Marfa Ranch, Lake Flato (Beyonce’s House)

Sandwiched between the inhospitable Chihuahuan Desert and the majestic Davis Mountains, the Marfa Ranch is situated on a low rise with dramatic views of pristine desert grassland in all directions.

The house, which cuts a low profile, comprises eight structures organized around a central courtyard shaded by native mesquites.

“The design leans into an early regional paradigm found commonly on the ranches of far West Texas, where casual, low-slung homes partially enclose an inner court”

“These homes are often stone, brick, or adobe, one room wide and U-shaped — opening to an inward veranda and surrounding the court that opens to the east, shielding against the seasonally persistent north-western winds.”

Borrowing from the area’s earliest structures, the rooms of the house are organized around a courtyard, a cool respite from the sun-drenched desert grasslands beyond the walls. The house embraces the expansive landscape with lightweight breezeways and porches made of recycled oil field pipe.

Built of two-foot-thick rammed earth walls, the home protects its inhabitants from the extremes of the region — heat, cold, and wind — while allowing them to connect with the landscape through lightweight breezeways and porches, a mirador perched above the main bedroom, and an outdoor walkway connecting to a pool and hot tub.

The studio used three million pounds of earth to create the rammed earth walls, which were chosen to reflect a connection to the landscape. This material was used for the structure as well as for the finishes.

“Rammed earth is a simple material that reinforces the connections to the land and the landscape,” said Harris. “It is a labor of love to commit to the use of earth when building, and the craft of the construction is evident throughout.”

“As a counterpoint, most all the surrounding rooms open to both the interior and exterior landscape and are positioned to accept the cooling breeze reaching out to the exterior foreground and distant horizon.”

The bedroom opens onto a covered porch with views of the surrounding land

Sliding rusted steel doors lead to additional semi-outdoor areas

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026

Gilbert Raby Therapeutic Workshops

Location: Meulan-sur-Yvelines, France
Year: 2023 | Built: 940 m²
Architect: Tolila+Gilliland
Client: Fondation l’Élan Retrouvé
Construction: timber structure with raw earth brick infill
Photos: Cyrille Weiner | Drawings: Tolila+Gilliland

Tolila+Gilliland is a Paris-based practice founded by Gaston Tolila and Nicholas Gilliland. Tolila holds a DPLG Architect Diploma from the Paris-Villemin School of Architecture and an engineering degree in civil engineering and urban planning from INSA Lyon. Gilliland holds a Master of Architecture from Yale University and an undergraduate architecture degree from the University of Kansas. The two met through a humanitarian architecture competition in 2001. They later established their practice, grounded in material logic, environmental response, and construction using bio-based and geo-sourced systems.

The Gilbert Raby Center sits within a campus of buildings dedicated to addiction medicine and treatment. The client, Fondation l’Élan Retrouvé, needed a building that could bring together adult therapeutic workshops and related support spaces while avoiding the rigidity typical of institutional care environments. The program includes therapeutic workshops, a day hospital, a laundry, a pharmacy, and medical offices, all organized within a new two-story building of 940 square meters.

The site is sloped and wooded. Each level meets the ground directly, allowing independent access and reducing reliance on vertical circulation. Movement is horizontal and legible, supporting autonomy within the therapeutic environment.

The plan is organized symmetrically around a central interior hall. This space acts as both circulation and environmental core. It is unheated but tempered through solar gain, thermal mass, and controlled ventilation. A linear skylight introduces diffuse zenithal light, moderated by removable shading. Raw earth brick walls stabilize temperature, with night cooling supporting summer performance.

Construction follows a clear material system. A timber structural frame is paired with raw earth brick infill and wood-fiber insulation. Timber provides structure and assembly. Earth provides thermal inertia and regulation. The exterior is clad in pre-greyed larch shingles, with exposed timber elements and wood joinery aligning the building with its wooded context.

