We must design our homes and communities in NEW ways -- ways that do not exhaust the resources of the earth, lead to alienation, create great disparity between the rich and the poor, and destroy the planet through global warming. This site is simply a listing of resources that may help in this quest.

My Chinese friend, Jin Fei Bao, lives in a small lovely apartment (seven-story walk-up) in a huge complex in downtown Kunming. He's dreaming of the day he can move to a luxury condominium, now under construction, to the north of Kunming. In Confessions of a Country Architect Don Metz consults a client: "... the Greenest approach to building is not to build at all -- or most ironically of all, to live in a city .... (with) public transportation, multi-family housing -- schools and shopping within walking distance.

A House Recycler: This surprising YouTube video is about helping people achieve their dreams. Dan Phillips may have a revolutionary idea on his hands. He wants to help low-income workers realize the American dream. Philips helps the working poor build their own small-scale houses. He requires the future owners to get their hands dirty. And he keeps costs down by using garbage. That’s right, these are houses made from garbage. Philips realized tons of perfectly good building materials were being thrown away. They may be defective or ugly materials. But with a little work, they can be structurally sound. And in the end, these homes are unique and amazing. Check it out:
http://videos.komando.com/2009/02/07/

Some inspirational simple designs

My Ideal House

"Affordable by Design" (good ideas; good resources) from (enviro-link.org)

The E .F. Schumacher Society

Earth Healing: Fifty Possible Ways to Challenge Over-Commercialism

National Affordable Housing Network

Habitat For Humanity and other Useful Links

Open Architecture Network

A High-Performance House Plan for Cold Climates

Octa-Structure (commercial site) -- I have an affinity for hexagonal and octagonal designs.

The Small House Society