26 Sep
The Hybrid Dome built by Sasha Rubin and help from many hands in the high desert of southern California
Sasha hosts natural building technique workshops throughout the year. From her site, earthenshelter.com —
Natural building is based on a philosophy that places the highest value on social and environmental sustainability. Natural building is about integrating our built environments into their local ecologies and communities with a minimal amount of adverse effects on local and distant environments. We believe that natural building improves lives in many ways. It allows us to show deep respect for our immediate environment and gives us the chance to make responsible decisions regarding distant environments. Our goal is to use minimally refined and manufactured, non-toxic, natural materials.
Natural building is not new, but it is revolutionary. Most of our grandparents, including those of us from the industrialized North, practiced natural building. Before the advent of standardization, mass production, and long-distance transport, people relied on locally available materials to house their family. During the last century there has been a shift towards the import of building materials, causing disastrous effects on ecosystems, cultures, and communities. But we have a choice. By exchanging earth and straw bale for concrete and cement, by choosing locally milled lumber and roundwood over lumber that has been unsustainably harvested, and opting for natural clay plasters, washes, and paints instead of dangerous chemical varnishes, stuccoes and paints, we can exert a force to affect change in our economies and in our lifestyles.
Learn more about Sasha and permaculture at quailsprings.org & earthenshelter.com
Photos by Adam Battaglia / @bttags
Sasha’s home is featured in our new book as well. Pre-order available: cabinporn.com/inside