Chapter 1
The ancient art of mud and grass
Chapter 2
How to heat a house with a hair dryer
Chapter 3
Building a future out of garbage and clay
YOUR GOAL
Master of The art of building homes that heal the Earth
Ch 1 · The ancient art of mud and grass
007skaty Devonshire Cob Housing
Straw in the clay, stone at the base, standing for centuries.
007skaty Architect Simón Vélez pioneered using this 100-foot-tall native grass because it absorbs carbon dioxide and bends without breaking.
007skaty A color-coded diagram shows the wooden frame and turf walls of an Icelandic house.
BETA
007skaty Mix mud and meadow grasses to discover how natural materials insulate sustainable homes.
Fun Fact
Mud skyscrapers: The 500 mud-brick high-rises in Shibam, Yemen, have stood tall since the 1500s and are known as the Chicago of the Desert.
Glossary
thatch (noun)
A roof covering made of straw, reeds, or similar vegetation. In rural East Africa, builders gather local grasses to construct these coverings over mud-packed homes.
A roof covering made of straw, reeds, or similar vegetation. In rural East Africa, builders gather local grasses to construct these coverings over mud-packed homes.
Quiz
Which fast-growing plant is known as 'vegetable steel' in Colombian sustainable architecture?
Quiz
Which ancient architectural feature of Yemeni mud skyscrapers helps keep them cool?
Quiz
What is the main environmental benefit of using local soil for rammed earth construction?
Quiz
How long does it take for Guadua bamboo to reach its full structural strength for building?
Quiz
What binding agent was often mixed into ancient Chinese rammed earth to make it stronger?