Building codes require that buildings be designed and constructed to ensure minimum health and safety standards. These codes have developed over centuries with the primary goal of protecting against the spread of fire. But building codes may actually be contributing to the fragility of the built environment as a whole. According to architect and author … Read more
Many of our houses are defined by a pattern of consumption, from the raw materials to build them, to the fuel required to sustain them, and the waste generated by them. Despite an improvement in building energy efficiency, 2021 saw carbon emissions from building and construction hit an all-time high. Suppose that a house could … Read more
The Ulaman Resort in Bali was designed by Inspiral Architecture and Design Studios. It was made from rammed earth, bamboo, natural stone, and recycled timbers, as well as SIP panels that have a low carbon footprint because they combine recycled EPS with earth-based, fiber-reinforced polymer renders, allowing them to be strong, lightweight, and insulated. The … Read more
Joe Lyth and his family live in a passive house near Auckland, New Zealand, which is a big change from their former home in London. The ethos that made this architect design such an eco-friendly home for his own family applies to all aspects of their life. “We hardly ever buy anything new,” architect Joe … Read more
I remember that when I attended the Natural Building Colloquium in Kingston, NM in the fall of 2015 there was a fellow named Matt Anderson going around filming and interviewing people. He was part of Earth Lodge Studio, and the result of all this filming was a documentary entitled “What’s a Colloquium?: An Oral History … Read more
French cooperative Anatomies D’Architecture completed this restoration of a traditional brick house in Normandy. The project was defined by ambitious construction goals: 0% concrete, 0% plastic, and 100% natural materials sourced on-site within less than 100 km radius. The architects brought their vision to life by collaborating with farmers, loggers, sawmills, quarrymen, masons, historians, researchers, apprentices, … Read more