The second home on Maui, Hawaii using hempcrete for wall construction has been completed. Hempcrete is not only fire, mold and termite resistant, it’s also non-toxic, sound insulating, energy efficient, and absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. The owner, Jon Woodhouse, says, “Walking into my home, you can feel the difference compared to conventional home … Read more
Drakoni House is a 19th-century stone building converted into a holiday home in Crete. It has been uninhabited since 1920. Alterations to the traditional building were kept virtually unnoticeable from the outside and easily reversible in the future. The least possible construction interventions were made, mainly focusing on the restoration and reinforcement of the stone … Read more
I recently discovered the folks who run tinyshinyhome.com and who have produced a number of video programs. I was particularly impressed with this video about building with hyperadobe that they call “The ULTIMATE GUIDE to Hyperadobe Earthbags: Pros, Cons, & Cost Savings” They say, “After 4 years of experimenting, here’s everything we know about hyperadobe … Read more
Africa Lao had spent her career designing homes from an office in Barcelona, so when she moved to the country to get closer to nature, she was inspired to transform a crumbling 18th century stone barn into a small, minimal dream home. Located in the middle of protected forest, the location was an urban refugee’s … Read more
The annual re-plastering of the Djenne mosque was held with the participation of many people. This is important to maintain the integrity of the world’s largest mud-brick building, which has been on UNESCO’s World Heritage in Danger list since 2016. The mosque and surrounding town were added to the list due to ongoing insecurity in … Read more
Kiran Amati and his father, Prakash, spent most weekends farming, and experimenting with dairy and cow dung products on Prakash’s farm outside of Mumbai, India. At some point, Amati and his father chanced upon “Geeli Mitti,” an organization that leads workshops on natural buildings. Eventually, with the help of Geeli Mitti and a group of … Read more