Traditional Elm Bark Lodges Return to the Great Lakes

The Great Lakes Lifeways Institute is joining forces with Indigenous nations in Minnesota and Ontario to build three elm bark community lodges as part of a growing effort to bring traditional lodges back to the region after more than 100 years. “These grassroots projects brought together dozens of people, created powerful collaborative synergy between diverse … Read more

Using Augmented Reality with Bamboo Architecture

Bamboo architecture stands out due to its complex geometries and heavy reliance on craftsmanship. Physical models have traditionally been central to materializing architects’ visions and conveying intricate design. Now, we are in the midst of a paradigm shift: the digital revolution is bringing computer-aided design tools to the forefront, unlocking bamboo’s potential in ways never … Read more

Showcase of Natural Building at OUR Ecovillage

Freya’s House is an off-grid green building that showcases multiple natural building techniques from straw bale, cob, and rammed earth walls, to earthen floors, a green roof, and reclaimed, salvaged and locally sourced materials. It uses solar power for electricity, a legal composting toilet, and on-site greywater filtration. The house is located at O.U.R Ecovillage … Read more

Couple Builds a Hempcrete Home in Victoria

Melburnians Sarah Corbet and David Bruce bought a 7.5 acre block of land in central Victoria with plans for their future retirement and a slower paced life. They engaged Altereco Design to design the house, ideally to be made with hempcrete. Sarah and David requested a ‘warm design’ that was functional as well as beautiful. … Read more

The Aanandaa Natural Home in India

Manisha Lath Gupta and her family wanted to live in an environment where they grow their produce, and living with nature meant living in a home built using natural materials. Aanandaa house is built using sustainable materials like rammed earth, stone, lime, brick, and traditional roofing systems. These materials were sourced locally and they hired … Read more

A Hand-Crafted Swedish Style Home in California

A beautifully crafted home for sale in Bear Valley, California  looks like it belongs in Sweden. That’s where the dwelling’s owner got his inspiration for the 1,350-square-foot, one-bedroom, two-bath retreat. The home also includes two sleeping nooks in the living room, plus a large loft. In 1967, the seller—the late Dr. Johan Viking Hultin—bought the … Read more