Sand is one of those natural materials that we take for granted; it seems so abundant that we could never run out of it. Both natural building and conventional building rely on sand for many aspects of construction. It is an essential component of adobe, cob, rammed earth, earthen plaster, stucco and concrete. It is … Read more
Kayla Cohen, who writes and records as Itasca, began to crave natural spaces that were quieter, slower and more suited to creative thinking than where she was living in Los Angeles. “I’m really into natural building and that idea of creating spaces and communes that are not the way that people normally live,” she said. … Read more
Rochelle and Joel Payne of Auckland, New Zealand, a PhD student and former aircraft engineer, are building a rammed-earth house which is part of the the Living Building Challenge. The house will be highly insulated to Passive House standards; it will also generate its own power. All waste water will be disposed of right there, … Read more
A team of researchers from Switzerland and Germany has found that modeling the contraction of wood while drying can be used to create curved structures. Manufacturing complex, curve-shaped wooden objects often takes a lot of time and energy and produces a lot of waste. This is because machines are typically used to cut or grind … Read more
Mark has lived a very unusual life. As a professional mime and clown he has traveled the world as a performing artist and brought smiles to the faces of thousands. Now, he has retired and is living in a spectacular house boat on an island in New Zealand which brings a smile to his face … Read more
In 1996, Raghava inherited a coconut plantation from his grandfather. Unlike his ancestors who had practiced agriculture for seven generations, Raghava, then an undergraduate, had no connection with the soil. “I grew up on a healthy diet of inspiring stories of local and international entrepreneurs. This was one of the reasons that motivated me to … Read more