Abstract

Third part of All you ever wanted to know about clay but were afraid to ask presents the works and ideas of Michael Raynolds, and his concept for an autonomous building – an Earthship – which incorporates recycled materials such as car tires, cans and old bottles.
The series tackles the question of what clay is and why we ceased to build things out of clay: "The material called mud or simply earth, served architecture for thousands of years with impressive durable results. The still existing pyramids were built of clay, as were 16-storey minarets, or houses and cities teeming with life. During the 20th century, that material was considered obsolete. Today, more and more scientists and architects are researching it and discovering its surprising properties and potential.