Ampersand Learning Center, Cerillos, New Mexico, USA

“In a quality life, the sense of fulfilment comes from connection. Look to your rain, look to your land, look to the magical seasons of this earth. Listen to the wind, dance in the mud, then plaster your house with it ... living intimately and comfortably with the basic elements brings a deep sense of … Continue reading Ampersand Learning Center, Cerillos, New Mexico, USA

Thom Wheeler’s Adobe Studio and House, Taos, New Mexico, USA

It takes a while to absorb and understand the scale of Thom’s adobe house and studio in Taos, New Mexico. If at first glance from the outside it looks like an ancient castle, with its large tall entrance ways and wooden beams, then stepping inside is like entering the great hall. The high ceilings, giant … Continue reading Thom Wheeler’s Adobe Studio and House, Taos, New Mexico, USA

Lama Foundation, San Cristobal, New Mexico, USA

Dancing on a wooden floor in an adobe dome built the 1960s was not really how I had envisaged my visit to the Lama Foundation . Yet this collective moment of fun somehow helped connect me to this community in a way I had not expected.   Open day dance inside the dome (built 1968) … Continue reading Lama Foundation, San Cristobal, New Mexico, USA

It’s the people who make eco-houses wonderful

The more eco-houses I visit and the more people ask me which were the best houses and which makes inspired me most, the more I realise it is the people who inspire me, not the houses. It is the way people have approached a build, navigated the problems, had the confidence and passion to try … Continue reading It’s the people who make eco-houses wonderful

Los Angeles Eco-Village, California, USA

Centrally located between downtown LA and Hollywood, just behind one of the main road arteries of the city is Los Angeles Eco-Village. An oasis of calm and greenery the two blocks of 1920’s apartment buildings have been bought and converted by the group. Established in 1996 it is a long running and permanent fixture which … Continue reading Los Angeles Eco-Village, California, USA