Traditional reed bridges in the Himalayan Nepal are similar to those in the Andes, showing how people on opposite sides of the planet living in similar circumstances come up with the same building solutions. Does this resemblance stem from people designing similar structures because of similar topography, or is it because the indigenous people of … Read more
It is common knowledge that German bombs during the Blitz of 1940 caused untold damage to Coventry, U.K., killing hundreds and destroying thousands of buildings in the process. But there is one building still standing that we only know about because those same bombs uncovered it. Known as the Medieval Stone Building, the ruin is … Read more
To reduce the reliance of earthbag construction on polypropylene, an environmentally detrimental material, and simultaneously address the urgent issue of fast fashion waste, this research explores the suitability of using earthbag construction to reduce postconsumer clothing waste in landfills. Three approaches to generating new earthbag geometries were explored using sewn domestic craft: alternate modular arrays, … Read more
The ethos of Masons Ink, the Bengaluru-based sustainable architecture firm helmed by Sridevi and Rosie, lies in ensuring sustainability gets a voice through all of their projects. Elaborating on how they bonded over their shared interest in sustainability in architecture, Sridevi says, “Our story goes all the way back to our undergraduate days in college. … Read more
In a village called Yul in India stands the Yabgo Dynasty Palace. It has a weathered wooden entrance guarded by a carved eagle, and it was built to endure. The ground floor is made up of spaces that speak of life lived simply. The kitchen has walls darkened by generations of smoke. There is a … Read more
Tony and Maureen Papas bought a collection of trulli — traditional dry-stone huts with distinct conical roofs commonly found in that area of Italy dating back to the 1600s. They discovered theirs were built by olive harvesters who needed somewhere to sleep. Even though some of the buildings were dilapidated, the geometry of the structures … Read more