Nearly 8,000 schools were destroyed in the 2015 earthquake in central Nepal, and more than 33,000 classrooms collapsed. Fortunately the quake struck on a Saturday when the schools were closed. The earthquake gave Nepali architects reason to consider stronger structures that also addressed seasonal variation in temperature, natural lighting and airiness. The Dwarpaleswor Secondary School … Read more
Jennifer Jacques’s daughter Asha came home unpectedly early when the University of Maine announced that it would close for the semester in order to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Jacques then had four people — herself, her oldest, her younger daughter and her toddler son, along with a dog and two cats — in … Read more
This stunning 700-square-foot, self-built float home is fully off-grid with solar power, a pellet stove, a composting toilet, and an evaporation grey water system that ensures nothing is dumped overboard! It has an open concept kitchen, living and dining space, a master bedroom and bathroom on the main floor, two bedrooms on the second floor, … Read more
Gauri Satam and Tejesh Patil have joined forces to found unTAG, a Mumbai-based architectural and interior design firm that believes in building sustainable homes. They have worked on around 40 environmentally and economically sustainable projects so far. “As a student, I wanted to change the myth that architects are exclusive to people with money. A … Read more
This recent article at insideclimatenews.org titled Inside Clean Energy: 6 Things Michael Moore’s ‘Planet of the Humans’ Gets Wrong, written by Dan Gearino claims that the documentary’s “facts” are deceptive and misleading and way out of date. I wrote a blog post about this documentary where there is a link to watch it at www.naturalbuildingblog.com … Read more
Under the guidance of the German master-builder Jörg Stamm, folks at Bamboo U, a build and design course in Bali, have created a bamboo yurt which can fold like an umbrella and be deployed in an instant. The yurt’s frame is made from bamboo of the Phyllostachys species, referred to in Bali as Bambu Jajang. … Read more