This study embarks on a journey to document earthen architecture by constructing a digital library that intertwines the tale of earth-based building systems with human history. Through examples of ancient and contemporary earthen architecture from around the world, this library seeks to catalogue and preserve the cultural and ecological value of these materials and methods, echoing thousands of years of sustainable building practices and cultural resilience. Each project included is profiled with the following characteristics: name of the structure, author(s), year(s) constructed, location, construction system, and architectural typology. This data is then contextualized with additional layers of information like edaphology, rainwater precipitation, wind speed, and maximum temperature. We chart a living, breathing narrative of earth. This process is supported by research from a variety of sources, including academic publications, books, online resources, and social media platforms. The data is then compiled into an Excel database and added into a Geographical Information Systems software (QGIS) to eventually be poured into an open-access website. This platform will, in addition to being a repository for catalogued projects, provide a space for architects around the globe to contribute and add to the data, thus encouraging global collaboration on the ongoing project of the digital preservation of cultural heritage. The digital library is presented as a visual and academic research tool, mapping the historical trace of soil as a building material, from its earliest practices to its various contemporary usages. This reinforces the forever present relevance of earthen architecture and how it stands against modern challenges, offering a sustainable design model that is aware of its context and is adaptive towards the future.
Olivera et al. (Wed,) studied this question.