There a slow revolution brewing in the world of construction. Since the mid-1960s British-born Indian architect Laurie Baker pioneered a newer method of construction by using locally available material. Many architects thought of joining this movement of making only sustainable, highly energy-efficient buildings, but it mostly remained a romantic vision. Now, younger architects seem to … Read more
Imagine a community where every home maintains a comfortable temperature without the use of electricity, built with local materials and aligned to maximize passive solar. These houses are also incredibly durable, having survived thousands of years. The Sky City village in the Pueblo of Acoma, atop a mesa 60 miles west of Albuquerque, New Mexico … Read more
Jiaohe is an ancient ruined city and fortress, located in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China. The city served as the capital of the Anterior Jushi Kingdom from 108 BC to 450 AD and was a center of trade on the silk road. At its peak, Jiaohe had a population of 7,000 inhabitants, and … Read more
Devon craftsman Kevin McCabe, known as the “king of cob” created Dingle Dell, a masterpiece of soil and straw designed to meet the highest environmental standards. This project featured on Grand Designs television program, and the presenter called it a “true almighty challenge”. Part of the complex known as The Gatehouse is now available to … Read more
Japanese architect Tono Mirai crafted a charming tiny timber structure that can be moved by truck. He calls it the Red Container and it was primarily designed as an exercise to promote Shinshu larch, a local species of Japan’s Nagano Prefecture that had long been overlooked because of its tendency to warp. Due to new drying … Read more
Shelly Miller is a professor of mechanical engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Much of her work has focused on how to control the transmission of airborne infectious diseases indoors. According to Shelly, “Once the virus escapes into the air inside a building, you have two options: bring in fresh air from outside or … Read more