow, and there are thousands of bees on it. You feel like you’re in a meadow,” said the listing real estate agent. The white, foamy … Read more
Siblings Ansh and Raghav Kumar started to build this homestay in Rishikesh, India in 2020. They remembered a picture of their childhood––a quaint home nestled among mountains, with a river flowing nearby and the sun smiling upon them. “It was during the pandemic that we began to question our state of living and being. Our … Read more
Ross and Kristin Ulibarri live in a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home in Valverde Commons, a senior co-housing community within walking distance of historic Taos Plaza in New Mexico. Its sculpted adobe-style exterior makes it look like a traditional Southwestern dwelling. The house has triple-glazed windows and air-tight insulation, so it rarely needs any heating beyond the … Read more
Solar Adobe: Energy, Ecology & Earthen Architecture by Albert Narath was published this year by the University of Minnesota Press and would be a fine addition to any architectural library. The book focuses on the history of earthen building, mainly in the United States, and primarily during the Twentieth Century. Much attention is placed on … Read more
The Daiku House in Berne, New York is a custom-crafted two-bedroom home on seven secluded acres that thoughtfully incorporates Japanese-inspired style and design. Built in 1982 by the home’s current and original owner who studied carpentry in Japan (“Daiku” translates to “carpenter” in Japanese), the two-story open-floor plan combines timber-frame construction with traditional techniques, hand-cut … Read more