Form is restrained and derived from site and program. The building adapts to slope, organizes around a central void, and maintains a consistent sectional logic. Workshops and medical spaces line the central hall in a clear rhythm. The architecture operates through clarity, proportion, and material presence.

The project demonstrates how therapeutic architecture can be shaped through environmental moderation and spatial legibility rather than institutional form. By aligning structure, climate, and circulation, it supports autonomy and stability. It also advances a model of low-carbon construction where timber and earth define both performance and spatial quality.

Written By: Hitiksha Bansal

Sources:

“Centre Gilbert Raby.” Tolila+Gilliland, tolilagilliland.com/projets/centre-gilbert-raby.

“Gilbert Raby Therapeutic Workshops / Tolila+Gilliland.” Dezeen, 13 Oct. 2023, www.dezeen.com/2023/10/13/gilbert-raby-therapeutic-workshops-tolila-gilliland-france.

“The Gilbert Raby Center.” Divisare, divisare.com/projects/498062-tolila-gilliland-cyrille-weiner-the-gilbert-raby-center.

“Hôpital de jour pour enfants.” Architecture et Précarités, architecture-precarites.fr/interventions/hopital-de-jour-pour-enfants-etablissement-psychiatrique-accueillant-des-enfants-de-4-a-14-ans-presentant-des-troubles.

March 31, 2026

Hang Tau Kindergarten and Primary School

Quai To commune in Dien Bien, Vietnam

The project was brought to life by 1+1>2 Architects, a Hanoi-based firm led by the renowned Hoang Thuc Hao.

Hao is widely considered a pioneer of “Social Architecture” in Vietnam. His philosophy revolves around the idea that architecture should not just be for the wealthy, but a tool to improve the lives of the marginalized. The firm is famous for combining traditional building techniques (like rammed earth, bamboo, and thatch) with modern structural engineering. They prioritize low-carbon footprints, using materials that are sourced locally. In an effort to harbor their social architecture approach, during the design and construction of the school, 1+1>2 often involved the villagers ensuring the community feels a sense of ownership over the finished school.

The Hang Tau Kindergarten and Primary School, located in the remote mountains of the Son La province in Vietnam, is a masterclass in how architecture can serve as both a functional shelter and a cultural bridge. Designed to serve the ethnic minority children of the region, the project is a testament to the power of “pro-bono” architecture that doesn’t compromise on beauty or utility.

The school’s design is heavily influenced by the rugged terrain and the traditional architecture of the local H’Mong people. Rather than leveling the land the architects opted for a stilted structure that follows the natural slope of the mountainside. The school is made up of various materials sourced locally and/or made on-site. Foundations are made of local mountain stone with adobe bricks stacked above. Some walls even being fully constructed of stone or adobe. Frames, fences and ceiling treatments are made with bamboo and natural wood to provide breathable interiors and soft boundaries that properly integrate this new building into the village. The roof materials somewhat break from tradition, using corrugated metal to provide proper insulation and ensure the building is watertight.

Traditional H’Mong architecture

The school’s roofline, the most striking feature, is made to mimic the surrounding mountain peaks, allowing the building to blend seamlessly into the landscape. The school is divided into distinct “blocks” for the kindergarten and primary levels. These blocks are connected by covered walkways and open-air bridges, creating a sense of a small, interconnected village rather than an isolated institution.

Although the primary purpose of the building is education, the school serves as the beating heart of the village. Often in remote Vietnamese regions, schools also become communal spaces for adults outside of school hours. The Hang Tau school serves to strengthen the sense of community that is heavily embedded in the Vietnamese culture. This is not only embodied by the programming of the school but the architecture itself as it also preserves the culture through the use of “local aesthetics”. Allowing the students to take pride in their culture and value their roots.

