In the desert of New Mexico, Mike Reynolds of the Earthship Biotecture Academy in Taos is spinning a new story around sustainable architecture. He is building what he calls “Earthships”, residential designs built out of adobe and upcycled materials such as cans, bottles, and tires. Earthship residents rely on solar panels for electricity, a greenhouse full of herbs and edible plants to supplement their food supply, and a cistern to collect rainwater for bathing and drinking. This is the cutting edge of architecture and something that we do not readily come in contact with up here in the Northeast and especially NYC. But the attention to detail and adherence to mission is admirable. Pleaae take a look at Mike’s incredible vision.
Courtesy of Earthship Biotecture
Architect Mike Reynolds is a firm believer that one man’s trash is another man’s insulation. A pile of discarded tires and beer cans inspired Reynolds to start building houses out of materials that most people throw away. The company that Reynolds founded—Earthship Biotecture—currently builds unique, sustainable homes around the world.
Mike Reynolds decided that the stark yet beautiful desert landscape of Taos, was the perfect place to build sustainable homes. Reynolds refers to the structures that he builds as earthships. Each earthship is built out of adobe and upcycled materials such as cans, bottles, and tires. Earthship residents rely on solar panels for electricity, a greenhouse full of herbs and edible plants to supplement their food supply, and a cistern to collect rainwater for bathing and drinking.
Each earthship has a unique design that resembles a cozy, slightly elongated 21st century hobbit hole. Numerous earthships around the globe have been converted into Airbnbs and other rental properties so that visitors can experience sustainable architecture firsthand. Visitors are often amazed that—despite a lack of heating and cooling equipment—earthships are able to maintain a steady temperature of 60-70 degrees Fahrenheit thanks to adobe walls and insulation made out of rubber tires and beer cans.