Straw Bale Construction: The Ultra-Ecological House
Although this ancient building material has grown in popularity since its "revival" in the 1970s, it hasn't quite gone mainstream, despite an avid following. Could this be the straw bale's big moment?
Dear Friends,
Humans have been creating straw-built shelters for a very long time — dating to the Paleolithic era, in fact. Yet straw is not usually the first material that comes to mind for modern homes and buildings, even though it’s proven to be fire-resistant, hurricane-proof, and it appears to offer sustainable answers to some of our most pressing environmental challenges.
As the American West finds itself mired in a longer and earlier fire season each summer, perhaps it’s time to ask: Has the humble straw bale’s moment finally come? Find out in this week's feature story, "Straw Bale Construction: The Ultra-Ecological House," written by Mea McNeil. (And if you’re interested in building your own straw-bale structure, you’ll find a list of helpful resources in the sidebar.)
You can also listen to the audio version of this story on our site, or on popular streaming services such as Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Google Podcasts.
Our Summer issue on “The Craft of Resilience” will continue through late July. Each Friday, we release a feature story, short article, mini-documentary, or podcast related to some aspect of our theme. We also try to offer a few stories on other topics each quarter so that there's something for everyone — currently free of charge, and always free of ads. So please, stay tuned.
In the meantime, I hope you'll always find something intriguing to read — or watch, or listen to — within our pages. We welcome your thoughts via email, as well as on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter. Thank you for reading and sharing our stories, for donating to our cause when you can, and for being such a loyal part of the Craftsmanship community.
Sincerely,
Todd Oppenheimer
Editor & Publisher, Craftsmanship Quarterly
Summer 2022: The Craft of Resilience
Given our mounting travails these days (climate chaos, ongoing pandemic, worsening summer wildfires, among others), we're focusing this summer on pioneers who are rising to these challenges. From indigenous people in Mexico who reclaimed their ancestral lands from eco-terrorists, to a highly developed community in Italy that holistically treats addiction, you will meet artisans and innovators who are creating unique paths to help people thrive in our fast-changing world. By mixing ingenuity, tenacity, and hope, these brave souls highlight what might be called the craft of resilience.