Five technologies.
Five experiences.
The Living section is about putting thought and theory into action. Whether it be small scale creation experiments or outdoor immersive experiences these activities will help inspire the imagination and uncover new ways of thinking and engaging with nature at the forefront.
The living section also offers the opportunity to create change in your community—whether it be a neighborhood, a school, an organization or your home—and reimagine the future of technological advancements.
Waffle Gardens
Adobe Brick-Making
Aqueducts
Backyard Aqueduct
Floating Islands
Mycelium Bricks
Living Root Bridges
Living Fences
Corrals
Companion Species
WAFFLE GARDENS
Adobe Brick-Making
Earthen architecture has a rich history spanning thousands of years, dating back to ancient civilizations. Adobe, one of the earliest forms of earthen construction, involves sun-drying cob bricks made from a mixture of clay, sand, straw, and sometimes even animal dung. This technique originated in the Middle East and North Africa, spreading to other parts of the world, including the Americas and Asia. In regions like Egypt and Mesopotamia, adobe structures were integral to the development of early urban centers. Over time, advancements in techniques such as rammed earth and mud brick vaulting led to more sophisticated earthen structures, like the iconic earthen mosques and palaces of Mali's Djenné.
Today, earthen architecture stands at the intersection of tradition and innovation, embodying sustainable practices and contemporary design. Rammed earth, a technique dating back centuries, sees a resurgence as a durable, energy-efficient construction method. Builders compact layers of earth within formwork to create strong, thermally efficient walls.
Compressed earth bricks, or CEBs, offer a modular approach, using a mixture of earth and stabilizers to create uniform blocks. These bricks are gaining popularity for their affordability, low environmental impact, and ease of construction. As awareness grows about sustainable building practices, earthen architecture continues to evolve, offering a compelling blend of heritage and modernity in construction.
Below you will see two videos that guide you through the process of making Adobe Bricks. One is from an indigenous farmer in Northeast Thailand and provides a visual process for starting an adobe build, the other is from a historic site in New Mexico and provides a manageable practice opportunity for those who don't have access to a natural building site. Both allow participants to imagine the possibilities natural building offers.
Jon Jandai is a farmer from northeastern Thailand. He founded the Pun Pun Center for Self-reliance, an organic farm outside Chiang Mai, with his wife Peggy Reents in 2003. Pun Pun doubles as a center for sustainable living and seed production, aiming to bring indigenous and rare seeds back into use. It regularly hosts training on simple techniques to live more sustainably. Outside of Pun Pun, Jon is a leader in bringing the natural building movement to Thailand, appearing as a spokesperson on dozens of publications and TV programs for the past 10 years. He continually strives to find easier ways for people to fulfill their basic needs.
El Camino Real de Tierra Adentro is a part of the National Park Service since 1916 and has been entrusted with the care of our national parks. With the help of volunteers and partners, they safeguard these special places and share their stories with more than 318 million visitors every year. But their work doesn't stop there.They are proud that tribes, local governments, nonprofit organizations, businesses, and individual citizens ask for their help in revitalizing their communities, preserving local history, celebrating local heritage, and creating close-to-home opportunities for kids and families to get outside, be active, and have fun.
AQUEDUCTS
Backyard Aqueduct
Aqueducts have been used for thousands of years in various life changing capacities. It is important to note the Aztecs place in the unique use of aqueduct infrastructures. Founded in 1325, Tenochtitlan was a hub of architectural and agricultural innovation, allowing the Aztecs to develop technological advancements unseen in other civilizations. After the fall of the city, modern-day Mexico City was built atop the ruins of Tenochtitlan, sealing away the Aztec aqueduct system below the earth. From floating gardens atop broad lakes to aqueducts that carried plague-free freshwater to homes and buildings, Tenochtitlan architecture utilized a range of innovative technologies that supported its staggering population growth and separates it from any other major civilization in the Western Hemisphere.
COMMUNITY SPOTLIGHT: RAIN GARDEN, AQUEDUCT, AND CONSERVATION LANDSCAPING PROJECT
The Harn Aqueduct Rain Garden and Conservation Landscaping project eliminated standing water on a walk-out patio and potential basement flooding through use of an aqueduct to passively convey roof drainage to the uphill rain garden. The solution treats a substantial portion of runoff from the property, provides water quality and habitat benefits by using conservation landscaping with native plants, and creates beautiful sounds and visual effects of cascading water. View the complete project file here.
The following videos will help guide you through the process of creating your own backyard aqueduct. If you want to take the challenge further create an aqueduct for a garden space like our spotlight community did!
In the spring of 2017, Oneida Nation citizens Steve and Becky Webster purchased 10 acres of land on the Oneida Reservation. The following year, with the help of friends and family, they built a home. They currently grow traditional, heirloom foods with an emphasis on Haudenosaunee varieties of corn, beans, and squash. Their long term goal for this property is to serve as a place to host events where the community comes to learn about planting, growing, harvesting, seed keeping, food preparation, food storage, as well as making traditional tools and crafts. The philosophy is that every time an indigenous person plants a seed, that is an act of resistance and an assertion of sovereignty. With these goals in mind, an Oneida faithkeeper named their property Ukwakhwa: Tsinu Niyukwayay^thoslu (Our foods: Where we plant things). This video is one of their many projects documented to help guide others.
NEED DIFFERENT VIDEO HERE—