“For most of human history, people have lived in durable, comfortable buildings made from natural materials such as soil, sand, rocks and fiber. All over the globe, these ancient traditions persist; a quarter to a third of the world’s population today lives in houses built partially or entirely of earth. Conventional Western building techniques using industrial materials may save time and create efficiencies, but these perceived savings come at considerable financial and environmental cost.
“The artist couple Pratibha and Sanjay Singh have a nice earth based ecological home along with a studio for Sanjay as part of the home. The whole house is of earth excavated from the site. There is no plastering or painting for the building. The house is naturally lit and naturally ventilated with no fan or air conditioning. Sanjay is an avid gardener and we josh about his North Indian garden. Harvested rain supplies the garden water and adds to the house hold use. Grey water from the kitchen is reused for the garden.
“Very useful video to learn vault building… useful even if you dont speak Spanish.”
“The Sedona Straw Bale is a fresh look at the design and building of a practical, modern-looking Straw Bale Home in Sedona, Arizona. It details the entire project from breaking ground to moving in, showing almost 300 photos accompanied with detailed descriptions. This Photo-Journal is an ideal read for anyone interested in building their own home, whether Straw Bale, Post and Beam or even conventional stick frame,, and features multiple novel solutions for increased energy efficiency and practical solutions for the Owner-Builder.
“Touching the Earth Lightly (TEL) is a call to action…that combines people, design and conservation. It expresses a relationship between humans and the earth based on custodianship, sensitivity and respect, that results in developments that have the least possible impact (both visually and physically) on the natural & cultural landscape, and that reflect both internally and externally, the “sense of place” evoked by the intrinsic qualities of the landscape.
“An 800-sq.-ft. backyard cottage in Seattle exemplifies the benefits of downsizing and reveals a new housing opportunity.”