Trees for the Future has released a report that shares the short and long-term effects of agroforestry systems on hunger, poverty, and landscape restoration. The report confirms that their Forest Garden Approach effectively achieves the triple bottom line of food security, economic resilience, and environmental impact. “Farming and agricultural land use are key factors in the … Read more
Localworks has created the Mustardseed Junior School in Uganda with organically shaped classrooms built from natural and locally sourced materials. The earthbag walls are filled with soil from the site. The 1,146-square-meter (12,335 sf) building is used as both a kindergarten and primary school for local children. No two rooms are the same, which means … Read more
I joined this panel to explore the idea of providing comfortable shelter for all animal and human life on Earth. The 90-minute plenary invited leaders in the field of ancient & earth wisdom, natural building and community building with Ousmane Aly Pame, Kelly Hart & Mark Lakeman to respond to the following questions: What would … Read more
Casa Ballena is an art center designed for Mexican and international artists in Los Cabos, Mexico. Its design takes advantage of the topography in order to play with different heights and create a natural buffer that allows both views and private space. The earth that was removed to create the platforms was reused to build … Read more
A root cellar is an underground or partially underground structure used to preserve vegetables and protect them from frost through the winter. Root cellars are often constructed into hillsides and make use of the existing geography. Generally, they are constructed by digging a hole in the earth and reinforcing with wood, rock, cement, and/or other … Read more
From agile neighborhoods for veterans or the unhoused, to pocket hoods for Portlanders, the dozens of co-housing villages designed by Mark Lakeman are nationally recognized and in demand. “All my work, and all the permaculture, comes under an overall unifying heading. That is ReVillaging, you might say,” Mark explained, “With USA neighborhoods being mostly expressions … Read more