“See how Allan Savory, and his wife Jody, live in Zimbabwe, in traditional thatch-roofed mud huts, entirely off-grid with solar cells, LED lanterns, and solar hot water heater. He also goes everywhere barefoot. He was born and raised in Zimbabwe and currently lives approximately half of the year at his traditional home at the Africa Centre for Holistic Management.”
traditional
Modern Seaweed Houses
“Seaweed pillows [knit mesh tubes filled with dried seaweed] were used as cladding for this holiday house on the Danish island of Læsø by architecture studio Vandkunsten and non-profit organisation Realdania Byg.
Preservation of the Mbaru Niang
Location: Wae Rebo Village, Flores Island, Indonesia (South-East Asia)
Architect: Rumah Asuh/Yori Antar, Tangerang, Indonesia
Client: Wae Rebo Community
Completed: 2011
Design: 2008
Site size: 6,500 m²
Stone House in Mount Pelion, Greece
Okay, maybe you don’t have the money to pay a dozen workers for two years to build a house like this, but you have to admit the design and craftsmanship on this stone house is amazing. There’s a lot to be learned from showhomes like this. Study the details and maybe you can include some similar stonework in your dream home.
1,000 year-old Straw/clay Houses in Germany
Classic German architecture: Fachwerk und Enxaimel — Timber-frame straw/clay houses with hazel stick reinforcing lasts for centuries. (None of these buildings had building permits and so maybe they should all be pulled down?)
Wholewoods Natural Buildings
“A celebration of wood, art, and craftsmanship. See us on Channel 4 this summer working with Kevin McCloud on his latest project and at Grand Designs Live in London May 5th.
Wholewoods is an ethical business supporting traditional woodland crafts and sustainable woodland management.
Creating natural buildings is a skill we have passionately honed over many years. We take regular commissions but also specialise in using the building process as a way of bringing people together to learn. Whether this be a local community group, school children, members of staff or volunteers, all can have a chance to get their hands dirty by working with us.