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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

construction

Maternity hospital construction in the midst of a humanitarian crisis with Médecins Sans Frontières
Architecture, Humanitarian aid May 7, 2022

Maternity hospital construction in the midst of a humanitarian crisis with Médecins Sans Frontières

614 Views 0 by Erika

As Construction Manager at Médecins Sans Frontières, I worked on the design and construction of a maternity hospital in Northeast Nigeria.

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

1,075 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.

How the Plastic Bottle Village is turning waste into a resource
Architecture, Environment, Waste December 11, 2017

How the Plastic Bottle Village is turning waste into a resource

2,105 Views 0 by Erika

The Plastic Bottle Village is a project in Panama that is trying to solve the global plastic problem by turning plastic bottles into construction material.

Boosting rural community tourism with cob houses
Responsible tourism, Vernacular architecture, Volunteering August 21, 2017

Boosting rural community tourism with cob houses

908 Views 0 by Erika

A new tourism cooperative in Rio Chiquito, El Salvador gives the locals a chance to benefit from tourism on a new level – thanks to affordable cob construction.

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

The life-changing bridges of Toni Rüttimann

1,519 Views 1 by Erika

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

Community development in indigenous Guatemala by Mayan Families
Architecture, Social sustainability, Volunteering July 12, 2017

Community development in indigenous Guatemala by Mayan Families

895 Views 0 by Erika

Mayan Families is a non-profit organization that works with community development and poverty alleviation in indigenous communities in rural Guatemala.

Building structures and futures with bamboo around Lake Atitlan
Social sustainability, Vernacular architecture June 5, 2017

Building structures and futures with bamboo around Lake Atitlan

697 Views 0 by Erika

When used correctly, bamboo is a material that has the potential to improve lives, boost local economies and contribute to environmental sustainability.

How Long Way Home is creating architecture and awareness from trash
Architecture, Social sustainability, Volunteering, Waste May 8, 2017

How Long Way Home is creating architecture and awareness from trash

790 Views 0 by Erika

Long Way Home is a non-profit that is creating new skills, employment and awareness by building a vocational school out of waste and natural materials.

The floating bottle island of Joysxee
Design, Waste March 6, 2017

The floating bottle island of Joysxee

4,738 Views 1 by Erika

Joysxee is an artificial island built out of plastic bottles that teaches the world about the importance of reducing waste and turning it into a resource.

Rammed earth construction at a future ecocenter
Architecture, Vernacular architecture, Volunteering January 25, 2017

Rammed earth construction at a future ecocenter

1,317 Views 1 by Erika

Rammed earth is a popular sustainable building technique, and the key to building a quality rammed earth structure is understanding the materials.

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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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