It is important to use recycled building materials whenever possible. We’ve seen great examples of how reclaimed materials can add character to a structure, whether it is a hotel, tiny house, or an Earthship. In the southern state of Kerala, India, the Koshish building prominently features repurposed materials like Mangalore tiles, steel, and windows—all salvaged … Read more
Wallmakers founder, Vinu Daniel, is a “nomadic” Indian architect who was commended for eliciting an “energy, creativity and willingness to take risks while achieving sustainable buildings that exist harmoniously within the landscapes and ecologies in which they are erected.” Wallmakers work has been at the leading edge of carbon offsetting in design and construction, typically … Read more
At one point, the sandstone caves of Kinver’s Edge were home to 44 people, and in the 1960s, they were the last cave people in England. The network of troglodytes was first constructed in the 18th century and, by various accounts, it likely inspired Tolkien more than a century later to write “The Hobbit.” Likely … Read more
Hobbitowa, Krzywcza, Poland This Hobbit house used roundwood from local willow trees, clay for the interior plaster, lime for the exterior plaster, and cob stones for the infrastructure. The off-grid home also has its own water well, domestic sewage works, and photovoltaic panels for electricity. Inside, the house has a large open-plan living room with … Read more
Jessica Martin designed a rammed-earth structure in the Arizona desert that is meant as a refuge for humans as well as for plants and animals. For her thesis project at the School of Architecture she created “Cinders” using three varieties of the local soil. “Cinders is a homage to the immersive nature of living openly … Read more
Chiangmai Life Architects has built a new library at the Panyaden International School in Thailand. The library features a complex concentric design with walls that are made up of adobe bricks and bamboo used for the roof, which is topped by thatching. An acrylic cupola is situated at a height of almost 9 m (roughly … Read more