A new book published by Taschen, Sustainable Living: Homes for Our Time, by Philip Jodidio, showcases the quiet revolution in green residential architecture, from living roofs to rainwater harvesting. “Twenty or 30 years ago, sustainability was often treated as a specialist concern,” said Philip Jodidio. “Today it shapes almost every discussion about housing, from materials … Read more
A root cellar may sound like a relic from another era, but it’s still one of the most effective ways to store homegrown produce without electricity. Its naturally cool, humid environment can keep everything from onions and potatoes to apples and winter squash fresh for months, helping you enjoy your harvest long after the growing … Read more
A carefully optimized dose of fine biochar improves both carbon dioxide uptake and compressive strength in natural hydraulic lime, offering a promising low-carbon material for historic building restoration and sustainable construction. Natural hydraulic lime has been used for centuries in masonry and restoration because it is compatible with traditional building materials and can absorb carbon … Read more
On the site of a former brickworks in rural Wiltshire, Tuckey Design Studio has completed the construction of a new residential project crafted from rammed earth, which is a compacted mixture of clay, sand and gravel used to form solid walls, resulting in highly durable, energy-efficient structures. The concept for Rammed Earth House emerged from the … Read more
The Women’s Natural Building Collective in Portugal is run by a core group of experienced natural builders. They organize workshops for people to learn how to build ecological houses with local natural materials like earth, straw and timber. They discovered that there was something undeniably magical about the way they work and communicate together when … Read more
In 1968, Charles Bello and his wife, Vanna Rae, moved onto 240 acres of redwood forest looking to live a simpler life off the land. They had spent their savings to purchase the land so they got to work building their home themselves. Their first structure was a panelized A-frame that they erected in 5 … Read more