Given the tropical climate, the buildings utilize high ceilings and perforated walls (often made of local wood or brick) to allow cross-breezes, eliminating the need for mechanical cooling. These apertures also increase and incentivize connection the natural landscape which is a core value in Vietnamese culture and architecture. The school provides modern education while instilling the values of traditions of past generations. Giving the students access to successful futures and influential pasts.

Hang Tau Kindergarten and Primary School / 1+1>2 Architects

Hang Tau Kindergarten and Primary School: Redefining the Relationship Between Education and the Mountainous Environment

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026

Voute Nubian (Organization)

Voute Nubian (Association la Voûte Nubienne) is an organization founded by Berkinabe farmer Séri Youlou, and French mason Thomas Granier in 2000, serving to utilize the ancestral construction technique— the Nubian Vault— to meet the housing needs of rural areas in several Sahelian nations.

Owing in large part to the economic and environmental consequences of neocolonialism, which have engendered mass poverty and a scarcity of wood resources throughout the Sahel region, housing is often precarious or inaccessible for many. In response to this, the Voute Nubian organization seeks to utilize the Nubian Vault as a self-supporting construction technique that does not require cement, timber, or sheet metal and can create roofing systems entirely out of earth.

Nubian Vault construction has many additional advantages, including locally sourced and easily accessible materials, extreme durability, high thermal and acoustic performance, as well as its simplicity.

This process not only ensures that the readily available and inexpensive earth of the construction site can be used to create a comfortable and structurally sound home without the added costs of formwork or expensive materials, but also that workers can be professionally trained as experts in this production technique enabling the creation of skilled labor and the spread of the Nubian Vault as a technique.

For more information on the history of the Nubian Vault, and its revival as a contemporary architectural strategy in earthen construction:

What is the Nubian Vault?

New Gourna – Hassan Fathy

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026

Betil Dagdelen: Rammed Earth Side Tables

Betil Dagdelen is a Turkish artist born in 1978 that specializes in combining traditional weaving techniques and practices with a more improvisational strategy in her patterning. Dagdelen studied at Koc University, located in Istanbul, and graduated with a Bachelors in political science and international relations. She however, also attended design classes and used inspiration from her life to work on furniture design. Currently, Betil works in New Mexico, on the design and weaving of furniture in order to study and understand patterns, particularly through the use of already existing materials that she believes have a story to them, for example yarn that was created traditionally.

A lot of her work is displayed at the Cristina Grajales Gallery in New York. One of her exhibitions presented there is called OFF BY AN INCH, where part of the work presented includes the use of rammed earth to create side tables.

In this gallery showing, Betil brings together history and the art of weaving, she creates solid structures and then weaves around them to create and elevate the structural design of furniture. In these works Betil brings together modern design with a more traditional weaving method in order to have both a visual and tactile experience.

In this specific gallery showing, Betil includes three side tables made from rammed earth, continuing her exploration of patterns present in furniture design. In this case the rammed earth material, allows for an exploration of those combinations between texture, pattern, and material.

These three side tables are all made from the same materials, which are pumicecrete, portland cement, natural dyes, and lime. Additionally, these three side tables are part of the specific section on Pattern Studies in her showing, where the material element, in this case rammed earth, was used to explore how patterns present themselves differently through technique and design using the same material components.

Resources

https://cristinagrajales.com/artists-designer/betil-dagdelen/

https://cristinagrajales.com/collection/rammed-earth-side-table-c/

https://cristinagrajales.com/exhibitions/off-by-an-inch/

https://cristinagrajales.com/collection/rammed-earth-side-table-a/

https://cristinagrajales.com/collection/rammed-earth-side-tables/

https://betildagdelen.com/mp_01_v2

https://www.instagram.com/betildagdelen/

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026

Natural Mateirals Lab, Columbia University

Natural Materials Lab, Columnbia University

Overview

The Natural Materials Lab at Columbia University is a research platform dedicated to the development and application of natural and low-carbon materials in contemporary architecture.

