For millennia men proved that they could live in a sustainable way. They lived in harmony with nature. They made use of it, yet respected it. People used earth as a raw material with sensitivity. The "modern" fashion of the 20th century created a break with the millennia old developments. Our Mother Earth has been spoilt and abused. The 21st century should find again the harmonious link between man, nature and spirit.
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At the dawn of this new millennium, our Mother Earth gave us two challenges:
- How to build with earth on a large scale, while respecting Nature?
- How to realize architecture full of light, suppleness, simplicity, imagination and beauty with a heavy and formless mud?
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• 40 % of the world population lives in earthen dwellings |
• 17 % of the “world cultural heritage sites” is built with earth |
• 25 % of the world population does not have access to decent housing | • 25 % of the “world heritage sites in danger” is built with earth |
• 14 % of the “hundred most endangered world heritage sites” is built with earth | |
(Statistics from UNCHS) |
(Statistics from UNESCO) |
This informational section of the AVEI website aims to bringing awareness about earth architecture and technologies, covering worldwide examples from past and present.