Natural building systems: experiments in urban ecology

Natural building and alternative material use have evolved gradually in the United States over the past 40 years, mostly in rural situations, often outside what Ann Cline calls the “Circle of Architecture”. With few exceptions, such as Portland, Oregon and Madison, Wisconsin, urban natural building has not taken a strong hold. The Rural Studio of the late Samuel Mockbee represents the quintessential design/build pedagogy for the socially conscious architecture curriculum in a rural setting. This paper describes the convergence of natural building, design/build pedagogy, and the support of an emerging culture of urban ecology in Buffalo, New York, by chronicling student work at the University at Buffalo. The design/build seminar course, Natural Building Systems, explores a range of alternative building materials and, through service to existing non-profit groups practicing urban agriculture, employs these materials in a participatory design/build process.