Jean Detier has dedicated his life to earthen construction. In this large-format compendium, he explores the history of building traditions across the world’s regions, from antiquity to the present.
Jean Detier, The Art of Earth Architecture, Thames & Hudson, London 2019 → order now
Variety of construction methods
Whether in the form of bricks or compacted earth, for walls, roofs and columns: in the introduction to this comprehensive encyclopaedia of earthen architecture by Jean Detier, the author highlights the enormous diversity of this building method whilst also presenting various types of construction. The Art of Earth Architecture, published by Thames & Hudson, is a standard work that also covers the milestones in the history of earthen architecture. In most cases, the buildings in question – such as the temples and palaces of Mesopotamia, the Great Wall of China or the Great Mosque of Djenné in Mali – are listed as UNESCO World Heritage Sites.
Photo: James Wang
From antiquity to the modern era
From ancient structures to those of the present day, from traditional architectural heritage to works of modernism, the book provides an overview of a wide variety of building types: monumental structures, major urban development projects such as the city of Tenochtitlan in Mexico, the medinas of Morocco, and residential developments in Marrakesh, Bogotá and European cities. Anyone wishing to explore the fortified houses of the Somba people in Togo or Martin Rauch’s houses in Austria will find this book well worth reading. Public buildings constructed from mud brick are also covered, ranging from schools in Bangladesh to museum architecture in Australia.
Foto: Edward Birch
Comprehensive documentation
Featuring 600 photographs and around a hundred drawings, this compendium – the result of some 50 years of research by Jean Detier – is a unique and comprehensive work on the subject of building with clay. A must-have for anyone wishing to explore this material and its history.
Jean Detier
The Art of Earth Architecture
Hardcover - 31 x 24 cm
Thames & Hudson, London 2019
ISBN: 9780500343579
Photo: Satprem Maini (Auroville Earth Institute)
