More book reviews: “I have built with earthbags for over twenty years, having helped develop the concept with Nader Khalili in the early 1990’s. Of all the texts on earthbag building that exist (including mine), I have to say that Owen Geiger’s Earthbag Building Guide is by far the most thorough, detailed and technically useful … Read more
Earthbag Building Guide: Vertical Walls Step-by-Step By Owen Geiger Much has been learned about earthbag building over the last few decades through research, trial and error, and sharing of information. It is becoming increasingly clear what works best and why. And now with engineer-approved methods for building in code-enforced areas, it is time to pull … Read more
My Stone Dome rating keeps goes up and down. It’s been in the top 10 lately. There’s still time to vote if you haven’t already. But the larger picture is far more important. I think geopolymer is a million dollar idea. Most houses fall apart in a few decades, need constant maintenance and are made … Read more
The $300 House design competition has about 300 affordable housing projects to study and learn from. I found Kevin Songer’s Integrated Shelter project, and even though it’s borderline genius, it’s way down the list. He entered the contest shortly before the deadline and so most people haven’t seen it. Quick summary and then I’ll let … Read more
This new idea comes from two recent blog posts. If you haven’t already done so, be sure to read the blog post about How They Built the Pyramids. Geopolymer is a subject I’ll be returning to again and again because it makes so much sense on so many levels. In addition, the blog post last … Read more
This 785 sq. ft. interior design connects three sloped roof roundhouses and adjoining closets to create a unique roundhouse cluster design that is earth-sheltered on three sides — east, west and north — with a sunny courtyard on the south. The 16′ bedroom roundhouses on either side can be used as bedrooms, home offices, studios, … Read more