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I find landfill chemistry weirdly fascinating, particularly the idea that untold millions of tons of garbage being stored in giant, artificial landforms—or simply buried underground like false geological deposits—might be inadvertently catalyzing chemical processes we neither understand nor know how to stop. I was thus excited to see a long investigation of this topic in … Continue reading "Uncontrolled Remains"
5 days ago

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More from BLDGBLOG

Architectural Dressage

You’ve likely already seen the large complex of buildings in Shanghai that was picked up as a single block and walked to an adjacent site by a phalanx of miniature robots. Then walked back into place again. The 432 individual machines used for the move were “actually omnidirectional modular hydraulic jacks that are capable of … Continue reading "Architectural Dressage"

4 days ago 6 votes
Institute for Controlled Speleogenesis

Recently, I’ve been looking back at a collaborative project with John Becker of WROT Studio. The “Institute for Controlled Speleogenesis” (2014) was a fictional design project we originally set in the vast limestone province of Australia’s Nullarbor Plain. [Image: A rock-acid drip-irrigation hub for the “Institute for Controlled Speleogenesis,” a collaboration between BLDGBLOG and WROT … Continue reading "Institute for Controlled Speleogenesis"

a year ago 7 votes
The Reaction Area

“Enigmatic chemical reactions” have broken out underground inside two Los Angeles-area landfills, according to the L.A. Times. These “highly unusual reactions at Los Angeles County’s two largest landfills have raised serious questions about the region’s long-standing approach to waste disposal and its aging dumps.” If landfills are the extreme endpoint of a cultural practice of … Continue reading "The Reaction Area"

a year ago 8 votes
Agency of the Subsurface

[Image: The Heathen Gate at Carnuntum, outside Vienna; photo by Geoff Manaugh.] Last summer, a geophysicist at the University of Vienna named Immo Trinks proposed the creation of an EU-funded “International Subsurface Exploration Agency.” Modeled after NASA or the ESA, this new institute would spend its time, in his words, “looking downward instead of up.” … Continue reading "Agency of the Subsurface"

a year ago 8 votes

More in architecture

A Mid-Century Modern Home Renovation with Asian and Nordic Influences

In Montreal’s lush Outremont district, a 1950s home by architects Morin & Cinq-Mars has undergone a transformative expansion. Atelier Chardonnat and Salem Architecture led the renovation, preserving its Frank Lloyd Wright–inspired heritage while introducing Japanese and Scandinavian influences. The result is a warm, modern sanctuary on Mount Royal, where every detail connects to nature and calm.

19 hours ago 2 votes
Reading List 07/12/2025

25 years of earthquakes, Google’s 2013 efforts to build a phone in the US, bear attacks in Japan, coal seam fires, and more.

an hour ago 1 votes
Inside the Forest Home That’s All About Light, Space, and Simplicity

Tucked into the misty woods of North Bend, Washington, Forest Pavilion blurs the boundary between shelter and site. Designed by Signal Architecture + Research for a pair of professional landscapers, this home doesn’t impose on its environment, it folds into it. A structure of quiet resilience and elemental beauty, it honors the messiness of life and the wildness of nature in equal measure.

2 days ago 4 votes
Should the Federal Government Sell Land?

An early version of the US Senate budget bill which passed last week included a provision to sell off between 2 and 3 million acres of federal land in western states, ostensibly to be used for homebuilding.

2 days ago 3 votes
This Sculptural Home Turns Minimalism Into a Statement

Brighton Sands is a four-storey family home in Melbourne designed by mckimm, blending inspiration from the LA hills with a distinctly Australian sense of place. Defined by sculptural architecture, natural materials, and a seamless connection to the outdoors, the residence offers a tranquil retreat grounded in light, texture, and flow. It’s a considered balance of form and function, where luxury is quiet, and every detail enhances daily life.

3 days ago 4 votes