Traditional Barn Inspires New Library
Winthrop is a small historic farming town in Washington State. When the community raised money to build a new library, more than a quarter of the town’s population of four hundred contributed ideas …
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Biophilia
We share a deep, innate connection with nature, developed over millions of years of evolution that has attuned us to the natural world. For many, this bond is most vividly expressed in the simple beauty …
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Design a Home for Life
Conventional family homes are changing to accommodate shifting lifestyle needs.
Families want eco-friendly, affordable, warm, dry, homes.
Flexibility is also important for working from home and providing spaces for additional family members.
Town houses are one option. Central …
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Light
Vision is one of our key senses and is enhanced by light from direct, reflected and artificial sources. Light allows us to notice our environment and can enhance architecture.
Natural and artificial light illuminate colours and …
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Tadelakt Plaster
Tadelakt:
Tadelakt is a type of natural, lime-based plaster originating in the Marrakech region of Morocco.
It provides a solution for finishing that is kind to the environment and to our health, while providing a beautiful and …
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Being a Good Ancestor
Being a good ancestor
The yearning for constant improvement raises the thought… what does it take to be a good ancestor? Helping your neighbour, drinking your coffee without a lid, growing your own parsnips… Every bit we can to improve the lives …
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Wool Insulation
Something that Aotearoa has an endless supply of is sheep. That is why this insulation material – essentially a by-product of one of our biggest exports – is not only a sustainable material option, but …
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Cross Laminated Timber (CLT)
Cross-laminated timber (CLT) is one of the most significant types of engineered wood product recently developed for structural applications. [1]Constructed from layers of timber glued together in opposing directions, it can also be …
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Clay Plaster
Continuing the conversation on natural building materials, is an overview of clay plaster. Clay could be considered a vernacular New Zealand building material, given our land’s richness of the substance. It can sometimes be used …
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Sustainable Forestry
Trees play a large role in New Zealand’s vernacular architecture. It is hard to beat locally grown and harvested native, naturally durable timber to facilitate our demand for sustainable construction.The awareness and demand for naturally …
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Timber Aging Gracefully
Longevity of a building is rooted in its materiality. We want our buildings to stand the test of time, and we often go the extra mile to separate our buildings from the elements. What would …
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Ishibatate: Traditional Japanese Construction
What is Ishibatate?Traditional Japanese timber frame construction set the standard for what holistic architecture could be. All materials are natural, sustainably sourced, and replenished after harvest. They are handled sustainably during all the stages of …
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Universal Floor Design
What is Universal Design?‘Universal Design’ is a term coined by architect Ronald L. Mace. A wheelchair user from a young age due to Polio, he was acutely aware of the accessibility challenges posed by most …
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