For over 25 years, The Last Straw journal was dedicated to natural building and ecological design. It was started as a collective effort by straw bale builders Matts Myrhman and Judy Knox in Tuscon, Arizona in 1993. Since then twenty four editors, three publishers, and countless contributors have continued the long conversation about alternative ways … Read more
Celine Ramjit is an artist working in eco-architecture, weaving; and tattooing. Now she is building a community and a homestead through an art practice that is immersed in nature. Ramjit grew up in Trinidad where she started a tattoo apprenticeship in 2013 which revealed the anthropological history of body art. Ramjit volunteered to work for … Read more
A recent study in pre-Hispanic northern Peru shows the use of adobe brick building as early as 5,000 years ago. The research shows how the adobe blocks were formed from compacted clay deposits created by El Niño flooding events. Adobe architecture was applied across the pre-Colombian Andes in the building of “early sacred monumental pyramidal … Read more
Dig it! Building Bound to the Ground is a new publication written by Dutch architect Bjarne Mastenbroek, with photos by Iwan Baan. The book looks at over 500 case studies, from African churches chiselled in rock, to underground Chinese housing and overgrown Parisian housing. Its aim is to highlight the eco-conscious practices and green infrastructures … Read more
This former school house located in Wye Valley, one of Wales’ most stunning, landmark locations, is a great lesson in how to transform a period property from a practical former life into a welcoming and wonderful home. As well as the breathtaking scenery, the village is the site of one of the UK’s most iconic … Read more
The remains of a settlement on the windswept northern tip of Newfoundland reveals eight timber-framed structures that resemble Viking buildings in Greenland. Scientists now believe that this site, known as L’Anse aux Meadows, was inhabited by Vikings who came from Greenland. By analyzing the imprint of a rare solar storm in tree rings from wood … Read more