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
Sustainability Professor, Steven Moore, wants Queen’s University in Ontario Canada to be a moral and sustainable leader through their actions. Moore said Queen’s should create more gardens on campus. He believes lawns are “ecological deserts” despite being important places to run and play. The University piloted an Employee Community Garden by planting two large communal … Read more
The United Nations has written a set of “principles for sustainable and inclusive urban design and architecture” for architects to sign up to called the San Marino Declaration, which architect Norman Foster is set to launch. Set to be ratified in the republic of San Marino, the declaration outlines a set of standards that architects … 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
The work of Patrick O’Brien and his Salamander Group has spanned decades, with curiosity playing a role in leading him from conventional home building in urban Detroit to exploring alternative building in Taos, New Mexico. In 1995, he and his wife bought land near Taos and built the first of many straw bale homes that … Read more