Super Adobe in Jericho
Want to make a low cost home from natural, local materials that last? Try a Super Adobe invented by Nader Khalili.
Earth Construction
Nader Khalili-style dome home built by Palestinians for Palestinians
So much disturbing news from Israel and Palestine in the last two weeks has left me completely exasperated, and I’m sure our readers can relate. Thankfully NPR gives us a brief respite with this great story of a Nader Khalili-styled dome home that a young Palestinian firm recently completed in Jericho.
Ancient Moroccan Granaries Revived as Thriving Civic Centers
Salima Naji has been recognized by the Aga Khan Development Network for her efforts to revive a series of earth buildings in the lesser Atlas Mountains, Morocco.
Iran Ice Houses Showcase Sustainable Refrigeration of the Ancients
Refrigeration is perhaps one of the greatest inventions of modern man, but it has come at a price. Not only do they require a great deal of energy to stay cool, but they also rely on ozone-depleting chloro-fluorocarbons (CFCs), or freon, though some countries have phased these out. As an increasing number of people walk […]
Gaza’s Only Five Star Hotel Was Built With Adobe Bricks
It requires a rollout of the imagination to envision among Gaza’s ruins a five star hotel, especially one that is made with adobe brick. Designed by the Palestinian architect Rashid Abdelhamid, who was born and trained in Algeria, the 22 room Aldeira Hotel features domed ceilings and arches and a resplendent earth-toned facade. Located astride […]
Iran’s Earth Buildings are the Leading Cause of Quake Casualties
We’ve long extolled the virtues of earth building, but it turns out that Iran’s simple clay and mud brick buildings are a leading cause of casualties during strong earthquakes. Over the weekend, two earthquakes measuring 6.3 and 6.4 on the richter scale hit the country’s east Azerbaijan province, killing at least 360 people and displacing […]
Egypt’s Desert Architecture (Photo Essay by Giusi Cosentino)
Building with earth can be beautiful, especially when viewed through the lens of Sicilian photographer Giusi Cosentino. We featured her work once before in the aftermath of the Egyptian revolution. One of her most renowned images depicts a veiled woman holding a used canister of tear gas – a particularly lethal brand of which was […]
Hassan Fathy-Inspired Regenerative Home Planned for Buddhist Center
Scott Howard is among a growing number of people working on building projects that are not only eco-friendly, but actually help to regenerate natural systems. Once built, the Regenerative Home in Colorado will hopefully produce its own food in an entryway greenhouse and vertical garden, process all of its own waste, capture and recycle water […]