Billed as the “first major museum exhibition to survey the relationship between architecture and the environmental movement in the United States,” Emerging Ecologies: Architecture and the Rise of Environmentalism presents drawings, models, and other artifacts that cover roughly six decades: from the mid-1930s to the mid-1990s. The heart of the exhibition at the Museum of … Read more
Lola Ben-Alon sloshes water into a tray of dirt and plunges her fingers into the muck. She smears it between her hands to see if it cakes on her skin, then mashes it into a sticky lump. “You need to know how much clay is in the soil,” she says. “That’s the first criterion for … Read more
The use of trunks or branches of trees in their entirety can accentuate their innate mechanical properties for structural stability. By embracing the grain structure and longitudinal fibers of timber, these wood pieces demonstrate strong mechanical resistance. Some engineering companies, such as Whole Trees, and architectural research institutes, such as the Architectural Association postgraduate program … Read more
Traditional mud houses in Kenya have largely been abandoned because most Kenyans now prefer modern materials and architectural designs. But a few designers are trying to revitalize these old-style houses by infusing them with contemporary elements and enhanced features. Boss Yator, a construction expert, recently shared some images of an enhanced mud house that has … Read more
Earth-sheltered homes—mostly buried in dirt—have been around for centuries. Now four sisters are creating a hobbit-style village in southeast Europe. They hope their snug community will appeal to experience seekers, Bosnian culture enthusiasts, and The Lord of the Rings fans. Earth-sheltered homes take the form of dugouts, earth lodges, and sod houses around the globe. … Read more
In 2013, Jay Thakkar discovered a traditional wood and stone building with a slight tilt in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. When he asked a local villager about it, he responded, “Sir, the house tilted when the earth moved. It will move back once the earth shifts again.” Thakkar, an associate professor at the … Read more