Category: RESOURCES

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EARTHWORKS: International Summer School

EARTH WORKS: International Summer School will take place September 1st – 18th, 2010 in Gmunden, Upper Austria. Instructed by Martin Rauch and Anna Heringer, the aim of the summer program is to acquire intensive hands-on experience and to gain application-oriented knowledge in buiding with earth to associate this timeless material to innovative architecture. The central focus in to obtain practical experience and to learn by doing.

The program is jointly organized by BASEhabitat, the Technical University Munich , CRATerre-ENSAG and the UIA. Closing date for application: 28th of June 2010. For further information and online-application, please visit www.basehabitat.ufg.ac.at

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Handmade Houses & Other Buildings: The World of Vernacular Architecture

Vernacular architecture, by its very nature, is built from local materials that are readily to hand and is thus defined by the geology and ecology of the region and by local climatic conditions. Constructed by the community using traditional tools, these structures are highly practical, energy-efficient, and blend with the landscape. They carry many of the attributes that we are now seeking in green architecture as we struggle to adapt our built environment to the demands and concerns of the climate-change era. Handmade Houses & Other Buildings: The World of Vernacular Architecture looks at everyday structures all over the world, from whatever wood, grass, earth or stone that was to hand, in ways that offered practical solutions to the challenges of climate or terrain. Based on immemorial principles, but highly relevant to our newly found environmental concerns, these buildings show the simple and satisfying ways in which humans have worked out how to live and live well, in harmony with their surroundings.

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Bio-Engineered Sand Brick

The winner of the 2010 Metropolis Next Generation Design Competition proposes a radical alternative to the common brick: don’t bake the brick; grow it. In a lab at the American University of Sharjah, in the United Arab Emirates, Ginger Krieg Dosier, an assistant architecture professor, sprouts building blocks from sand, common bacteria, calcium chloride, and urea (yes, the stuff in your pee). The process, known as microbial-induced calcite precipitation, or MICP, uses the microbes on sand to bind the grains together like glue with a chain of chemical reactions. The resulting mass resembles sandstone but, depending on how it’s made, can reproduce the strength of fired-clay brick or even marble. If Dosier’s biomanufactured masonry replaced each new brick on the planet, it would reduce carbon-dioxide emissions by at least 800 million tons a year. “We’re running out of all of our energy sources,” she said in March in a phone interview from the United Arab Emirates. “Four hundred trees are burned to make 25,000 bricks. It’s a consumption issue, and honestly, it’s starting to scare me.” Read more…

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Trois Séminaires Thématiques Autour de l’Architecture de Terre

Grands Ateliers, Villefontaine, Isère: 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22 mai 2010. Trois séminaires thématiques autour de l’architecture de terre organisés par Le laboratoire CRAterre – ENSAG Dans le cadre du 8e festival des architectures de terre “Grains d’Isère 2010” et de la Chaire Unesco Architectures de terre, cultures constructives et développement durable.

1- Sciences de la matière et du matériau (17 et 18 mai 2010)
* Comportement du matériau terre saturé d’eau à l’état de pâte (17 mai 2010)
* Comportement thermique et hygrométrique du matériau et des constructions en terre (18 mai 2010)
2- Patrimoine et développement local – Défis et opportunités de la conservation du patrimoine pour le développement (19 et 20 mai 2010)
3- Cultures constructives locales et amélioration de l’habitat (21 et 22 mai 2010)

Ces 3 séminaires auront lieu aux Grands Ateliers à Villefontaine (www.lesgrandsateliers.fr) et s’inscrivent dans la perspective de la concrétisation de la “Cité de la Construction Durable”. Ils s’articulent autour de présentations, suivies de discussions et de travaux de synthèse. Présentations, programmes détaillés et fiche d’inscription ci-joints. informations : craterre@grenoble.archi.fr / 04 76 69 83 35

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9th International Earth Architecture Photography Competition

The Centro di Documentazione sulle Case di Terra is hosting the 9th International Earth Architecture Photography Competition with the theme “Le case di terra paesaggio di architettura”.

