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Popular Posts...

  • The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert
    April 4, 2016

    The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert

  • Build with Gambia Earth Architecture Workshop: Experimenting with local materials in rural Gambia
    August 18, 2019

    Build with Gambia Earth Architecture Workshop: Experimenting with local materials in rural Gambia

  • Earthbag domes of Dome Lombok: From ecotourism to earthquake-resistant housing
    November 17, 2019

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  • Architecture, sustainability, travel and this blog
    November 23, 2015

    Architecture, sustainability, travel and this blog

  • Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar
    December 17, 2019

    Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar

  • Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake
    January 4, 2016

    Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake

  • Traditional earth lodges of the Great Plains
    July 7, 2016

    Traditional earth lodges of the Great Plains

  • Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad
    February 15, 2016

    Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad

  • Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan
    June 19, 2017

    Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan

  • Ganvie, Africa’s largest lake village
    September 2, 2019

    Ganvie, Africa’s largest lake village

Engineering

The living root bridges of India
Engineering, Environment, Vernacular architecture August 9, 2020

The living root bridges of India

867 Views 0 by Erika

In the jungles of Northeast India, a tradition of weaving together roots of living trees has created strong and regenerative root bridges that have served generations.

Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar
Engineering, Social sustainability December 17, 2019

Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar

1,043 Views 3 by Erika

Toni Rüttimann has built more than 830 bridges together with local partners and rural communities in 13 countries, including more than 130 bridges Myanmar.

Moroccan fog harvesting project relieves water stress and rural poverty
Engineering, Social sustainability, Water May 8, 2018

Moroccan fog harvesting project relieves water stress and rural poverty

2,144 Views 1 by Erika

Dar Si Hmad is a Moroccan non-profit organization that is improving water security and promoting sustainable livelihoods in rural Morocco with the help of the world’s largest fog harvesting system.

Costa Rica’s path to carbon neutrality
Energy, Engineering, Environment November 7, 2017

Costa Rica’s path to carbon neutrality

235 Views 0 by Erika

Costa Rica produces 98% of its electricity from renewable sources and the country aims to become the first carbon neutral country in the world.

The life-changing bridges of Toni Rüttimann
Engineering, Social sustainability July 24, 2017

The life-changing bridges of Toni Rüttimann

1,490 Views 1 by Erika

Toni Rüttimann is an independent humanitarian bridge builder whose pedestrian bridges have changed the lives of two million people.

Pedal-powered bicycle machines of Maya Pedal
Design, Engineering, Social sustainability, Waste April 10, 2017

Pedal-powered bicycle machines of Maya Pedal

1,042 Views 1 by Erika

Maya Pedal is a Guatemalan NGO that is upcycling old bicycles into pedal-powered machines that make manual labour and daily tasks easier without electricity.

Water management strategies of Singapore
Cities, Engineering, Water May 9, 2016

Water management strategies of Singapore

953 Views 0 by Erika

Singapore’s water management system shows how diversifying water management can improve water security and self-sufficiency in a water scarce country.

The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert
Engineering, Vernacular architecture April 4, 2016

The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert

24,958 Views 6 by Erika

The Persian ice house and ice making technique are a fine example of what can be achieved without electricity by understanding physics and the local climate.

Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad
Engineering, Vernacular architecture February 15, 2016

Searching for windcatchers in Hyderabad

2,971 Views 3 by Erika

Hyderabad, Pakistan used to be known as the city of windcatchers, but today these traditional ventilation devices are hard to find – but not impossible.

The qanat, a man-made underground river in the desert
Engineering, Water January 18, 2016

The qanat, a man-made underground river in the desert

1,839 Views 1 by Erika

The ancient qanat technology of Iran can teach us a lot about the sustainable management of groundwater resources in dry regions.

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About

Welcome to my blog! My name is Erika Alatalo and I’m a world traveler and humanitarian architect writing about sustainable development, architecture and travel. Check out this page for more information.

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