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

thermal comfort

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.

Turf houses, the traditional green buildings of Iceland
Vernacular architecture February 8, 2016

Turf houses, the traditional green buildings of Iceland

2,651 Views 1 by Erika

Icelanders have been building turf houses for as long as the country has been inhabited, and the buildings are well-adapted to the local environment.

The evolving Mongolian ger
Vernacular architecture January 25, 2016

The evolving Mongolian ger

1,017 Views 1 by Erika

The ger is the traditional shelter of the nomads of Mongolia, but today the nature of the ger is changing as it adapts to modern and urban life.

Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake
Agriculture, Social sustainability, Vernacular architecture January 4, 2016

Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake

3,418 Views 3 by Erika

Floating villages and gardens of Inle Lake in Myanmar are a source of livelihood for the Intha people, but human activities are also a threat to the lake.

Natural ventilation with windcatchers in Iran
Engineering, Vernacular architecture December 14, 2015

Natural ventilation with windcatchers in Iran

3,034 Views 0 by Erika

Traditional Iranian windcatchers are passive ventilation and cooling devices that can inspire energy efficient natural ventilation systems today.

METI Handmade School – design from tradition
Architecture, Social sustainability December 7, 2015

METI Handmade School – design from tradition

2,093 Views 1 by Erika

METI Handmade School in Bangladesh shows how modern technology and design can be used to improve traditional building techniques – and rural lives.

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.