“It was Iraq’s ‘Garden of Eden’; unique wetlands in southern Iraq where a people known as the Ma’dan, or ‘Arabs of the marsh’, lived in a Mesopotamian Venice, characterised by beautifully elaborate floating houses made entirely of reeds harvested from the open water.
sustainable
Repair of Water Damaged Earthbag Dome
We love getting feedback from readers. The following comment was sent by Pedro Ramirez in response to a previous story about Don’t Build Domes in Wet Climates Without Roofs.
Beach Resort Bungalows Over Lagoon
Architects often come up with very interesting and practical ideas such as the beach resort concept shown here. These thatched roof resort bungalows caught my eye while browsing the other day. Stilt houses over ponds, lakes and rivers are common for their well-known cooling effect. This is the first time I’ve seen them built in this manner. There’s a walkway on the other side so guests can come and go without getting wet.
Brighton Waste House
“Tucked away at the rear of the University of Brighton’s Grand Parade site, the finishing touches are being applied to The Waste House, a fascinating new building….
Earthbag House in Kampung Buayan, Malaysia
The workshop is over. I’m posting this because the house turned out nicely and maybe they’ll have future workshops.
Earthbag Water Tanks
We’ve nearly finished an earthbag water tank with narrow tubes that cost $200 in materials. Plastic tanks this size retail for around $1,350 in Vanuatu, so this design costs far less than the main competing product. It won’t blow away in a hurricane, break down from UV rays or taint the water with plastic chemicals. Our water tank includes a domed ferrocement top that’s exceptionally strong. It can be built in 2-3 days by four workers with minimal skill, although plastering skill is very helpful. There’s a huge water shortage on the islands here in Vanuatu, as well as many other places. Those who learn this method could make a lot of money selling water tanks since demand is high and cost of labor is cheap.