The lab focuses on materials such as earth, plant fibers, and bio-based composites, investigating how these materials can be integrated into modern design, fabrication, and construction processes.

Rather than treating natural materials as traditional or vernacular remnants, the lab positions them as active components in future building systems—capable of generating new architectural forms, structural logics, and environmental strategies.

Research Leadership

Lola Ben-Alon is an Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP, where she directs the Natural Materials Lab and the Building Science and Technology curriculum.

Her research focuses on earth- and bio-based building materials, including their life cycle, fabrication methods, and environmental performance.

She received her Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University and holds degrees in Structural Engineering and Construction Management from the Technion, Israel Institute of Technology.

Her work has been widely published and exhibited internationally, contributing to the advancement of sustainable and low-carbon construction research.

Research Focus

Rather than presenting projects individually, the work of the Natural Materials Lab can be understood through a set of interconnected research directions, each demonstrated through selected projects.

1. Designing Material Systems: Earth–Fiber Composites

The lab focuses on developing composite material systems by combining earth with plant fibers and bio-based additives.

Projects such as:

demonstrate how these combinations improve:

structural behavior
flexibility
fabrication potential

Rather than selecting materials after form is defined, these projects suggest a shift toward material system design as a generative process.

2. Fabrication as Form Generation

A central research theme is the integration of fabrication processes into design logic.

Projects including:

explore how:

additive manufacturing
digital weaving
and analog forming techniques

can directly generate geometry and structure.

These works reposition fabrication not as a post-design step, but as a primary driver of form.

3. From Mass to Lightweight and Porous Systems

The lab challenges the conventional perception of earth as a heavy, monolithic material.

Projects such as:

investigate how earth-based materials can be transformed into:

porous systems
ventilation structures
lightweight envelopes

These explorations expand the role of earth from mass construction to environmental and spatial filtering systems.

4. Expanding Material Research Beyond Architecture

The lab extends material research beyond conventional building applications into broader ecological and bodily contexts.

Projects include:

These works examine how materials interact with:

philosophy of nature/culture
the human body
environmental systems

This expands architecture into a multi-scalar material ecology, where materials operate across building, body, and environment.

Teaching and Pedagogy

The Natural Materials Lab integrates research with teaching through a series of seminars, workshops, and technical courses at Columbia GSAPP.

Courses such as Making With Earth, Down to Earth, and TECH: Construction and Life Cycle combine theoretical frameworks with hands-on experimentation, allowing students to engage directly with natural materials across multiple scales.

Through material testing, full-scale prototyping, and environmental analysis, the lab promotes a material-driven design approach, where construction, performance, and fabrication are understood as integral to the design process.

Sources

https://www.arch.columbia.edu/research/labs/17-natural-materials-lab

https://lola-ben-alon.com/

Columbia Professor Takes a Down-to-Earth Approach to Building Materials

Lola Ben-Alon Encourages Compassion for Digitization

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026

Earth USA

Earth USA is the biennial international conference on earthen architecture organized by Adobe in Action (AinA) in Santa Fe, New Mexico. It brings together architects, engineers, builders, and researchers to share advances in clay-based construction. Earth USA began in 2003 as “Adobe USA,” first held at Northern New Mexico College by the Adobe Association of the Southwest and dedicated to Paul Graham McHenry, and it has continued on a biennial basis since then. In 2011, the name formally changed to Earth USA for the sixth conference, held in Albuquerque, and since 2013 all subsequent conferences have taken place in Santa Fe. Key milestones include the adoption of a broader earthen-material scope beyond adobe, as well as expanded international participation.

The Scottish Rite Center hosts the conference, reinforcing the event’s Southwestern adobe heritage. The Santa Fe venue also underscores the material focus: the Alhambra Theater is a pink adobe stucco building, and local expertise in adobe construction is abundant. Site tours have included Pueblo ruins, ancestral Spanish missions, and owner-built adobe homes throughout northern New Mexico. Typical Earth USA activities have featured on-site workshops, such as plastering demonstrations, as well as earthen installations; for example, past Earthbuilders’ Guild teams have built mud-brick stages and art displays on-site. In sum, the conference’s materials and form revolve around clay-rich architecture, celebrating both the traditional thick earthen walls of Santa Fe’s historic districts and cutting-edge earth technology.

