Scientists at the University of Maryland have turned ordinary wood into a material that rivals steel in strength and weighs far less—and it’s already heading to market. What emerged is now called Superwood, a material created by altering natural wood’s internal structure to boost its strength, reduce weight, and improve resilience. The process, developed and tested … Read more
When you stand beneath Mizzi Studio’s mushroom-like pavilion at Carbon Garden in London on a sunny day, light filters through the flax and resin cap of this mysterious “fruiting body,” as founder Jonathan Mizzi describes it. “The material has this lovely translucent quality,” he says. “When you stand under it, you become held in this … Read more
The Vale Palheiro Earth Resort in Portugal has just opened as a 13-villa resort with a warm and welcoming restaurant. Running through the resort is a network of walking trails across what is considered one of Europe’s most beautiful and well-preserved coastal areas, taking hikers through rural valleys, clusters of cork oak trees and centuries … Read more
This video shows how one man can build his own home in the woods without the use of modern fasteners and other building materials. He is ingenious in his creation of a lifting apparatus and other tools. This project was a real test of strength, patience and faith in one’s own hands. You can watch … Read more
The Platform Hill pavilion, completed between 2022 and 2025, sits among the hills south of Chengdu and functions as a visitor destination and event space that capitalizes on scenic panoramas. The structure uses a series of interlocking timber arches clad with an earth berm that allows the building to blend into the landscape and echo … Read more
Rising above the cactus of the Chihuahuan Desert in Texas, a white adobe building at Indian Lodge glistens like marble. It is the only working hotel in the Texas state parks system. Indian Lodge sits at an elevation of 5,200 feet and is part of a 90-year-old park. When Indian Lodge opened to the public in … Read more