Yu Sing, an Indonesian architect, relies on local materials when constructing homes and public spaces. “Natural houses are no longer the first choice for people’s homes,” Yu Sing said. “The state even calls them uninhabitable homes.” Yu Sing founded Studio Akanoma in 2008 to showcase the design of low-cost housing using natural materials. A year … Read more
This year’s Venice Architecture Biennale has as its theme “The Laboratory of the Future.” The laboratory part of the title suggests experimentation and radical rethinking. The National Pavilion of Saudi Arabia shows a series of more traditional yet still alluring spaces with arches on either side of a rectangular central room that feels almost cave-like and … Read more
During the California heat wave of 1906, Baldassare Forestiere dug a home underground with just a pickax and shovel. He spent 40 years excavating 10 acres of rooms, tunnels, a chapel, an underground aquarium, and courtyards to experiment with underground farming. With no budget, he mixed mortar from the dirt he dug out, creating his … Read more
Flat House in Cambridgeshire, UK, looks like a typical barn conversion, but inside, the look and feel is something quite different. “The walls remind me of hay bale dens we used to make as kids,” says Flat House’s owner Gemma Barron. “It has the most lovely acoustic quality. And last year we had the heating … Read more
Transparent wood has the potential to replace glass and plastic and also promises to significantly reduce the carbon footprint of buildings. Transparent wood is created through a process that involves the removal of lignin, which gives wood its color and rigidity, from the wood’s cellular structure. Then a transparent polymer fills the empty spaces left … Read more
The role of landscaping in passive solar building design can play a crucial part in maximizing shade and solar gain. By carefully planning and positioning landscape elements, homeowners can create outdoor spaces that work in harmony with the sun’s natural patterns, resulting in energy-efficient buildings that are comfortable year-round. One of the primary goals of … Read more