Earth USA is run by AinA, a New Mexico 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to adobe and earthen-building education. AinA was founded by Mike Lopach and launched Earth USA to empower owner-builders. For Earth USA 2026, AinA’s Lisa Morey and Dan Krause co-preside on the board of AinA, and the Executive Director is Kurt Gardella, a certified adobe instructor who studied under Quentin Wilson at Northern New Mexico College. Gardella holds adobe construction certifications and leads AinA’s certificate program. He has been “a major organizer of Earth USA” while also teaching owner-builder courses. Lisa Morey is a civil engineer and designer, and co-founder of Colorado Earth LLC. She is the author of Adobe Homes for All Climates and holds a patent for reinforced adobe brick walls. Dan Krause is a retired ASU professor who became enamored with adobe while living in Arizona. He designed and built two of his own adobe homes, earning AinA’s Adobe Construction certificate in 2020. Collectively, the organizers combine academic and practical expertise to network experts, educate practitioners, and advance earthen construction worldwide.

Each Earth USA conference follows a structured program with three days of presentations and posters, along with associated social and field activities. The format typically includes a Friday welcome keynote, all-day podium and poster sessions from Friday through Sunday, and Sunday afternoon tours to regional earth-building sites. For example, Earth USA 2024’s schedule featured invited talks on topics ranging from flood-proof adobe shelters to waste-earth reuse and seismic earth block design, alongside panels on owner-builder case studies and clay plaster techniques. All conferences include a Friday night reception sponsored by the Earthbuilders’ Guild and guided tours to adobe missions, historic homes, and new earth projects on Sunday. The scope of subjects is broad, and organizers note that the program reflects a wide field of interest, including adobe, rammed earth, compressed earth block, cob, and essentially any method that uses clay as a binder.

Key themes encompass the use of sustainable materials, including earth plasters and stabilized blocks; advancements in modern fabrication techniques such as 3D printing and robotics in earthen architecture; building science considerations ranging from thermal performance to seismic resilience; historic preservation; and social projects focused on affordable housing and owner-builder training programs. For instance, Earth USA has featured a keynote from, “Mud Frontiers,” by Ronald Rael (UC Berkeley) on 3D-printed earth architecture, as well as a session on a Ghanaian rammed-earth housing prototype, “Kente House,” by Angeles Hevia. Other sessions have addressed codes and policy, including Ben Loescher on U.S. earthen masonry standards and Stephen Colley on adopting adobe in building codes. Topics also include education, such as introducing clay into architecture curricula, and innovation, including rotational tampers for rammed earth.

Earth USA is attended primarily by architects, engineers, and builders interested in sustainable construction, but also by anthropologists, code officials, and environmental advocates. The gatherings are intentionally international and multidisciplinary, as reflected in a speaker roster that includes talks on building practices from India, Japan, and Norway. Attendees leave with a sense of community, supported by nightly informal receptions and a vibrant email newsletter, EarthUSA News, which keeps participants connected year-round. In sum, Earth USA operates as a volunteer-driven conference in which the organizing committee handles logistics and content curation, while academic partners disseminate the findings.

The program is fully documented in the conference proceedings and often carries American Institute of Architecture (AIA) continuing-education credits. Speakers come from universities, nonprofits, governments, and industries worldwide, and recent years have seen participants from 15 to 20 countries. Poster sessions provide a venue for shorter papers on topics such as material testing, vernacular research, and life-cycle analysis. Throughout, the conference emphasizes process, including peer-reviewed abstracts, international volunteer committees, and field demonstrations, as much as the building form itself. Many sessions delve into construction processes such as mix design, compaction, and curing, while others focus on form-finding and earth structures shaped by heritage or innovation.

