Sound Of Sirens

“Compared to traditional residential houses built on the ground, the aim of building an earth house is another: Not to live under or in the ground, but with it.”

The unique architecture of earth houses is characterised by multiple beneficial features:

• Insulation
• Air-Impermeability
• Soil-covered roofs
• Sustainable usage of energy and renewable energy
• Heat zones
• Convenient climatic conditions
• Controlled and integral air conditioning
• Windstorm, Earthquake and Fire Protection
• Landscapre protection and land use
• Light

Read more about the features here - Find more stunning photos there.

via

Scheisse wird zu Erde, die man aufs Dach legt, wird zu Wiese, Wald und Gärten.

Scheisse wird zu Gold. Es befriedigt sehr, so immer reicher zu werden.

Der Kreislauf ist geschlossen. Es gibt keinen Abfall mehr, die Umwelt gesundet. Immer wenn ich ein englisches Wasserklosett benutze, habe ich dasselbe schlechte Gewissen, wie wenn ich Auto fahre oder fliege.

Die Wasser-Toiletten sind eine der vielen gefährlichen Sackgassen unserer Zivilisation: Verschwendung von Unmengen reinem Trinkwasser, um etwas Scheisse und Urin fortzutragen. Aus 1kg Wertvollem werden so 50 Liter gefährlicher Substanz, die Grundwasser, Brunnen; Flüsse, Seen und Meere verseucht.

Der Raubbau wird durch Wegspülen von Lebenswichtigem vervielfacht. Das Land verarmt. Kunstdünger ist kein Ersatz. Wasserklosett: Aus 1.000 Gramm Scheisse wird 50.000 Gramm Unrat-Gift.

Humusklosett: Aus 1.000 Gramm Scheisse wird 50 Gramm Rohstoff Gold.

Muss ich meine Scheisse verschenken und damit die Umwelt vergiften?

Ich behalte sie lieber und wandle sie in Gold um.

(Friedensreich Hundertwasser, Wien 1975)

Mal ehrlich: Wie ist dein Empfinden zu Scheisse? Scheisse als wertvoll? Scheisse als Resource? Ziemlich neue Semantik, isn’t it…

Info über Friedensreich

Kompost Toiletten (keine Kanalisation, kein Wasser, keine Chemikalien):
naturbauhof.de
komposttoilette.de
komposttoiletten.de

“Doors Of Perception has posted a Cluster Magazine interview with designers John Thackara and Sunil Abraham. The discussion is chock full of potent brain-food on the future of cites, design, sustainable and informal economies and more. They explain in great detail what changes need to be implemented to improve living conditions for the growing number of city dwellers.”

psfk

You’ll find the interview at John’s Blog, Doors Of Perception. Enjoy!

New on my Amazon Wish List!

Canada Innovates: Sustainable Building

Pictures  by Design Taxi Network and Mohawk Fine Papers Inc.

It’s an illustrated book that shows the whole spectrum of canada’s sustainable architecture. Ranging from more rural projects on the countryside up to super mega uber 2048 high-tech inner city concepts. I like the book’s holistic demand by including history, the status quo as well as future concepts and possibilities. Stunning pictures and informative text feature large and completely sustainable communities as well as single closed systems, mostly of urban nature. And hey, even the book itself is sustainable:

‘The book’s commitment to sustainability is stirring — Canada Innovates: Sustainable Building is printed on Mohawk Options, made with process-chlorine-free 100% post-consumer waste fiber and manufactured entirely with wind-generated electricity and certified in accordance with the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), proving their point that investing the efforts to effect a global revolution in the world of design is no lost cause.’

‘Canada Innovates: Sustainable Building’ is published by School of Design, Faculty of Business and Creative Arts, George Brown-The Toronto City College and edited by Luigi Ferrara and Emily Vasse. isbn 978-1-5526-3957-3

Find reviews and buy the book at Design Taxi or at Amazon.

Men build - men leave.

Vatnsmýri is a part of Reykjavík which the initiators of a landscape design competition describe as a very central area. There are huge old and unused runways of Vatnsmýri Airport that were slicing the city for a long time. Now it’s time to redefine the space and develope a whole new usage concept.

We like the “Civic Greenway” proposal of Lola Shepard and Mason White. (They didn’t win, so maybe they can sell their idea to Berlin Tempelhof, which is in disposition as well? Would be a pleasure to see it re-naturised! Maybe a park with the famous curved concrete structures transformed into giant skate-ramps, hehe…)

See a lot of other interesting concepts and the winning entries here. Read more here.