The Jalmanjar Farmhouse in India aims to optimize climatic efficiency through passive and active strategies suited to the region’s hot and dry conditions. The key design elements, including the orientation, spatial configuration, material selection and windcatchers, work in coordination to enhance thermal comfort while minimizing energy consumption. The farmhouse features a perforated gable-end wall made … Read more
The cold desert region of Ladakh, India is characterized by harsh winters, minimal rainfall, and sparse vegetation. The residents have been forced to adapt to the environment, optimizing the limited available resources for sustenance. At an altitude of 3,500 meters (11,500 ft.) and over 300 sunny days per year, it is well positioned for passive … Read more
Sandy Lawrence used rammed earth to form the walls of a home on the side of a rocky hill overlooking Napa Valley in California. Three caves on Lawrence’s property provided some of the materials. The house was designed by San Francisco-based architect Michael Baushke and built by late Napa-based architect David Easton, who was a … Read more
For centuries, Morocco’s Aït-Ben-Haddou has been a thriving nexus of commerce, culture, and architectural ingenuity. As a bridge between Marrakech and Timbuktu, it serves as a refuge for traders and a fortress against the desert’s harsh elements. Its sun-baked walls stand as a monument to adaptation and survival, sculpted from the very land it inhabits. … Read more
Architects in Bulgaria are turning to the wisdom of the past and blending it with modern techniques to build homes that offer refuge from scorching heatwaves. They say ecological and local building materials like straw and clay allow for better ventilation and insulation. Kamen Pramatarov is an architect who built and lives in a small … Read more
This article reviews several common alternative building materials, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is a panel system where each panel consists of multiple timber boards glued together in a perpendicular pattern. The result is a structural product that doesn’t bend and is very strong, rather like plywood. The panels are large, … Read more