As an organization, AinA solicits abstracts internationally through a call for papers reviewed by experts and publishes proceedings. For 2026, for instance, abstracts were due in February 2026 and full papers in June 2026. Registration is open to professionals, students, and owner-builders. Earth USA’s inclusive approach is also reflected in its leadership; for example, owner-builder Ethan Novikoff both presented and served on the AinA board, bridging practitioner and organizer roles. Sponsorship comes from allied nongovernmental organizations and firms such as the Earthbuilders’ Guild, the SFCC Adobe program, supporting organizations, and architecture firms.

Earth USA presents a clear consensus that earthen materials are inherently sustainable, resilient, and culturally rich. Many presenters emphasize earth’s low carbon footprint and ease of reuse, as well as its climate-comfort benefits, thermal mass, and humidity buffering. There is a shared mission to reclaim these traditional techniques in a modern context. From an architectural perspective, the conference inspires both reflection and action. It demonstrates how ancient building methods can inform contemporary design, for example, how Pueblo-style thick walls inspire passive climate control, or how combining fibers and modern stabilizers can make cob livable in cold regions. On the technological side, sessions on 3D-printing clay and new tamping machines point toward a future in which even large-scale earth building is industrially feasible. The Earth USA community also exchanges practical solutions; one talk, for instance, detailed how to guide a cob house through building inspections, while others described integrating adobe into U.S. building codes. In conclusion, Earth USA galvanizes the earthen-construction movement. It has inspired new international collaborations, spurred educational initiatives, and reinforced advocates’ resolve to promote sustainable, beautiful architecture that can be made from the ground.

March 31, 2026March 31, 2026

Clayworks

Introduction

Clayworks is a UK-based manufacturer of natural clay plasters and finishes. It is widely used by architects and interior designers to create low-carbon and healthy interior surfaces. The company is based in Cornwall and works on projects internationally.

Image may contain Clothing Footwear Shoe Adult Person Pants Child Hat Plant Furniture Table Head and People — Adam (centre) examines custom clay plaster samples made in the studio with Clayworks colleagues Alex Mulligan and Jessica Morris. Dean Hearne

Headquarters: Cornwall, United Kingdom
Founders: Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce
Core products: clay plasters, rammed earth finishes, and natural wall and ceiling coatings
Main markets: residential, retail, hospitality, restaurants, and cultural spaces

Background

Our Story Clayworks was developed from the founders’ background in natural building and earth construction techniques.

After working with traditional earth materials in different regions, they established the company in Cornwall around 2010.

Their goal was to combine traditional clay construction knowledge with contemporary architectural and interior design needs.

Products & Features

Interior Clay Plaster

Clayworks produces a range of clay plaster finishes focused on wellbeing, enhancing interior atmosphere.

Their finishes are available in a wide range of colours and can be customized for different project types and scales.

They offer both classic finishes with balanced texture and refined aesthetics, and custom finishes that explore more innovative and expressive surface effects.

Exterior

Clayworks’ exterior finishes combine clay and lime to improve durability in outdoor conditions, offering both classic and custom solutions, including rammed earth finishes, for flexible and high-performance applications.

Custom Clay Finishes

These custom finishes explore unique textures and effects, tailored to meet the specific vision of each project. They emphasize innovation and experimentation, creating distinctive surfaces that enhance both aesthetics and function.

Rammed Earth

Clayworks’ rammed earth finishes reinterpret traditional rammed earth construction, which is typically heavy and difficult to use in urban contexts.

Instead of thick structural walls, they offer a thin 7–10 mm surface layer that replicates the layered appearance of rammed earth.

This makes it a lightweight, customizable, and more accessible solution for contemporary construction.

Projects

Clayworks is used in hospitality, retail, restaurants, commercial and residential projects.

