The McCloskeys and Burzells were honored by the South Pasadena Preservation Foundation for their part in preserving Adobe Flores, the 184-year-old structure considered by many as the birthplace of equal rights in California. Known as South Pasadena’s oldest building, El Adobe Flores was added to the National Register of Historic Places 50 years ago. It … Read more
Sindhoor Pangal lost her husband about two-and-a-half years ago just before the second lockdown. “We were very close and I was completely heartbroken. He and I were college sweethearts and after his loss, I could not handle the city at all. I wanted to leave. I was looking for a place to heal.” It was … Read more
Cupa Pizarras has developed natural slate rainscreen facades with a variety of patterns to meet needs which demand more sustainable and energy-efficient buildings. The combination of high-durability slate with innovative fastening techniques, as well as the efficiency of rainscreen cladding, makes it a good choice. From traditional to contemporary styles, the various design possibilities of … Read more
SunRay Kelley, the barefoot builder of fantastical handmade castles, yurts, temples, spirit lodges, tree houses, etc., died on July 16 in Sedro-Woolley, Wash. He was 71. I first met SunRay at one of the Natural Building Colloquia, and you can read an article I wrote about this at greenhomebuilding.com. Bonnie Howard, Mr. Kelley’s longtime partner, … Read more
Just outside of Taos, NM at the Veterans Off- Grid property, Mark Goldman, the coordinator for the UNM-Taos Construction Technology program, shares his views about sustainable building practices and the transformative power it holds for both aspiring builders and the environment. Goldman wants to see more affordable, hybrid and natural building methods used, while preparing … Read more
Yu Sing, an Indonesian architect, relies on local materials when constructing homes and public spaces. “Natural houses are no longer the first choice for people’s homes,” Yu Sing said. “The state even calls them uninhabitable homes.” Yu Sing founded Studio Akanoma in 2008 to showcase the design of low-cost housing using natural materials. A year … Read more