Architecture

Afghanistan’s earthquake and mud-brick homes. Can they rebuild safer and more sustainably?

A 6.0-magnitude earthquake in eastern Afghanistan killed over 800 people as mud-brick homes collapsed in rain-soaked landslides. Here’s why traditional earthen houses failed, how human-driven slope damage worsened the disaster, and how sustainable, earthquake-resistant construction can save lives.

Earthships: the off-grid homes built to weather any future

Earthships are off-grid, self-sustaining homes designed by Michael Reynolds to provide shelter, water, power, waste treatment, food, and comfort—using recycled and local materials. From forests to deserts, their design adapts to any climate, blending modern resilience with traditional building wisdom.

Rewilding the Suburb: Lagoon Valley’s Profound Plan for Conservation Community in California–– An Interview with Developer Curt Johansen

Lagoon Valley developers have set aside a remarkable 85% of its total land for open space, trails, and protected habitats—a rare move in an era of unchecked development. This isn’t just a nod to green space; it’s a full embrace of a conservation community model, where nature isn’t a backdrop but a partner.

Iraqi Zaha Hadid’s legacy reinvented in Saudi Arabia’s clay-rooted museum?

She was the first woman and first Muslim to win a Pritzker Prize and was notorious for blowing through budgets, with no concern for environmental issues. Her clients did not find this problematic. Has the Zaha Hadad brand become penitent in its latest project?

SOMBRA Pavilion: MVRDV’s Living Ode to the Sun Debuts in Venice

SOMBRA, a name fusing the Latin words for sun (sol) and shade (umbra), is more than a temporary pavilion—it’s a living laboratory. Shaped like a heliodon, the structure mimics how the sun moves through the sky, providing an intuitive experience of solar patterns. It operates without motors, electronics, or external energy. Instead, it breathes, opens, and closes using only passive physical principles.

Five Innovative Architecture Firms Building with Bamboo

Bamboo, often referred to as the "green steel" of the future, is quickly gaining popularity as a sustainable alternative to traditional building materials. With its fast growth cycle, minimal environmental footprint, and impressive strength, bamboo is emerging as a game-changing material for the construction industry. Not only is it an eco-friendly choice, but its versatility allows it to be used in everything from flooring to scaffolding, and even entire buildings.

5 Brilliant eco-architect alternatives to Foster + Partners

In the world of architecture and design, there’s a growing movement towards exploring new, uncharted territories. While renowned firms like Foster + Partners and Zaha Hadid have undeniably shaped the skyline of modern architecture, there’s a wealth of untapped potential in emerging voices that can offer bold, innovative, and sustainable alternatives. These next five studios are pushing the boundaries of creativity, blending technology with art, and designing spaces that respond to the future needs of communities and the planet. Let’s take a closer look at these pioneers who are crafting tomorrow’s architectural landscape today.

Vernacular Architecture in America: A Tradition Rooted in Adaptation

Vernacular architecture refers to structures built using local materials, knowledge, and cultural influences rather than formal architectural styles. It is often associated with deep-rooted...

BIG Palliative Care: Denmark’s Nature and Spirituality in Dignified End-of-Life Care

Bjarke Ingels Group has won the competition to design the new Sankt Lukas Hospice and Lukashuset, a 8,500 m² palliative care center envisioned as a village nestled within nature. Building on the legacy of the Sankt Lukas Foundation, established in the 1930s, this project will significantly expand Denmark's palliative care capacity, tripling its current facilities to serve approximately 2,100 patients each year.

This stunning ancient citadel in the Sahara Desert Has a mysterious past

Today, the Rock Round Palace stands as a historical site, a reminder of the diverse cultural heritage that once thrived in the region. Videos circulating on Youtube suggest that anyone off the street can wander inside and around the citadel suggesting it's not being protected well for future generations.

What is regenerative design? A UK crew develops a future-thinking handbook

Sustainability has been championed for four decades to manage and minimize damage to the Earth’s resources but has been slow to penetrate the industrialized world. The guidebook’s authors note that contemporary net-zero emissions efforts and global climate target policies do not prescribe a way forward for “human systems to contribute positively to natural systems.”

Do you have the greenest city? Apply for this global award

Cities around the world are encouraged to enter their greening initiatives to showcase their achievement and commitment to nature-orientated solutions to address major challenges facing urban environments.