Across these spaces, their clay finishes create warm, tactile environments,
strengthen material identity, and improve indoor comfort.

Retail

Designed in-house and supported by sustainability, interior, and built environment specialists, the COS Flagship store in Mexico combines the country’s rich artisanal craft traditions with more sustainable design.⁠ Their rustic interior and exterior finishes draw inspiration from Mexico’s golden cornfields, adding depth, texture, and a strong sense of place.⁠

Commercial Projects

On’s London office uses Clayworks’ rammed earth clay plaster to create a strong, natural material presence within the space.

The hand-applied finish forms a sculptural staircase and layered surfaces inspired by local geology, enhancing both texture and atmosphere.

Sources:

clayworks

Clayworks are bringing plaster back to the fore | House & Garden

March 30, 2026March 31, 2026

TERRA

The Master

The European Master in Earthen Architecture and Construction (TERRA) is a unique programme dedicated to advancing knowledge and professional practice in earthen architecture and construction. Its first edition will take place in the 2026/2027 academic year as a funded Erasmus Mundus Joint Master.

TERRA is a one-year, full-time programme (60 ECTS) awarding a double Master’s degree, jointly delivered by the University of Minho (Portugal), the Technical University of Valencia (Spain), the Graduate School of Civil, Environmental and Urban Engineering from the National School of Public Works (France), and the University of Florence (Italy). The programme is held on a rotating basis among partners. Students complete their coursework at one university and develop their dissertation at another. The language of instruction and examination is English. The curriculum is structured around five core areas:

Earthen Architecture and Building Culture
Earthen Materials
Functional Design and Sustainability
Structural Analysis and Design
Conservation of Earthen Buildings

Through an excellence-driven academic and research environment, students will develop a comprehensive and interdisciplinary skill set to address the complex challenges of earthen architecture and construction. Graduates will be equipped to stand out in a construction sector increasingly focused on sustainable solutions and in a rehabilitation market that demands specialised technical expertise.

Objectives

The TERRA is a highly specialised Master programme designed to educate a new generation of professionals capable of leading the transition towards sustainable construction practices. Graduates will be prepared to develop innovative earthen construction solutions, analyse the structural and environmental performance of earthen buildings, and implement conservation strategies for the rehabilitation of earthen architectural heritage.

The programme fosters a truly integrated approach between Architecture and Civil Engineering, grounded in a robust scientific foundation and aligned with the current global challenges in the construction sector. In addition to professional practice, graduates will be well prepared to pursue advanced research or doctoral studies in the field of Earthen Architecture and Construction.

Partners

Full Partners

The TERRA consortium brings together four leading higher education institutions of excellence, jointly awarding a double Master’s degree to its students.

University of Minho Guimarães, Portugal (Coordinator)

Technical University of Valencia Valencia, Spain

Graduate School of Civil, Environmental and Urban Engineering Lyon, France

University of Florence Florence, Italy

Associated Partners

The TERRA Master’s programme is supported by a broad network of Associated Partners worldwide (up to 39 until now), including higher education institutions, research and development institutes, industry partners, associations and non-governmental organizations. The Associated Partners play a relevant role in Master’s activities by:

Delivering lectures and seminars
Co-supervising dissertations and hosting students during the dissertation period
Contributing to the development of course materials
Supporting graduates’ employability prospects

Programme Structure

The TERRA Master integrates the expertise of four leading European Higher Education Institutions in areas related to Earthen Architecture and Construction: the University of Minho (Portugal), the Technical University of Valencia (Spain), the Graduate School of Civil, Environmental and Urban Engineering at the National School of Public Works (France), and the University of Florence (Italy). Together, these partners deliver a high-level education programme founded on academic excellence and strong interdisciplinary collaboration.

