A research team from the Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry at the Chinese Academy of Sciences has discovered that sandcastle worms, marine creatures about two inches in length, construct intricate, honeycombed, reef-like structures by binding sand grains together. The composite adhesive they secrete contains both cationic and anionic proteins, enabling them to firmly unite … Read more
The Luum Temple in Tulum, Mexico is a pioneering example of what happens when traditional wisdom meets modern engineering. It is designed to stand against hurricane winds and significant seismic forces. The structural system has five intersecting hyperbolic paraboloids made of bamboo arches and split bamboo beams. Due to bamboo’s lightweight nature, particular attention must … Read more
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