Living heritage and earth architecture of Djenné
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.
Rise and fall of ancient Maya water management
Elegant water management strategies made the rise of the ancient Maya possible, but did it also make them vulnerable to climate change and collapse?
Chinampas, the floating gardens of a sinking city
Chinampas are an efficient Mesoamerican method of agriculture and a reminder of Mexico City’s past as a city of canals and artificial islands.
Development of Ancestral Puebloans and their architecture
Ruins of Southwest USA tell the story of Ancestral Puebloans and the development of their architecture, partly driven by environmental factors like drought.
The Persian ice house, or how to make ice in the desert
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.
The qanat, a man-made underground river in the desert
The ancient qanat technology of Iran can teach us a lot about the sustainable management of groundwater resources in dry regions.
4500-year-old urban planning at Mohenjo-daro
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.