Natural slate, which can be used for both roofing and facades, is a material with one the lowest contribution to emissions and environmental impact. Life-Cycle Assessment can be used to assess and quantify possible environmental impacts associated with a product or process, which compiles the inputs, outputs and overall potential environmental effects of a product … Read more
In her book Lo-TEK: Design by Radical Indigenism, Julia Watson proposes to revalue the techniques of construction, production, cultivation and extraction carried out by diverse remote populations who, generation after generation, have managed to keep alive ancestral cultural practices integrated with nature, with a low environmental cost and simple execution. While modern societies try to … Read more
Context, climate, craft and sustainability form the pillars of traditional Indian architecture and provide precedents for new cities and structures. Indian architecture seeks identity through local materials with modern techniques. Deeply meshed with cultural and climatic significance, the following materials continue to build contemporary Indian architecture: Jaali is a local term for “perforated block”, and … Read more
The 15th-century Chhode monastery is tucked into a side valley of remote Mustang, a district in northern Nepal. The monastery, with walls formed of clay and gravel, blends in with the wind-beaten cliffs; its towering roof is held up by wooden pillars. Inside the monastery, a monk is performing a ritual prayer ceremony before a … Read more
Here is a collection of some of the oldest buildings in the United States. It is interesting to notice that virtually all of them could be considered “natural buildings” made from local natural materials. This speaks to the longevity of natural building techniques! Originally constructed in Ardmore, Alabama in 1808 before being restored at to … Read more
The Institute of Nomadic Architecture is a rich source of information on the traditional architecture of nomadic peoples. They have been researching nomadic architecture for over fifteen years and have over 40,000 images and 500 hours of video clips, as well as detailed notes from all around the world. They record the structure itself, and … Read more