Al Faya Lodge: Sustainable Architecture Meets Desert Serenity

The lodge's design takes the region's extreme climate into careful consideration. Sharjah’s desert environment presents a unique set of challenges, from searing heat and prolonged sun exposure in the summer to chilly nighttime temperatures. Jonathan Ashmore, Anarchitect’s founder, emphasized that any design in such an environment must account for these factors.

10 luxury desert resorts the UAE

The 10 best sustainable, desert retreats in the UAE with varying price points.

Trump aims to make Gaza the new Riviera – can the US do it sustainably?

In a jaw-dropping annoucement, US President Trump announced that the US will take over the radicalization of the Gaza Strip and that the current population will need to be displaced as they rebuild and clear out the rubble.

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Who Owns the Farm Robot? A State of Jefferson Startup Takes on Carbon Robotics

In California's self-proclaimed State of Jefferson, a small agricultural technology company is challenging the dominant laser-weeding business model. Laudando & Associates believes farmers should own and repair their AI-powered weeding tools rather than pay ongoing subscription fees. The approach has put the company on a collision course with industry leader Carbon Robotics, sparking a patent dispute that has pushed the Jefferson startup toward overseas markets while raising broader questions about ownership, right-to-repair, and the future of farm automation.

Etihad offers free travel insurance to any visitor to the UAE

Talk about a way to woo your visitors. Etihad, the UAE's national carrier has decided to offer free travel insurance to visitors heading to the UAE.

Weston Higginbotham’s Funeral Set for June 17 as Family and Friends Honor Environmentalist

The family of environmentalist and eco-engineer in training, James "Weston" Higginbotham will gather with friends, classmates, and supporters on June 17 in Birmingham, Alabama, to celebrate the life of the Auburn University student whose death in a Kyoto forest in Japan touched people around the world.

Health Canada approves lab grown milk

Canada's approval of animal-free dairy proteins marks a milestone for precision fermentation and the growing alternative-protein industry. Will consumers embrace milk made without cows?

Before Funeral, Auburn University Creates Environmental Scholarship in Memory of Weston Higginbotham

The James "Weston" Higginbotham Endowed Scholarship will support Auburn students pursuing ecological engineering, ensuring that the work Weston cared about so deeply continues long after his passing.

Topics

Who Owns the Farm Robot? A State of Jefferson Startup Takes on Carbon Robotics

In California's self-proclaimed State of Jefferson, a small agricultural technology company is challenging the dominant laser-weeding business model. Laudando & Associates believes farmers should own and repair their AI-powered weeding tools rather than pay ongoing subscription fees. The approach has put the company on a collision course with industry leader Carbon Robotics, sparking a patent dispute that has pushed the Jefferson startup toward overseas markets while raising broader questions about ownership, right-to-repair, and the future of farm automation.

Etihad offers free travel insurance to any visitor to the UAE

Talk about a way to woo your visitors. Etihad, the UAE's national carrier has decided to offer free travel insurance to visitors heading to the UAE.

Weston Higginbotham’s Funeral Set for June 17 as Family and Friends Honor Environmentalist

The family of environmentalist and eco-engineer in training, James "Weston" Higginbotham will gather with friends, classmates, and supporters on June 17 in Birmingham, Alabama, to celebrate the life of the Auburn University student whose death in a Kyoto forest in Japan touched people around the world.

Health Canada approves lab grown milk

Canada's approval of animal-free dairy proteins marks a milestone for precision fermentation and the growing alternative-protein industry. Will consumers embrace milk made without cows?

Before Funeral, Auburn University Creates Environmental Scholarship in Memory of Weston Higginbotham

The James "Weston" Higginbotham Endowed Scholarship will support Auburn students pursuing ecological engineering, ensuring that the work Weston cared about so deeply continues long after his passing.

Weston Higginbotham’s Family Declines to Release Cause of Death in Kyoto Forest

The family of Weston Higginbotham,an Auburn University student whose disappearance and death in the mountains near Kyoto, Japan, drew international attention, has declined to publicly release the cause of his death.

5 Reasons Why You Should Save Seeds (and plant them)

Saving seeds from tomatoes, peppers, herbs and flowers helps preserve biodiversity, strengthen food security, and keep heirloom varieties alive. Even a small balcony garden can make a difference.

Bricks and Minifigs, and the Future of Circular Play

A second-hand LEGO marketplace keeps plastic bricks circulating for years instead of ending up forgotten in basements or discarded in landfills. It gives children access to building materials at lower prices. It extends the lifespan of a product that was originally designed to last generations.
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