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Resurgence of Earth Buildings
Build Naturally, Live Beautifully.
No.065 — Read old posts on Tinyfarmlab.com
Reading Time 4 minutes
Today, 8–10% of the world’s population (640–800 million people!)
live in homes made from earth.
Earth is quite literally under your feet.
A readily available and sustainable material store.
Building with earth is not new.
Earth has been humanity's most trusted building material for centuries.
It has been used to build structures that have withstood the test of time:
1) Adobe structure in Taos Pueblo, Mexico
Picture Courtesy: Britannica
2) Rammed Earth Mansions in France
Picture Courtesy: Research Gate
3) Fujian Toulou, the Hakka Houses in China
Picture Courtesy: China Culture Tour
4) 10-storey high rises in Shibam, Yemen
Picture Courtesy: Wikipedia
5) The Djenne Mosque in Mali
Picture Courtesy: Wikipedia
The Modern Rediscovery
Earth-building techniques are making a comeback.
It’s a global movement.
From community eco-villages to high-end architectural projects,
earth buildings are becoming a symbol of sustainable living.
This revival is driven by a combination of environmental concerns and a desire for sustainable living.
This movement is pioneered by architects, builders, innovators, and research groups.
The following entities have contributed to popularizing natural building:
1) The Cob Cottage Company
Founded by Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley in 1989, the cob cottage company is responsible for bringing cob to life again in North America for its organic and sculptural forms.
Picture Courtesy: The Cob Cottage Company
2) Earthships by Michael Reynolds
If you tried searching for self-sustaining homes, you might have come across Earthships. Reynolds advocates for off-grid homes built from recycled materials and earth-based components.
Picture Courtesy: Earthship.com
3) Hasan Fathy revived Adobe
In the 1940s, Egyptian architect Hassan Fathy sparked interest in earth construction again. He emphasized the need for affordable housing and utilized local materials effectively.
Picture Courtesy: architectureindevelopment.org
4) Cal-Earth by Nader Khalili
Cal-Earth, founded by Nader Khalili, focuses on earth architecture through innovative techniques such as SuperAdobe. This method involves using long tubes filled with earth to create structures that are both strong and sustainable.
Picture Courtesy: Nader Khalili
5) CRAterre
Research groups like CRAterre explore traditional techniques while modernizing them for contemporary use.
Picture Courtesy: CRATerre
Building with earth isn’t just a technique—it’s a mindset.
It teaches us to slow down,
to work with our hands,
to connect with the land.
The curves of a cob wall, the texture of rammed earth,
each tells a story of patience, care, and craft.
Love,
Raghav and Ansh
P.S. - Read our LinkedIn post on what we learned about marketing.
What you can watch - Festival at the Grand Mosque of Djenné | We Clothe the Mosque Every Year to Protect It
What you can listen to - City to Building his Eco-Village: Joshua Kwaku Asiedu's Journey Across Continents I I TFF Podcast
What You Can Read - The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage
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