In a village called Yul in India stands the Yabgo Dynasty Palace. It has a weathered wooden entrance guarded by a carved eagle, and it was built to endure. The ground floor is made up of spaces that speak of life lived simply. The kitchen has walls darkened by generations of smoke. There is a … Read more
Jeannette Kuo: Both of you have been questioning standardized materials that have dominated the industry and rethinking what we can do better in our means of production. Some of this involves revisiting more traditional ways of building that have been forgotten or are not as common these days. I’m curious about the challenges you’ve come … Read more
Once dismissed as purely vernacular, rammed earth is now considered a high-performance building material, capable of meeting contemporary structural demands while addressing urgent imperatives of climate resilience, sustainability, and human well-being. This transition is driven by advancements in geotechnical engineering and refinements in stabilization. At its essence, rammed earth is the compaction of a calibrated … Read more
Building a cabin on a volcanic island, with unstable soil, constant humidity, and limited access to resources was quite a challenge for this man. The chosen area had dense vegetation, deep roots, and uneven soil, typical of volcanic regions. Before any construction, it was necessary to completely clear the space, remove natural obstacles, and select trees … Read more
The Earth Castle near Perth, Australia is a 1400 square meter (15,000 sf) mansion set upon breathtaking 64 acres. Carved into the earth, this sheltered marvel is a triumph of thermal design and artistic vision. You cross the threshold through heavy, arched timber doors and enter a world of curves and light. The heart of … Read more
This article was written by Bharat Arora and can be found at www.travelandleisureasia.com The year was 2010. I was living in Mumbai. To most, I was in a great place—working with a channel, hosting Band Baajaa Bride, bringing back a nice fat pay cheque every month, and on the precipice of celebrityhood. But the truth is, I was … Read more