Once dismissed as purely vernacular, rammed earth is now considered a high-performance building material, capable of meeting contemporary structural demands while addressing urgent imperatives of climate resilience, sustainability, and human well-being. This transition is driven by advancements in geotechnical engineering and refinements in stabilization. At its essence, rammed earth is the compaction of a calibrated … Read more
Mel Oliver had a lot to consider when she went looking for her dream home in the country. She wanted to get back to the land and to live a more self-sufficient lifestyle, but with a teenager at home, she knew it wouldn’t be fair to move out to the country permanently. “I wanted the … Read more
This article was written by Bharat Arora and can be found at www.travelandleisureasia.com The year was 2010. I was living in Mumbai. To most, I was in a great place—working with a channel, hosting Band Baajaa Bride, bringing back a nice fat pay cheque every month, and on the precipice of celebrityhood. But the truth is, I was … Read more
This is a full tour of a cozy cob micro cabin built by Marie France Roy, a professional snowboarder from Canada. She wanted to build a home with natural and reclaimed materials so the main floor is built with cob – a mix of sand, clay, and straw – and the upper floor is built … Read more
This experimental Wiltshire dwelling is a new home for a couple and is literally born from the landscape. It’s made with materials from the site using rammed-earth. For the owners, living inside its monolithic walls is a uniquely grounding experience. ‘I feel completely cocooned and safe,’ says the wife. ‘It’s so quiet, peaceful and warm,’ … Read more
This 5,660-square-foot home in Hyderabad, India—named Aurva Illam—was built entirely by hand, with hand-poured and hand-rammed earth. The spaces are designed to work with the climate, shaping a home that’s almost monastic with thermal autonomy, and a way of living that makes air-conditioning unnecessary. “From the outset, the intention was to build an earth home … Read more