Wood is inherently imprecise. Its grain reverses and swirls. Trauma and disease manifest in scars and knots. Instead of viewing these natural tendencies as liabilities, Achim Menges, an architect and professor at the University of Stuttgart in Germany, sees them as wood’s greatest assets. Menges and his team at the Institute for Computational Design and … Read more
Italian construction company BIOmat Canapa has created a 100% natural and recyclable brick, crafted from a blend of lime and canapulo, with exceptional insulation properties while combating humidity. Canapulo is a specialized hemp variety cultivated specifically for construction. Lime acts as a vital binding agent, ensuring cohesion and bolstering the overall strength of hemp bricks. … Read more
The Di Linh House, designed by K59 Atelier in Vietnam uses local materials, such as timber and rammed earth. It is a 50 sm (538 sf) dwelling, constructed in 2022 for a family. With little rainfall during the dry season, a reservoir for harvesting water was created further up the valley. The soil from the … Read more
When the Watershed Conservation Center in Ontario, Canada was built in 2012, a 75 m2 (807 sf) live roof garden was installed on either side of the sidewalk leading up to the front doors. The live roof sits on top of part of the basement of the old office building, which was retained and renovated … Read more
Los Panchos in Zihuatanejo, Mexico, is a housing complex catering to surfers and beach lovers. The organic shell of the building features curved walls and fluid arches. Los Panchos maximizes views, solar orientation, and ventilation. Construction employs sustainable methods and locally sourced materials like wood, stone, and clay, emphasizing energy efficiency, and incorporating green building … Read more
Thermal mass is the ability of a material to absorb, store, and release heat. It can be used to moderate building temperatures by reducing fluctuations. Materials with relatively high thermal mass, such as stone, rammed earth, and brick, can absorb significant heat during the day and release it slowly when temperatures drop at night, reducing … Read more