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

  • Architecture, sustainability, travel and this blog
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  • Bridge building with Toni Rüttimann and rural communities of Myanmar
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    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

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  • Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan
    June 19, 2017

    Providing clean drinking water to the people of Lake Atitlan

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    Ganvie, Africa’s largest lake village

urbanisation

Contrasts and challenges of Lagos, Africa’s largest city
Cities, Communities, Social sustainability September 17, 2022

Contrasts and challenges of Lagos, Africa’s largest city

2,174 Views 0 by Erika

Lagos, Africa’s largest and soon the world’s largest city, is a city of inequality that faces a multitude of challenges.

Community tourism and environmental protection at Miraflor Natural Reserve
Agriculture, Environment, Responsible tourism October 1, 2017

Community tourism and environmental protection at Miraflor Natural Reserve

344 Views 0 by Erika

At Miraflor Natural Reserve farming communities, the natural environment and tourists have learned to live together for mutual benefit.

Improving indigenous lives with coffee and culture
Communities, Social sustainability, Volunteering September 18, 2017

Improving indigenous lives with coffee and culture

229 Views 0 by Erika

Preservation of culture and a women’s coffee cooperative are two grassroots projects by the members of La Laguna indigenous community in Nicaragua.

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

Boosting rural community tourism with cob houses

900 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.

Urban farming and its necessity in Cuba
Agriculture, Cities November 28, 2016

Urban farming and its necessity in Cuba

673 Views 0 by Erika

Isolation from world trade has forced Cuba to adopt widespread organic urban farming in an effort to guarantee food security on the island.

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

787 Views 0 by Erika

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

Global Village volunteering and building houses in Mongolia
Social sustainability, Volunteering May 23, 2016

Global Village volunteering and building houses in Mongolia

598 Views 2 by Erika

A few years ago I participated in Habitat for Humanity’s Global Village program in Mongolia. It was a rewarding experience but I view it differently today.

The evolving Mongolian ger
Vernacular architecture January 25, 2016

The evolving Mongolian ger

1,021 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.

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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