A practical and inspiring book about constructing new buildings with surplus materials.

Check out the superuse book.

“Inhabitat.com is a weblog devoted to the future of design, tracking the innovations in technology, practices and materials that are pushing architecture and home design towards a smarter and more sustainable future.”

Cool ideas for our house in the architecture section.

(thanks Lauren

Check out the Treehouse Institute of Arts and Culture

These people took the idea of building a house in a tree seriously! And they even have a treehouse institute for those who want to learn everything there is to learn about building a treehouse! Do I fancy a house in a tree?

“The goal of the tiny house blog is to discover the different options available for a person looking to down size into a tiny house or cabin. I will be looking at different type of construction, from logs, to yurts to modern and the unusual. I will also do book reviews, look at alternate energy for heat and electricity.”

I totally share Kent Griswold’s love for tiny spaces… I don’t know what it is about them, they feel safer, more playful, cozy… and then it doesn’t take as long to clean the house…

My friend Søren told me about Shelter Publications and has shown me a few of their books. Their book “Shelter” is a classic, with many beautifully illustrated ways of building a home or a shelter. From many cultures. Check it out for inspiration: shelterpub

Søren has built his own very sustainable Straw Bale House: halmhus
He also owns two Mongolian Yourts and two few circus wagons. Among other interesting things. When I saw the Yourts I instantly thought of you

Love
Thomas

The technology and designs developed at Cal-Earth are inspired by timeless principles in architecture: the universal natural elements, the arch and its derivatives of the vault, dome, and apse; sustainable energy, natural geometry and symmetry of structure, the unity of tension and compression.

This building system focuses on housing as a basic human right, and on the economic empowerment of people by participating in creating their own homes and communities, while at the same time addressing today’s global needs: preserving natural resources and energy, halting deforestation, slowing pollution and global warming, promoting health, healing communities and cultures shattered by globalization, sheltering the homeless and refugees.

Cal-Earth houses and infrastructure are constructed by unskilled labor, using available on-site earthen material, local supplies of sandbags and barbed wire, and usually a locally produced stabilizer (lime, cement, or asphalt). Hands-on team work molds the solutions for sustainable development while the flexibility of plan and finishes allows the integration of indigenous, traditional forms, patterns, and colors.

Cal-Earth’s next educational plan is a Distance Learning Program to be broadcast directly from the institute to universities, NGO’s and disaster struck areas in need of shelter around the world, in a hands-on, live, interactive format.

http://calearth.org/about/about-cal-earth.html

Cal-Earth believes that the whole family should be able to build together, men and women, from grandma to the youngest child. As such, we have spent many years researching hands-on how to make the process simpler and easier. There should be no heavy lifting or backaches, no expensive equipment, and a flexible and fast construction. The bags are filled in place on the wall using small pots like coffee cans, or even kitchen utensils. You can build alone or as a group.

http://calearth.org/building-designs/what-is-superadobe.html

Check out some gorgeous images here:
http://calearth.org/galleries/eco-dome.html
http://calearth.org/galleries/earth-one.html
http://calearth.org/galleries/emergency-shelter-village.html
http://calearth.org/galleries/rumi-dome.html

To create a network of people passionate about making a difference in Colombia and working on a variety of projects together that all are informed by the same purpose of creating a more spacious, just and lifeaffirming system of influence in Colombia.

A network where we can crosspolinate each others ideas and invite the right people for a specific project, as it is needed.

Purpose:

Together we will, in an on-going process, develop the commitment, understanding, and a network of relationships to create or transform systems that they may come to serve Life, and operate in life-affirming ways.

Key People:

International: Julie, Mille, Zaid, Frauke, Lesley, Carsten,
Colombia: Pablo, Susanna

Income potential:

Nothing direct, but has the potential of generating projects that in turn can generate income

Status:

Idea state, but is a model that very easily could substitute the Hub community or compliment it.

Next Steps:

Define the structure and offer more in detail
Explore who are interested in Colombia
Invite people
Work together

Inspired by:

Pioneers of Change

To collect the stories of the indigenous people of Colombia and making them available through books and dolls depecting the different tribes in colombia.

Purpose:

To make the indigenous culture, peoples and wisdom visible, accesible and valued in the Colombian society.

Key People:

International:
Colombia:

Income potential:

Status:

Idea state

Next Steps:

Inspired by:

Solen dukker
Anatomic dolls

To provide introductions and youth training about the discipline of the first peace. To connect to peace projects and offer this capacity building training to youth and people passionate about making a personal effort for peace.

Purpose:

To create a larger culture of peace and understanding of differences in Colombia in order to strengthen the work towards peace int he country.

Key People:

International: James O Dea, WindEagle, Carl, Vanessa, Maria and Sarah
Colombia: Santa Marta contact

Income potential:

Not much… possibly something if we connect it to other work connected with peace or indigenous wisdom

Status:

Rowan will be a certified youth trainer by 2010.

Next Steps:

Contact James o Dea
Find initiatives that would like to include this approach

Inspired by:

The Discipline of Peace