In Ouled Merzoug, a small earthen village near the Atlas Mountains of Morocco, a piece of land was offered by the community to the recently founded women’s association AFOM. They built a Women’s House in close collaboration with local women and workers: a place where women can share their crafts with the community and visitors. … Read more
Around 1846 lime began to gain popularity over erosion-prone mud; It was popular for plasters and for mortar in much construction until the arrival of Portland cement during the first decade of the 20th century. This first instance of the term “cement stucco” in the archives of the Santa Fe New Mexican appeared in 1907, … Read more
Katie Jones and Peter Schmitt’s Uptown Strawhouse will be built on the site of their current garage using straw bales for walls, which will not only make the home energy efficient but will actually sequester carbon. “Passive houses” meet a voluntary energy efficiency standard that drastically reduces the building’s carbon footprint and requires little energy … Read more
People are staying home these days to avoid the spread of Covid-19, and unfortunately this means that many of the wonderful workshops that have been offered for learning about natural building and sustainable living have been cancelled. This is a loss for both the folks who organized and promoted the workshops and all the potential … Read more
At Cob Cottage Company in Oregon Kara Stiff trained in cob, an ancient technique using clay, sand and straw, with stone or recycled concrete for the foundation. They built rounded houses that seemed right out of a fairy tale, using materials that were freely available just about everywhere, non-toxic, cozy and beautiful. There wasn’t a … Read more
Emma lives in the wild woods of Wales, where she is close to nature , with no running water, electricity, or internet. For Emma, this way of life is all about building a closer relationship to nature while also creating a lifestyle where she is free of the pressures of the modern world. Her simple … Read more