For eight years we lived in and traveled through Asia and the Indian subcontinent, learning and researching about earth science and sustainable living. Now, we have settled on 15 acres in the Sierra Madre hills overlooking San Miguel de Allende in Guanajuato, Mexico to found this ecological center and to bring you this program.
The geneses of Karacadir stems from our love of travel, the need for shelter and the world of Deep Ecology as espoused by the likes of Arne Naess, Gary Snyder and James Lovelock. Karacadir embodies the spiritual simplicity and low impact construction of the original black tent of the nomad. It reflects the love of the nomadic lifestyle temporarily at rest.
The uniqueness of our black tent lies at first with it´s earthbag construction, which primarily utilizes materials from the land it is built on or reject material from the construction industry. Secondly, cobb, straw bale, and stone are employed in the interior detailing of the houses such as shelving, sleeping platforms and other permanent fixtures. Thirdly, natural renderings and unique finishes are employed in the interior and exterior.
Put grasses together and bind them
with twigs
behold a cottage!
One cut, dismantle it,
behold the original grass field.
Old Japanese Poem
*****
The design of the buildings are such that they require little or no heating or cooling during extreme temperatures. The domed roofs, vaulted ceilings and double thick walls that absorb heat during the day and release it during the night allow for a natural cooling system. Heating is maintained through passive solar energy and building placement. The style and building design of Karacadir has it´s roots in Mexican, North African, Indian, and Santa Fe architecture.
Hassan Fathy
| |||||||
