Colombo-Colonial architecture in Columbia is a style characterized by rammed earth walls, stone masonry, and tile roofs. Architect Alejandro Saldarriaga recently designed a country home where “The closest airport is a three-hour drive,” he says. The 2,600-square-foot home reinterprets the Colombo-Colonial vernacular, but he was challenged to work with a sloping site with extreme topography. … Read more
The cold desert region of Ladakh, India is characterized by harsh winters, minimal rainfall, and sparse vegetation. The residents have been forced to adapt to the environment, optimizing the limited available resources for sustenance. At an altitude of 3,500 meters (11,500 ft.) and over 300 sunny days per year, it is well positioned for passive … Read more
Ronald Rael’s Adobe Oasis was created for the exhibition Desert X and rises from California’s Coachella Valley as a cluster of ribbed, earthen passageways, bridging indigenous construction practices with digital fabrication. Layered in rhythmic ribbons of red adobe, the walls mimic the texture of the surrounding palm trees. This work is both land art and … Read more
For centuries, Morocco’s Aït-Ben-Haddou has been a thriving nexus of commerce, culture, and architectural ingenuity. As a bridge between Marrakech and Timbuktu, it serves as a refuge for traders and a fortress against the desert’s harsh elements. Its sun-baked walls stand as a monument to adaptation and survival, sculpted from the very land it inhabits. … Read more
The traditional craft of stone building has thrived for generations in Saudi Arabia’s Baha region, with local artisans skillfully utilizing the region’s abundant stones and trees. Locals are working to adapt the practice to meet contemporary demands. It is a labor-intensive process, lasting several months and involves using various types of stones, including cornerstones, long … Read more
A century-old wooden structure is transformed into an atelier and office in a mountainous region north of Kyoto, Japan, integrating traditional Japanese craftsmanship and locally sourced materials. The renovation retains as much of the original handcrafted timber frame as possible. Complementing the existing framework, the studio introduces a cypress structure fitted with handcrafted sliding doors … Read more