From the outset, Casa AYA aimed to be built in the most sustainable way possible and is the first straw bale home built to PassivHaus standards in Uruguay. The use of concrete was reduced by 93% compared to conventional construction by using raised foundations. This technique allowed the ground profile to remain unaltered, respecting the … Read more
Here are some examples of mud houses in India that show us how ancient building techniques can be adapted to modern climate responsive homes. A Kanha-Inspired Bungalow In Raipur The owners wanted to take them back, at least in spirit, to the mud houses of Kanha. “We were clear that the home should serve as … Read more
Barbara Jones is a passionate advocate of building with natural materials and has been a leading exponent of straw-bale construction since the mid-1990s – designing affordable, straw-bale houses. She has designed, built, or trained people to work on more than 300 projects using the material. She co-founded The School of Natural Building and trains a … 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
Architects in Bulgaria are turning to the wisdom of the past and blending it with modern techniques to build homes that offer refuge from scorching heatwaves. They say ecological and local building materials like straw and clay allow for better ventilation and insulation. Kamen Pramatarov is an architect who built and lives in a small … Read more
This article reviews several common alternative building materials, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses. Cross Laminated Timber (CLT) is a panel system where each panel consists of multiple timber boards glued together in a perpendicular pattern. The result is a structural product that doesn’t bend and is very strong, rather like plywood. The panels are large, … Read more