Architect Dylan Johnson with his longtime friend and Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard designed and built a straw bale home in the suburbs of Ventura, California. The straw is leftover from wheat, rice, or barley crops as the main structural element or insulation in a building. “There’s an enormous amount of money to be made with … Read more
Childhood friends Mariama Djambony Badji and Papa Mafall Diop were both fascinated by buildings and how they are constructed, and they dreamed of starting a company together. “I initially wanted to study architecture, but then I studied civil engineering, like Mafall,” Badjj explained. “Despite going to different universities, we always stayed in touch,” Badjj explained. … Read more
Rammed earth’s colorful results vary from region to region, depending on the natural soils, climate, and treatment. Different textures and mesmerizing layers of multicolored earth can be used to create a solid surface that enriches the visual quality of a space and carries a sense of warmth to any project. This ancient construction technique has been … Read more
In Ladakh and elsewhere in India, the built environment is dominated by structures that required unsustainable construction methods and non-renewable materials. Meanwhile, older traditional buildings are usually marginalized and neglected. A primary feature of this shift involves the use of concrete, “the most destructive material on Earth”, rather than locally-sourced wood, straw, and earthen materials … Read more
In 2013, Jay Thakkar discovered a traditional wood and stone building with a slight tilt in the Kullu district of Himachal Pradesh. When he asked a local villager about it, he responded, “Sir, the house tilted when the earth moved. It will move back once the earth shifts again.” Thakkar, an associate professor at the … Read more
David and Carrie Chew live in a house made of straw. It has two bathrooms, a modern kitchen and a packed earthen floor. The exterior walls are made with stacked wheat straw bales covered in plaster. Proponents of modern straw-bale construction highlight the sustainability of sourcing materials from local farms and natural insulation provided by … Read more