The ancient city of Machu Picchu, perched among the peaks of southern Peru, flourished for just over a hundred years between the mid-15th and mid-16th centuries. It is famous for its intricate, masterful stone masonry. But often invisible to the untrained eye is masterful drainage infrastructure and slope stabilization. Ruth Wright, a historian, travel writer, … Read more
Building with adobe — a material created by mixing clay-rich soil with straw, sand, and other organic materials — has been in use since 8300 BC. It is popular in arid and semiarid places where wood is scarce. The word “Adobe” derives from the Arabic “al ṭūb” meaning “the bricks.” Adobe buildings are low energy, … Read more
Spartan Giordano was 28 years old when he designed and started building a zero fossil fuel energy home In Greenfield, Massachusetts. Two years later he and his partner Hannah got the occupancy permit on the very day their son, Max, was born. Nine years later Hannah and Spartan have a 2½-year-old daughter and Spartan has … Read more
This lovely building complex in Mekarwangi village, Indonesia, is a workshop and residence designed by RAW architecture. It was created with local craftsmen and materials (mostly bamboo) to create three organic-shaped buildings that fit into the landscape. They used recycled plastic, sympodial bamboo, and local stone for the foundations. The artisan workshop is a raised … Read more
Ten years ago when Tim Kroeker’s last child finally graduated high school, he and his wife decided it was now or never to follow through on their many years-long dream of building a house…an alternative house…in “the country”. They had investigated a number of construction methods…straw bale, cordwood masonry, rammed earth, Earthship, log, etc. …and … Read more
In the last post I referenced the work of Sindhu Bhaskar as part of the Thannal Mud Homes Trust in India. She and her architect husband Biju built their own earthbag home made almost entirely with natural materials. In this video you can see how they made this 550 Sq Ft home in one and … Read more