Copyright © 2025 Motivate Media Group. All rights reserved.
Jean Dethier reveals some of the raw earth masterpieces scattered across five continents.
by Jean Dethier
Thames & Hudson
Mankind has built palaces, temples, forts and cities with raw (unbaked) earth for almost 10,000 years. The various types of raw earth construction (including adobe and rammed earth, cob, wattle and daub) require neither industrial transformation nor high-energy consumption and do not produce CO2. Combining archaeology and history, culture and technology, The Art of Earth Architecture is part cultural revelation and part ecological manifesto, proposing an alternative to current construction methods and a substitute for cement and concrete. Surveyed are 450 raw earth masterpieces and many UNESCO World Heritage sites from 75 countries. Included are the temples and palaces of Mesopotamia and Egypt, the Great Wall of China and the Alhambra in Spain, as well as historical cities such as Shibam in Yemen, Djenné in Mali and Marrakesh. Also featured is contemporary work of pioneers such as Cointeraux, Fathy, Frank Lloyd Wright, Le Corbusier, Heringer, Rauch and Kéré, as well as Pritzker Prize laureates Wang Shu, Foster and Piano. Their eco-avant-garde achievements span luxury villas, social housing and public buildings. These inspiring works are now fuelling a cultural, ethical and ecological low-tech revolution. The book concludes with essays which argue that raw earth construction can help fight against climate deregulation. Hence, it’s a must-read.
SETE Interiors has completed a curated home at Nikki Beach Residences on Pearl Jumeirah island in Dubai
This ceiling-mounted shower system transforms daily routines into wellness rituals.
Asaan, the Misk Heritage Museum Designed by Zaha Hadid Architects Breaks Ground in Diriyah
From tech-forward co-living spaces to wellness-centric work hubs, here’s how Gen Z’s values of flexibility, sustainability and authenticity are reshaping the built environment
Lobo & Listone introduces Stilart Wall panels to the UAE
Studio 971 brings Glas Italia’s visionary glass designs to the UAE
A Waterfront Community Where Architecture, Nature, and Mindful Living Converge
identity hosts a panel with GLAZE Granite and Marble on how surfaces shape story, function and identity in design
We step inside the Forever Rose Café as the 2D café concept gears up for expansion
Designed by TAEP/AAP, this home in Abdullah Al-Salem, Kuwait emerges as a refined architectural response to its surroundings
Agata Kurzela Studio completes an F1 lounge that blends Emirati hospitality and contemporary design, set against the high-octane drama of Formula 1 in Abu Dhabi
Saccal Design House completes two distinct wellness projects in Kuwait