CALENDAR:
Entry deadline: 30/06/2010
Judges meeting: 07/08/2010
Announcement of results: 31/08/2010 on the Internet page: www.casediterra.it
Works exhibition: dal/from 18/09/2010 al/to 30/09/2010 presso il / in the CED Terra Casalincontrada
Opening: 18/09/2010
Prize-giving: 18/09/2010

JURY:
President of jury:
Mr Maurizio Morandi – University of Firenze

Jury
Mrs Concetta Di Luzio – Mayor of Casalincontrada
Mrs Stefania Giardinelli – Terrae onlus Association
Mrs Gaia Bollini – Città della terra cruda National Association
Mr Gianni Ortolano – Member of Fotoclub Chieti

TEMPORARY JUDGES:
Mr Gabriele Esposito – Associazione Terrae onlus
Mrs Caterina Buccione – Associazione Terrae onlus

PRIZES: FIXED SUBJECT: “RAW EARTH ARCHITECTURAL STRUCTURES” One single section: B/W and Colour
1° Classificato/1st prize winner: Euro 515,00
2° Classificato/2nd prize winner: Euro 260,00
3° Classificato/3rd prize winner: Euro 130,00
To the five outstanding photographs: a book on earthen architecture

SPECIAL PRIZES
– To the best photograph on new earthen architectural structures;
– To the best photograph on earthen architectural structures in the Abruzzo Region;
– To the best photo of earthen architecture in Italy;
– To the best photo of earthen architecture in the world;
– Special prizes for schools.

PRESENTATION
The 9th International Photo Competition on “Earthen architectures: landscapes of architectures” is an initiative of the Municipality of Casalincontrada, in the Italian province of Chieti and the Documentation Centre on Earth Architectures, Terrae onlus Association The “rediscovery” of the knowledge linked to earthen architecture recomposed in images, like tiles of a mosaic made of people, things, material and places. Images that could be interpreted as “surviving structures” or “new scenarios”, as well as architectures of the territory, memories and situations.

For more information visit the competition website.

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Terres, d’Afrique et d’Ailleurs

The 2nd Pan African Cultural Festival in Algiers, Algeria includes an exhibit and symposium entitled Terres, d’Afrique et d’Ailleurs, sponsored by the Algerian Ministry of culture and curated by architect Yasmine Terkhi, which facilitated the participation of 19 artisans from 5 countries (Burkina Faso, Nigeria, Niger, Ghana, Nigeria, Algeria) who prepared wall panels in earth using indigenous techniques and motifs from the communities they represented. Invited speakers to the symposium include Ronald Rael, Hubert Gillaud, Hugo Houben, Salma Damluji, Marcello Cortes, Laetitia Fontaine and many other internationally renowned experts in the field of earth architecture.

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Vote For Earth

Abari has entered the Dell Social Innovation Competition, which operates like a business-plan competition, awarding seed funding directly to the student-led venture that best meets the judges’ criteria. Vote for their project, which seeks establish a center to design and build/prefabricate houses, schools, toilets, furniture etc. out of bamboo and earth. The center will promote traditional (and dying) construction skills by mobilizing community members and appropriating locally available materials like bamboo and earth to build modern ecological, economical and beautiful infrastructure for individuals or communities.

Registration is easy and takes 20 seconds. Vote!

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X Seminario Iberoamericano de Arquitectura y Construcción con Tierra

X Seminario Iberoamericano de Arquitectura y Construcción con Tierra Salto (Uruguay) del 8 al 13 de noviembre de 2010. Tematicas del seminario: Diseño contemporáneo de las arquitecturas de tierra, innovaciones en los componentes constructivos, capacitación y transferencia de las tecnologías y arquitectura de tierra en el contexto del desarrollo sostenible. Auquellos interesados en presentar un trabajo pueden enviar un resumen extendido del articulo de ponencia y/o el resumen de un póster gráfico, hasta el día 14 de mayo de 2010. Todos los resúmenes serán evaluados por la Comisión Científica. Más información del programa, cronograma, actividades e instructivos para la presentación de ponencias en www.siacoturuguay.blogspot.com

Organizan: Universidad de la República (UDELAR) – Regional Norte, Sede Salto (UDELAR)
Auspicia: PROTERRA
Apoyo institucional: Universidad Tecnológica Nacional (UTN – Argentina)
Adhieren: Centro Universitario de la Regional Este (CURE – UDELAR) – Fronterra – Celebratierra – Embajada de México en Uruguay – Intendencia de la Ciudad de Salto

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research.terra

research.terra is a multi-language website intended to serve as a tool for the community of both researchers and others interested in the subject of earth construction. It will allow one to follow the research work that has been, or is being carried out, all over the world. The main goal is to create a database that will be updated regularly, containing some basic information regarding the research, such as the title and the direct link for the work (if available online).