Building a Rustic Cabin in the Woods

This rustic cabin was built almost entirely with materials found in the forest environment itself. The project demonstrates how traditional techniques, when properly applied, result in a stable, durable shelter that is fully integrated into the landscape. The structure has an efficient indoor microclimate, balancing temperature, natural ventilation and thermal comfort throughout the day. The construction … Read more

Living Off-Grid on a Remote Island in British Columbia

Mark Young has been living a self-sufficient lifestyle on a remote off-grid island in British Columbia for the past 21 years. He has built 9 experimental buildings on his 20-acre property using local and natural materials like wood, stone and cob, including: a cabin for himself, utility buildings for his solar power systems, a sauna … Read more

A French Natural Homestead

In 2021, Mathieu Munsch walked away from the “normal” script— rent, bills, loans, a regular job— and headed for a sloping meadow in northeast France to build something radically simple: a small home made from the earth under his feet, wood from nearby, and straw bales from local farmers. He kept it to 50 m² … Read more

Renewable Energy For Homeowners

Below are listed several ways homes can be provided with renewable energy. There’s a good reason that solar panels appear first and foremost on this list. Converting to solar power for your entire home is the ultimate way to reduce your carbon footprint. This method offers to save you the most money over time. Many … Read more

A Unique Bridge House in India

Ashish Shah and his wife, Nipa, always wanted to build a farmhouse in the countryside. The couple and their two daughters lived in Mumbai. Nipa owns a brand that produces and markets organic, farm-sourced food, so they sought to set up a farm within a two-hour drive from Mumbai. Eventually, they came across a two-acre … Read more

A Food Forest in Denmark

When a Danish couple found a small rural property, all they saw was a dead field with exhausted soil, devoid of earthworms, the result of years of monoculture of grains and corn sprayed with pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.  So they began a patient process of building, rebuilding, and regenerating the soil. They started observing the … Read more