Primary Menu
Field Study of the World
Secondary Menu
  • Home
  • About
  • Topics
    • Agriculture
    • Architecture
    • Cities
    • Communities
    • Design
    • Engineering
    • Environment
    • General
    • Historic sites
    • Humanitarian aid
    • Responsible tourism
    • Social sustainability
    • Vernacular architecture
    • Volunteering
    • Waste
    • Water
  • Contact
Follow:

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

off-grid living

Self-sufficiency and tourism in the Wadi Rum Desert
Responsible tourism, Volunteering, Water February 19, 2018

Self-sufficiency and tourism in the Wadi Rum Desert

694 Views 1 by Erika

Malakot Camp in the Wadi Rum Desert of Jordan shows how a combination of responsible tourism and traditional Bedouin knowledge can improve lives while keeping traditional cultures alive.

Tropical agroforestry at Maya Mountain Research Farm
Agriculture, Volunteering March 23, 2017

Tropical agroforestry at Maya Mountain Research Farm

891 Views 0 by Erika

Maya Mountain Research Farm in Belize shows how agroforestry and permaculture can turn damaged soil back into naturally productive landscapes.

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

The floating bottle island of Joysxee

4,668 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

1,310 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.

Building a permaculture community at Bosque Shambala in rural Mexico
Communities, Volunteering October 10, 2016

Building a permaculture community at Bosque Shambala in rural Mexico

788 Views 0 by Erika

Bosque Shambala is a growing community that can show Mexicans a self-sufficient alternative to crowded and competitive city life.

Earthships and off-grid living on Taos mesa
Architecture, Volunteering September 22, 2016

Earthships and off-grid living on Taos mesa

2,561 Views 1 by Erika

Earthships have become the symbol of off-grid living, but the key to successful off-grid living lies in understanding design principles and the environment.

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.

Subscribe

Interested in following my travels and blog? Just enter your email address to receive all new posts by email.

Social

  • View fieldstudyoftheworld’s profile on Facebook
  • View fieldstudyoftheworld’s profile on Instagram

Search

© Copyright 2025 Field Study of the World.