inside the works of gallo + powell…
about a year later, an article we interviewed for w/Tucson Home showed up… The timing was funny, for a lot of reasons. some which are top secret and others, like the fact I was back in town for the All Souls Procession at the time, just convenient. It’s a nice article.
read it here…
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
the back40 has been published! Recently released by Princeton Architectural Press is Ron Rael’s book, Earth Architecture. It features the back40 amoung some 47 projects from around the world that
..are exemplary of contemporary and progressive earth architecture… only designs that advance the state of earth architecture. Technological, economic, or aesthetic advancements in earthen construction that create a dialogue with industrial materials, or that explore form, texture, color, building techniques, or use earth to represent a political or social concern are present in some way in every project. …all the included projects tackle an important contemporary issue relevant to the culture of earthen architecture. ((from the introduction))
…needless to say, it’s a super honor to have our baby among the works of Murcutt, Joy, Eddie Jones, Rural Studio and others. But probably more inspiring is to see the work in the context of the greater movement around the world towards better ways. It’s a really nice book, and while we won’t get a cut, you should think about picking it up yourself! If you can’t find it at your local bookstore, you could always order it via Amazon.
a collection of shots from the days of building the back40…
Created with Admarket’s flickrSLiDR.
there was a time that we had put together a ‘construction diary’ in the ol pre-blog days of 04.. I updated it periodically with images (these are a lot of them) and words… I just came across some of those –
spring of 04
Let it be known that from here on the word ‘week’ means nothing. There are only cycles of time. The cycle described in these pictures is one focused on making stemwalls. It builds upon the previous, the footings, and one day will be the foundation for the walls of earth that enclose this humble dwelling. Everyday now we find ourselves surrounded by images and and words in bold type describing widespread de-struction: the taking apart of a culture, its buildings, and the bodies of the people who occupy them. And everyday, even away from such topics, we are engulfed in a heaving sea of other images, words and sounds that unwittingly sap our own culture, hearts and minds in pursuit of endless profit, power…whatever, simply encouraging a taking apart of another kind. And what that pursuit does not destroy, it certainly defaces, be it a desert ecosystem, a naturally beautiful face or body, or a building downtown that used to be pretty cool (viva el edificio Lerner!). Simply said, to be truly engaged in the act of construction, of building something of value for people, not markets, and to be doing so in a quiet, thoughtful way is a choice, and it is a gift… these days in particular, but really, always.
those were the early days… and not much later came the rammed earth:
1st of september
my hands are sore, there are dishes to do. turning loose earth into walls has proven tremendously taxing, and fantastically inspiring. tomorrow we do more. last week was 80 hours of labor, producing four walls. some good, some producing lessons, some great. this is my life. tomorrow we do more.
an article (our very first) published in the At Home section of the Arizona Daily Star..
forgive the ads, the site’s kind of a joke.
oh, newspapers.