Customer Reviews

The adobe story: A global treasure

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- Adobe has been used throughout the world for centuries. Why then is it no longer favored in the borderlands? Perhaps we've taken this "global treasure" for granted, or worse, thought it too old-fashioned for the present century. This book is an excellent introduction to material of adobe itself and the cultures of people who used adobe to create shelter. This is a book with practical sensibilities; after all, it was funded in part by the United States Agency for International Development.

The author leads you through Adobe's history, advantages, varieties and mythology. Photographs from around the world illustrate Adobe buildings from ancient times to today's current structures. Often associated with luxury homes, Adobe houses come in all price ranges.

Well-organized, the book guides you on a tour of a dozen New Mexico famous buildings such as Taos Pueblo. It takes you to Peru, Bolivia and the middle East to examine Adobe's place in a variety of cultures. Personally photographed by the author, the many photos illustrate the versatility in its use, design and complexity.

The task of housing this planet's six billion people is a growing problem. One solution is using the dirt beneath our feet as material. Adobe is baked by the sun, requires unskilled labor and last for centuries. Half of the homes on Earth are built of earth ... more than any other material. The book is interesting to read and increases awareness of this often overlooked solution to World housing.

An unusual approach to explore the roots of simple earthen architecture. The similarities found in many parts of the world are clearly illustrated with photos. It offers solutions for ecologically sensitive housing that is available to all.