From a bamboo gym in Bali to a house made from earth in Wiltshire, these projects show the beauty in sustainable design
With construction accounting for more than a third of global emissions, sustainable architecture is central to the world meeting its climate targets. The following five creations from around the world exemplify how “green” buildings can also be beautiful.
In Tocantins, central Brazil, the Canuanã school is a boarding school whose pupils come from remote farming communities across the region. In 2017, architects gave the school’s 540 boarders two new “villages” of dormitories, one for girls and one for boys.
The buildings are made from locally sourced timber and earth bricks. A vast canopy shades the complex, and perforated brick walls let air pass through, so the bedrooms stay comfortable without air conditioning even when temperatures reach 45C. Under the roof, rooms open on to shady, landscaped courtyards and airy verandas.
David Mikhail, the co-founder of Mikhail Riches, a UK practice specialising in sustainable design, says: “It is absolutely fantastic. So beautiful. It does a lot with little resource, which is the essence of a sustainable approach.” He adds: “I love the economy of it, and the huge sense of place they managed to evoke through such elegant and limited means.”
