Here are some fun examples of playful architecture in Europe: The Cube Houses in Rotterdam were designed by architect Piet Blom, and are based on the concept of “living in an urban roof.” The houses are a set of angled cubes tilted at 45 degrees. This unusual design theoretically optimizes the available space inside the … Read more
There is a tiny chapel, no bigger than a garden shed, hidden in the woods of Cornwall dedicated to St Francis of Assisi, patron saint of animals. It was built almost 100 years ago with local Constantine granite and Delabole slate on the roof. The first thing visitors are met with as they open the … Read more
Bamboo, rammed earth, and adobe bricks were used by Chiangmai Life Architects to form a new Science and Music Center in Thailand. The Science Lab is L-shaped and the bamboo roof looks like a heart from above. The earthen instrument storage room reduces the humidity fluctuations experienced in northern Thailand. The music center has two … Read more
“It’s an earth-sheltered home. Not necessarily built into the ground, but it’s earth-covered on the roof and on a couple of sides,” explains Jennifer Rios, the listing agent for a house in Madison, WI. “It’s in a kind of older neighborhood, with typical mid-century homes and older.” “We went into it not really knowing what … Read more
Someone who calls himself “Earthbag Hero” made this comment on my blog post several days ago where I outlined a discussion I led about underground building: 5 years ago I was researching all these issues and finding solutions for the bermed earthbag dwelling I’ve been working on for the last 4 years. Now the building … Read more
Last year the folks at Vide Terra in Italy built an earthbag dome and decided to experiment with a thatched roof without a wood frame. Reed, bracken, cane thatching and experimental broom thatching, were directly attached to the dome. They used an unusual plant for thatching that is very invasive, local and abundant in all … Read more