This video shows exactly how the traditional yurts of the Shahsavan nomads in Iran are built. The whole structure is pre-tensioned before the felted wool cover is placed over the framework, which gives the yurt the ability to withstand the gales that blow across their high mountain landscape. The Shahsavan are some of the world’s … Read more
An eco-village of earthbag domes is growing along the coral coastline of Indonesia’s Lombok Island. The builders seeks to introduce shared housing which is built and occupied with respect for the environment. Currently there are nine domes surrounding a restaurant, pool, and co-working space. The second phase of nine more domes is underway and should … Read more
I just finished reading The Head Hutt Picture Book: A photojournalistic overview of a 10 year learning experience by Gabrielle Lilly. This is one of several colorful kindle editions that she has published about this project. Gabrielle was trained as an artist, specializing in ceramics, and especially loved to create sculpted head shapes. When she … Read more
Stanzin Phuntsog (24) and Samyuktha S (29) are from the opposite ends of India, but they share a vision for sustainable architecture that is natural, eco-friendly, community-driven and hands-on. Three years ago they established Earth Building in order to promote these things. They have explored many earthen techniques like cob, earthbag, adobe, rammed earth and … Read more
On the west coast of New Zealand’s North Island, in the small village of Peka Peka, there are a series of hillocks that have windows and small white towers that rise above the landscape like periscopes. It turns out that this is the underground home of Friedrich (“Fritz”) and Helen Eisenhofer. Fritz is an architect … Read more
Massachusetts architect Malcolm “Mac” Wells said, “We are paving and roofing this country to death.” As the environmental movement was gaining steam in the United States, he swore off contemporary design in favor of energy-efficient subterranean dwellings. It is estimated that as many as 2,000 Wells-inspired “earth-sheltered” homes, or earth homes, were constructed in the … Read more