Nineteen municipalities in Holland have made agreements on ‘bio-based building and growing’. With this they want to further promote the use of natural building materials and the cultivation of crops for this purpose. Biobased materials, such as fiber hemp and miscanthus, fit into the transition to sustainable agriculture, focusing on water and soil quality and … Read more
With biophilic design, greenery, natural light, and organic materials all come together in harmony to make spaces into sanctuaries. There are many ways to bring nature indoors. Even the busiest of urban settings can feel connected to nature’s tranquillity with the right elements. It is a design philosophy that contributes to the health of both … Read more
At 89, Lloyd Kahn has been building his own homes for over six decades, crafting spaces that include a few domes, at least one tower, and plenty of hand-split shingles. He’s documented his builds, as well as the makeshift homes of thousands of alternative builders all over the US and the world, with whom he … Read more
In a remote village of Pakistan Mustaqeem Khan has cultivated a success story that transcends his rugged surroundings. Using a passive solar greenhouse, he has turned the unforgiving winters into a season of plenty. “This greenhouse is more than just a structure; it’s a lifeline,” Mustaqeem says as he tends to rows of spinach, tomatoes, … Read more
Yesterday I toured the Crooked Forest Institute‘s land that they recently acquired in the Mimbres Valley in Southern New Mexico via a $200,000 grant . A group of more than a dozen of us who already had some association with the Institute were invited to inspect the 50+ acre property and make suggestions about ways … Read more
Pedro Pedrosa and his wife Sofia left city life over a decade ago to live in a mostly-abandoned farming village in Central Portugal. After creating their home from several small outbuildings, they continued to experiment with local building materials- cork, pine, lime, and slate- by transforming three stone storage sheds into “Nature Houses.” Their town, … Read more