The Troll Homestead of Thomas Dambo

Trash artist Thomas Dambo has transformed an old farm into a whimsical homestead for his family and the dozens of makers who work alongside him. Just outside Copenhagen, is this imaginative village where nearly every structure, pathway, and piece of furniture is crafted from other people’s discarded materials. From pallet wood to old polycarbonate metro … Read more

A farmhouse in Madhya Pradesh, India is situated among winding rows of mango trees. The 1,800-square-foot space is constructed using the ancient technique of rammed earth – a building tradition that has nearly been forgotten in the region. Aptly named ‘Fragrance of Earth’, the farmhouse is as much a cultural project as it is an … Read more

Theopetra Cave in Greece Shows Habitation by Humans for Over 130,000 Years

A wall in Theopetra Cave in Greece was built during the Last Glacial Maximum, a period of extreme cold when much of Europe was blanketed in ice. Researchers believe early humans constructed it to partially seal the cave’s entrance, blocking freezing winds. Theopetra Cave offers a continuous archaeological record spanning 130,000 years, making it one … Read more

Living Off-Grid on a Remote Island in British Columbia

Mark Young has been living a self-sufficient lifestyle on a remote off-grid island in British Columbia for the past 21 years. He has built 9 experimental buildings on his 20-acre property using local and natural materials like wood, stone and cob, including: a cabin for himself, utility buildings for his solar power systems, a sauna … Read more

A Unique Waldorf School in a Nairobi Forest

This project was commissioned by a Waldorf school in Nairobi. The buildings needed to be constructed quickly, cost-effectively (achieving a cost of $250/m² or $23/sf), and with a temporary lifespan, as the plot lease was set to expire in 10 years. The concept was to create a small village for children nestled within the woods, … Read more

Great Mosque of Djenné in Africa

The Great Mosque of Djenné, located in Mali, exists thanks to a delicate balance between mass, geometry and continuous human intervention. Rebuilt in its current form in 1907 on older foundations, the mosque occupies a roughly square floor plan, approximately 75 meters (246 ft.) on each side, forming a compact volume that dominates the flat … Read more