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: Note that Formwork is not Necessary For Constructing a Stable Roof out of Adobe
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.
Simplified Nubian Vault Construction
For more information on the history of the Nubian Vault, and its revival as a contemporary architectural strategy in earthen construction:
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.
Previous Research Projects
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
Lola Ben-Alonis 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.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
TECLA House, designed by MCA and engineered by WASP.
The TECLA House is a collaboration between Mario Cucinella Architects (MCA) and World’s Advanced Saving Project (WASP). The name “TECLA” is a portmanteau of “technology” and “clay,” and references Italo Calvino’s Invisible Cities, specifically the fictional city of Thekla, were construction never ceases.
Massimo Moretti, WASP founder.Mario Cucinella, MCA founder.
The materials used in the TECLA House include local clay and soil, water, rice husks, and a binder (which constitutes less than 5% of the total mixture). This makes it a true “0km building,” meaning the materials are sourced directly from the site on which the dwelling is built. WASP, an Italian 3D printing firm, brought their technological expertise to the project. Founded in 2012 by Massimo Moretti, WASP unveiled Crane WASP, their flagship 3D printer, in 2018. Mario Cucinella, the principal architect on this project, designed a morphology inspired by the potter wasp and based on the research of the School of Sustainability (SOS), Cucinella’s post-graduate school.
Sketch for the TECLA House by Mario Cucinella.
Interior view of the TECLA House.
TECLA was built with 350 layers of 3D printed earth. The configuration of the walls was dictated by the humidity and temperature of the climate, and SOS made several infill case studies optimized for different geographical locations.
Detail of the TECLA printing process.Diagram of the infill configuration of TECLA.
Crane WASP imagined as a modular system of infinite extent.
The TECLA House is the first dwelling built using multiple 3D printers working simultaneously and collaboratively. This project was the proof of concept for the Crane WASP. WASP claims that Crane WASP is an infinite 3D printer, whose print area of 50 square meters can be extended in a modular fashion to cover a printing area of arbitrary size.
The two Italian firms built their prototypical TECLA house in Massa Lombarda, Italy, but the idea is that the house can be reproduced anywhere. WASP advertises their “Maker Economy Starter Kit,” which can be purchased online and fits inside a single shipping container. TECLA can be reproduced in “200 hours of printing, […] 150 km of extrusion, 60 cubic meters of natural materials for an average consumption of less than 6 kW.” Interested parties can also purchase an entire Crane WASP rig for €160,000.
Open Thesis Fabrication is a six-month applied research program for postgraduates at the Institute for advanced architecture of Catalonia.
The program focus is on combining additive manufacturing with construction technology to create sustainable architecture with key areas of research in robotic manufacturing, material research, and performance-based design.
The program works with non-governmental organizations to develop designs for use in African humanitarian contexts and is comprised of architects, engineers, designers, and professionals with previous knowledge of digital fabrication and computational design.
It’s learning objectives are for program participants to:
Gain experience in large-scale 3D printing
Develop skills in digital fabrication, computational design, and material research
Learn to provide architectural solutions considering various aspects of construction
This is achieved through the implementation of three phases, Exploration, Prototype Design Charettes, and Prototype Construction.
Image Source: OTF Booklet
Examples of projects that have been completed include:
Digital Adobe – A 2-meter wide and 5-meter-high printed clay wall [2017-2018]
Terraperforma – A façade design of parametrically constructed modules optimized for solar radiation, wind behavior, and structural 3D printing [2016-2017]
Digital Urban Orchard – A wooden pavilion made with digital and robotic fabrication divided into a wooden structure, aquaponic system, and silicon skin designed to capture the ideal solar radiation for winter and summer.
Minibuilders – a family of small-scale construction robots that are capable of constructing objects larger than itself in order to address the limitation found in additive manufacturing that often constrains the proportions of fabricated objects to the size of the machine.
The Daw’an Mud Brick Architecture Foundation is a private independent organization, financially autonomous and accountable, registered at the Office of Ministry of Industry and Commerce, Hadramut Branch with goal to:
Set up, operate and manage Architectural Projects including design, infrastructure and urban planning for the rehabilitation of towns and villages, individual sites and buildings
Carry out Architectural Surveys and documentation; prepare drawings and reports for existing buildings/ sites identified for rehabilitation or restoration and establish their renewal requirements
Provide specifications and costing for projects based on the above enlisting the expertise and services of Master Builders and craftsmen
Design of new projects including public and private buildings and extensions, based on sensitive, challenging architectural concepts and use of building materials
Advise on new projects, design and planning initiatives, taking into account area conservation and rehabilitation legislation building codes and regulations
Prioritise agricultural development areas, water and spate irrigation and flooding schemes, and assist with setting up organic farming projects
Assist with organic and industrial waste management
Publish and disseminate work in progress through Seminars, Conferences and Workshops and liaise with regional and international universities, academics, and professional experts
Building Local is a design-build studio that will explore and discuss the aesthetic, assembly and tectonic qualities of local materials: earth, stone, fique, bamboo and wood, engaging students in a series of workshops that will culminate in the design and construction of an efficient and innovative farmhouse. The studio will take place in Barichara, a colonial town located in the North Western region of Colombia. It is open to graduate and upper-level undergraduate students (juniors and seniors) who are interested in engaging in the explorations of these techniques and their use in contemporary architecture.
Maria Carrizosa, a licensed architect in Colombia and holds an undegraduate degree in architecture from Universidad de Los Andes and a dual Master’s degree in Architecture, and City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley. Her design practice in Colombia ranges from institutional to housing projects, developing two award-winning projects for a public library and a music school in rural communities. She has been involved in architectural education in both Colombia and the US and continues her participation as a guest juror in the College of Environmental Design and as an Adjunct Professor at the Diablo Valley Community College. Maria is interested in collaborative practices in both architecture and planning to provide communities with the necessary tools to improve and shape the spaces they live in.
Ana Maria Gutierrez, the co-founder of Organizmo, an organization that promotes the principles of permaculture, bio-architecture and the implementation of intuitive technologies. She holds a BFA in Architectural Design from the Parsons School of Design and Master in Interactive Telecomunication ITP from New York University.
Adriana Navarro, who holds a dual Master’s degree in Architecture, and City and Regional Planning from the University of California at Berkeley. Born and raised in Colombia (S.A), she received a BS Arch (Honors) from the University of Virginia in 2004. After working for Rafael Viñoly Architects, and OPX Global in Washington DC, Adriana moved to California to begin her graduate studies in 2007. As a 2010 John K. Branner Fellow, Adriana traveled the world, focusing her research, FAVELA CHIC, on socio-cultural aspects of design, particularly analyzing the role and relationship between architecture, planning and urban informality. Adriana is founder of the blog FAVELissues.
The Terra [In]cognita (Earthen architecture in Europe) project was created to raise public awareness of the heritage and contemporary application of earthen architecture through the Outstanding Earth Architecture in Europe Award in the following categories:
Buildings with archaeological, historical or architectural interest
Buildings s subjects of a remarkable and relevant intervention (restoration, rehabilitation or extension)