Students engage with specialists from the complementary fields of Architecture and Civil Engineering through six coursework units (1st semester), hosted by two partner universities per edition on a rotating basis. The Master’s dissertation is completed during the 2nd semester and may be hosted at any of the four partner institutions. Students are required to complete their coursework and dissertation at different locations.

The mobility track is based on students’ preferences while ensuring an adequate balance among partner institutions and observing specific eligibility criteria. The curriculum remains identical across all mobility tracks, ensuring academic consistency and equivalence of learning outcomes

The programme also includes an Integration Week where all students will meet together at a partner institution not hosting coursework in that edition. Furthermore, a TERRA workshop series will be launched following the first edition to promote networking and collaboration among students, alumni, lecturers, researchers and professionals in the field.

The TERRA mobility scheme follows a two-edition cycle, with the full rotation (including the Integration Week), achieved after four editions, enabling students to visit up to three partner institutions during their studies. The table below summarises the full mobility cycle, including coursework, dissertation, Integration Week and TERRA Workshop.

TERRA is a one-year, full-time programme. The study plan comprises seven course units:

five sequential units and one project-based learning unit delivered during the 1st semester (September to February), each worth 5 ECTS (i.e. 45 hours of lectures and 95 hours of independent student work)
one dissertation conducted during the 2nd semester (March to July), worth 30 ECTS (i.e. 15 hours of supervision and 825 hours of independent research work).

The curriculum is identical for all students, regardless of their mobility track. Attendance in all seven course units is mandatory, requiring students’ physical presence in the classroom.

Unit 1 (5 ECTS): Earthen Architecture and Building Culture

Unit 2 (5 ECTS): Earthen Materials

Unit 3 (5 ECTS): Functional Design and Sustainability

Unit 4 (5 ECTS): Structural Analysis and Design

Unit 5 (5 ECTS): Conservation of Earthen Buildings

Unit 6 (5 ECTS): Integrated Project on Earthen Construction

Unit 7 (30 ECTS): Dissertation

Professional Perspectives

TERRA graduates will emerge as highly skilled professionals equipped to address the growing global demand for sustainable, resilient and culturally grounded construction solutions. The programme offers a comprehensive and interdisciplinary education, combining engineering, architecture, materials science, conservation and sustainability. This broad foundation enables graduates to work across the full spectrum of the construction sector, from designing new earthen buildings to conserving architectural heritage and developing sustainable materials and technologies.

For Application details, check the website.

March 30, 2026March 31, 2026

BC Materials

BC Materials is a Belgian company that develops, produces, demonstrates, and sells earthen building materials. Founded as a workers co-operative and spin-off of BC Architects (Brussels Corporation) in 2018, BC Materials’ goal is to facilitate the replacement of contemporary, standard building materials with earth-based alternatives in European construction. The firm was the “brainchild” of Ken De Cooman, Nicolas Coechelberghs, Laurens Bekemans, and Wes Degreef.

Roughly 60% of earth excavated in construction is wasted due to storage and transportation challenges. To combat this, BC Materials has pioneered a “circular” method of construction with earthen materials that uses urban mineral waste from construction sites and repurposes the excavated earth to make rammed earth structures, compressed earth blocks, and earth plasters/paints. The process of making these products using recycled earth is carbon-neutral, meaning BC Materials’ products are much better for the environment than the aforementioned contemporary alternative building materials.

Rammed earth building, BC Materials was consulted during construction. Image by BC Materials

According to their website, BC Materials is involved in 5 primary activities:

Developing materials and consulting construction partners on their use.
Making bespoke materials.
Designing and prefabricating objects and constructive systems.
Training contractors and craftsmen.
Producing and commercializing a brand of standard circular materials called Léém.

Léém is BC Materials premier product line that attempts to make earthen materials more accessible to both architects and builders. Offering Léém clay plasters and paints, Léém earth block masonry, and Léém rammed earth mixes and tools, BC Materials are working to transform the availability and convenience of circular earthen building materials for use in every-day construction.