BUILDING WITH THE BREATH OF LIFE

Throughout history, cultures have acknowledged the existence of a subtle life-force energy, or chi, underlying and connecting all material existence. The universe of chi is both new and timelessly ancient. It is a vision of the energy—rather than material—basis of all Creation, of the intimate interconnectedness of all life.

Some manifestations of this energy, as seen in cities all over the world, serve to illustrate the concepts and make us aware of the emotions that urban settings can evoke.

IRISH STONE WALLS

The Irish countryside is a patchwork of over 250,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) of stone walls. Built from local stone according to the style of each region, these walls are an intrinsic part of the landscape. Patrick McAfee, a consultant and expert stonemason, reveals the history of this ancient tradition and gives illustrated examples of the care and restoration of stone walls of all types.

MOCKBEE SOUTHERN GENIUS

Earlier this summer, Alabama architect Samuel Mockbee picked up the phone and found out he was a genius. Not just a genius, mind you. But one of only three in the entire profession.

INSPIRED BY GAUDI, BUILT BY HAND

Sitting in Beth and Will Hathaway's family room in Portland, Oregon, I'm amazed that there's more than a hundred tons of concrete and dirt hanging over my head. The south-facing room, the focal point of the house, is bathed in light. So much daylight filters through four floor-to-curved-ceiling windows and two skylight domes, that I can comfortably pour over a puzzling array of structural contours on a blueprint even though no electric lamps are lit and it's drizzling outside.

DIRT-CHEAP HOUSES FROM ELEMENTAL MATERIALS

Every day, a growing number of apprentice home builders travel deep into the California desert for a chance to commune with Nader Khalili, an architect who is single-handedly trying to wean the world off of two-by-fours, steel, and concrete.

"We send our children into the world with the notion that a house must have a pitched roof, a square window and a chimney," Khalili says. "How can they ever imagine they can build something beautiful out of dirt?"

A MODERN HOUSE STEEPED IN MEXICAN TRADITION

We have just experienced one of our greatest joys as architects: designing and building a second home for ourselves in Mexico. Our goal was to create a house that would be strong, embracing yet transparent, and layered in color, form, and emotion: completely modern yet saturated with Mexican traditions.