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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

    Earthbag domes of Dome Lombok: From ecotourism to earthquake-resistant housing

  • 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

Historic sites

Traditional desert architecture of South-East Tunisia
Historic sites, Vernacular architecture October 30, 2024

Traditional desert architecture of South-East Tunisia

481 Views 0 by Erika

The desert region of South-East Tunisia is home to some extraordinary traditional architecture, including cave houses and fortified granaries.

Living heritage and earth architecture of Djenné
Cities, Historic sites, Vernacular architecture November 22, 2018

Living heritage and earth architecture of Djenné

2,878 Views 0 by Erika

Djenné is a historic town in central Mali that is known for its remarkable urban earth architecture and mosque, but locals have mixed feelings about the conservation of traditional earth architecture.

Traditional and modern stone architecture of Mauritania
Architecture, Historic sites, Vernacular architecture May 20, 2018

Traditional and modern stone architecture of Mauritania

3,278 Views 0 by Erika

Stones have been the main building material in Mauritania’s historic desert towns, but what role does stone architecture play in 21st century Mauritania?

Rise and fall of ancient Maya water management
Environment, Historic sites, Water May 22, 2017

Rise and fall of ancient Maya water management

4,211 Views 0 by Erika

Elegant water management strategies made the rise of the ancient Maya possible, but did it also make them vulnerable to climate change and collapse?

Development of Ancestral Puebloans and their architecture
Historic sites, Vernacular architecture September 10, 2016

Development of Ancestral Puebloans and their architecture

1,942 Views 1 by Erika

Ruins of Southwest USA tell the story of Ancestral Puebloans and the development of their architecture, partly driven by environmental factors like drought.

4500-year-old urban planning at Mohenjo-daro
Historic sites November 30, 2015

4500-year-old urban planning at Mohenjo-daro

6,369 Views 0 by Erika

The Bronze Age city of Mohenjo-daro is a reminder of how simple technology and materials can be used to provide the most basic human needs.

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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