By Turquoise Mountain
Afghanistan
Earth Architecture
Earth is the oldest building material in the world. Even today, half of the world’s population lives or works in structures made of earth. Building with earth remains popular among Afghanistan’s large rural population. In urban areas such as Kabul, however, earth architecture is increasingly replaced by concrete and steel.
Construction site (2017) by Turquoise MountainTurquoise Mountain
Among the many misconceptions about earth construction is that the buildings are unsanitary, fragile and difficult to maintain. In fact, they can be extremely sophisticated and well suited to contemporary design. Such buildings are also structurally stable and can be good heat regulators, staying cool in summer and warm in winter.
Construction workers posing at Nabi Jan's house during its restoration work (2017) by Turquoise MountainTurquoise Mountain
Earth construction is also highly sustainable. Buildings constructed in earth tend to use local and naturally sourced materials minimising impact on the environment.
Engineering team (2009) by Turquoise MountainTurquoise Mountain
Construction in earth also offers an excellent opportunity for employment. The building method is labour intensive but the materials are cheap and the skills relatively easy to learn. Earth construction has the potential to create large-scale employment.
