Students at Hasselt University in Belgium built a pavilion and an outdoor earth oven as communal gathering spaces. The structures are located in the garden of an abandoned vicarage. The design process prioritized natural and reclaimed materials. It serves as a model for architecture that integrates environmental considerations with social engagement. The design team collaborated … Read more
The traditional craft of stone building has thrived for generations in Saudi Arabia’s Baha region, with local artisans skillfully utilizing the region’s abundant stones and trees. Locals are working to adapt the practice to meet contemporary demands. It is a labor-intensive process, lasting several months and involves using various types of stones, including cornerstones, long … Read more
On a rural property on the slopes of California’s Sierra Nevada mountains, Morgan Bierschenk and his team have been refining a durable, mineral-like material to build sturdy dome homes with a particular matte-ceramic finish. They have called their modular dome homes Geoships. Geoships are made of “bioceramic.” Used up until recently on high-end consumer electronic … Read more
At 89, Lloyd Kahn has been building his own homes for over six decades, crafting spaces that include a few domes, at least one tower, and plenty of hand-split shingles. He’s documented his builds, as well as the makeshift homes of thousands of alternative builders all over the US and the world, with whom he … Read more
The Club House in Valle San Nicolàs in Mexico is a perfectly round building that reveals the landscape all around. It is constructed of wood and other natural materials, blending into the surrounding environment. Its circular floor plan is on an artificial lake, created for water-skiing and fed by rainwater and water flowing from the … Read more
Several years ago Kirsten Dirksen’s family embarked on a project where they found a derelict (and affordable) country home located in a tiny, well-maintained castle hamlet 1 hour outside Barcelona, Spain. They began renovation with the help of a young architecture studio. Can a home remodel celebrate the layers of past, present, and future? Do … Read more