The Groundwork Institute is a non-profit organization dedicated to creating low cost, environmentally sound communities based on the participation of the people who live in them. The Institute has its roots in a series of projects undertaken by a group of architects, builders, and environmental professionals to assist people in developing countries and disadvantaged communities … Read more
85 year old Rod Rylander purchased 10 acres of remote land in New Mexico with the intention of solving America’s housing crisis on a bare-bones budget. Now he is building an off-grid, solar-powered, 1,200-square-foot home with $50,000, calling his creation “the sustainable home.” Once he finishes this he plans to break ground on another one, … Read more
This converted barn nestled into the Wales countryside, called Ysgubor, has modern facilities, a pretty garden as well as facilities for multi-generational living. Converted in 1990 the old barn became a three bedroom home. There was more conversion work in 2007 when the detached stable was changed from a home for horses to a two-bed … Read more
An earth-sheltered home in Carlisle, PA, has a succulent covered roof that has three impervious layers covered with 3 feet of soil and never needs mowing. “Currently, it’s all blooming yellow, and there are thousands of bees on it. You feel like you’re in a meadow,” said the listing real estate agent. The white, foamy … Read more
Deep in the remote mountainous wilderness of Montana you can find this remarkable structure known as the Sage Wall. This imposing megalithic wonder is composed of massive polygonal granite stone blocks intricately stacked and aligned in a perfectly straight line. The Sage Wall’s unique features set it apart from the natural geological formations commonly found … Read more
Siblings Ansh and Raghav Kumar started to build this homestay in Rishikesh, India in 2020. They remembered a picture of their childhood––a quaint home nestled among mountains, with a river flowing nearby and the sun smiling upon them. “It was during the pandemic that we began to question our state of living and being. Our … Read more