Earth has been used as a building material for at least the last 12,000 years. The huge variety in earthen architecture – which encompasses everything from defensive, religious and elite structures to everyday housing – reflects local geographies, geologies and climates. There are adobe structures in the American south west and mud bricks of Mali’s … Read more
At the end of 2011, after deciding to go to France for a “gap year”, Australian Karen Stride arrived in the country with a 12-month long stay visa with nothing but a desire to soak in the sights and sounds of her favorite European destination. “I didn’t come to France with the intention to buy … Read more
This thatch-roofed tea house supported on bamboo pillars was built in 1986. The 510-square-meter (5490 sf) structure with its high arched roof was inspired by traditional rural residences in the Yangtze River Delta. After undergoing a major, two-year restoration project, it has now reopened to the public. It was designed by Feng Jizhong (1915-2009), who … Read more
The Gulick-Rowell House is a two-story dwelling on the National Register of Historic Places constructed for Christian missionaries nearly 200 years ago in Waimea, Kaua‘i, Hawaii. The house is notable for its New England architecture and use of ōhiʻa lumber and coral limestone blocks cut from offshore reefs by Hawaiian workers, who were paid with … Read more
Architect Antoine Predock, known for his work rooted in the style and philosophies of the American Southwest, has passed away at the age of 87. He was known for projects such as the La Luz housing complex in Albuquerque and the Canadian Museum for Human Rights in Winnipeg. His designs often utilized local earthen and … Read more
Hemp mixed with lime can create a low-carbon, more climate friendly building material than concrete. “There’s an enormous growth potential in the US for hemp fiber used for building and insulation,” said Kaja Kühl, founder of youarethecity, a design and building practice. “Hemp was only legalized in 2018, but now industrial hemp is following the … Read more