In 1999, a 6.2 magnitude earthquake devastated Colombia’s coffee region. Concrete buildings collapsed. Brick houses turned to rubble. Bamboo constructions stood firm. The phenomenon was so perplexing to Colombian engineers that, in the following years, the country did what no other had done before: it included bamboo in its national seismic code as an official … Read more
A farmhouse in Madhya Pradesh, India is situated among winding rows of mango trees. The 1,800-square-foot space is constructed using the ancient technique of rammed earth – a building tradition that has nearly been forgotten in the region. Aptly named ‘Fragrance of Earth’, the farmhouse is as much a cultural project as it is an … Read more
The Hartman Castle was built by Annie and Alonzo Hartman, who were some of Gunnison, Colorado’s earliest white settlers. The building, which is more than a century old, is now considered one of Colorado’s Most Endangered Places. Even though much of the original structure is still intact, it hasn’t been maintained. It needs a new … Read more
A wall in Theopetra Cave in Greece was built during the Last Glacial Maximum, a period of extreme cold when much of Europe was blanketed in ice. Researchers believe early humans constructed it to partially seal the cave’s entrance, blocking freezing winds. Theopetra Cave offers a continuous archaeological record spanning 130,000 years, making it one … Read more
In a world increasingly affected by natural disasters, climate change, and housing crises, a seemingly simple technique has been attracting attention for decades: building houses with earthbags, also known as Superadobe. It has already demonstrated resistance to earthquakes, hurricanes, and fires. Popularized by Iranian-American architect Nader Khalili in the 1980s, superadobe combines ancient earth-based construction … Read more
The Rammed Earth House is one of the few projects in the UK built from unstabilised rammed earth, a material made entirely of compacted soil that has been used in construction since Neolithic times. Tuckey Design Studio, which worked on the Rammed Earth House, says “The increase in temperatures in Northern Europe means that this … Read more