The Barefoot Architect: A Handbook for Green Building

by Johan van Lengen

A former UN worker and prominent architect, Johan van Lengen has seen firsthand the desperate need for a "greener" approach to housing in impoverished tropical climates. This comprehensive book clearly explains every aspect of this endeavor, including design (siting, orientation, climate consideration), materials (sisal, cactus, bamboo, earth), and implementation. The author emphasizes throughout the book what is inexpensive and sustainable. Included are sections discussing urban planning, small-scale energy production, cleaning and storing drinking water, and dealing with septic waste, and all information is applied to three distinct tropical regions: humid areas, temporate areas, and desert climates. Hundreds of explanatory drawings by van Lengen allow even novice builders to get started.

Genres: Architecture, Nonfiction, Construction, Design, Reference, Ebooks, Sustainability

720 pages, Paperback

Published October 28, 2007

Reviews

[Tim Sharp · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genuinely heartwarming and inspiring. The illustrations are both practical and frankly adorable, and it's stuffed with ideas on sustainable housing, energy and even civic design. Clearly this book is meant for lower socioeconomic groups, which means it has a deep focus on affordable and appropriate tech. A book anyone can learn from.

[Eddie Barrueta · Rating 3 out of 5]

El libro es muy bueno para los temas de bio-arquitectura, ya que vienen muy bien explicados los procesos constructivos y materiales naturales; Además que si no eres estudiante de arquitectura o alguien del campo , este libro te explica conceptos básicos en una manera sencilla.

[Mlak · Rating 5 out of 5]

architecture book with cute doodles? oh yeahhhhh loved it im ready to get my architects licence now

[Dom · Rating 5 out of 5]

--The Barefoot Architect, a handbook for green building, Johan Van Lengen Sheller Publications, Bolinas, California, USA.

(This book really is a must. it covers almost every aspect of alternative house building you will need, it is slightly too basic for me but is deffinately in my opinion the best book to get started with (that I've read so far!) --9/10--

[4EverStudent · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you could only have one book on a desert island, what would it be?
This one is now my choice. The information in this book is so vast and practical that I think this is a must have in any library, any home.

[Khwaja Nuzhat · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very beautiful and communicative illustrations. Makes it easier for architects who work on vernacular context.

[Ezra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excelente libro tanto para principiantes como para expertos. Particularmente recomendable para aquellos interesados por la construcción ecológica, las ecotécnias y las formas más eficientes de construir de acuerdo a los recursos de tu entorno.
Incluye desde las bases básicas de la construcción hasta conceptos proyectos muy avanzados que requerirán un poco de mayor atención o incluso mayor investigación complementaria (aunque no del todo necesaria).

[Juan Carlos · Rating 3 out of 5]

Un libro muy específico en la aplicación de soluciones ecológicas a la construcción de asentamientos urbanos. Conviene leerlo en partes por su estructura tipo manual. Si estás interesado en soluciones amigables al medio ambiente en el ámbito de la vivienda rural este libro es muy buena opción. Además que cuenta con muchas ilustraciones que permiten entender de qué se habla.

[Luis Pavon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fundamental lectura para todo arquitecto/estudiante. Johan nos enseña la forma tradicional de construir y de obtener las instalaciones básicas para tener confort en la vivienda. Desde lo más sencillo a lo más complejo. Nos sirve para aprender de donde venimos.

[Luís Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

(Thailand)

[Yannick · Rating 5 out of 5]

excelentes conceptos

[Ricardo Mendez · Rating 3 out of 5]

La explicación y estructura narrativa no alcanza las expectativas ni la profundidad que el libro propone. Pero las ilustraciones son muy buenas y útiles.

[João Janot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Legal

[reuphoris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funcional para las bases, buena explicación para los arquitectos novatos (yo) pero no responde algunas dudas

[Ietrio · Rating 1 out of 5]

A governmental bureaucrat who wants to pose as a hippie. I mean (p. 272):

> [...] the walls and the roofs must be made with durable materials that are resistant to the passage of the heat or cold.

He means insulation.

> Cold strong winds not only cool the rooms of a house, but also draw heat out through gaps in the walls and roofs.

So the people living in such homes need the services of an enchanter to determine the heat not to go out when the cold strong winds start their siren song.

[Blair · Rating 5 out of 5]

A
MA
ZING
And going to be especially useful when I'm applying it to an ecovillage.

[Seansean]

Published by the same folks as Shelter.

[Barbara]

Suggested by R. for Haiti.

[Ben Orcutt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Technique and clear direction on how to build in a variety of environments.

[Kezscribe · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excelente! Livro para deixar na mesa de cabeceira.

Guias básicos para dar um norte na hora de projetar, sem impor nenhuma regra específica.

[Bastiaan Machielse · Rating 2 out of 5]

Interesting and informative