Jeannette Kuo: Both of you have been questioning standardized materials that have dominated the industry and rethinking what we can do better in our means of production. Some of this involves revisiting more traditional ways of building that have been forgotten or are not as common these days. I’m curious about the challenges you’ve come … Read more
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
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
Texas may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of castles, but this state has some architectural gems. From stone towers rising out of the Hill Country to grand Victorian mansions overlooking the Gulf Coast, these structures feel like they belong in a fairy tale. Mike Newman spent years constructing … Read more
Rocky Mountain Institute’s pathways to building with biomass, ASLA’s biodiversity priorities, and Architecture 2030’s resilience frameworks all point to nature-based, locally attuned solutions that strengthen communities while reducing carbon. At the same time, mindful MATERIALS highlights the data infrastructure needed to make these choices measurable and mainstream. Together, these findings signal a shift toward regenerative … Read more
The National Trust for Scotland has successfully repaired one of the most significant structures following a major collapse in 2022. The beehive-shaped, stone building known as ‘Lady Grange’s House’, is notable among the 1,200 such stone buildings scattered across the main island of Hirta. These are stone structures built without mortar and topped with turf … Read more