NEW BOOK! The Barefoot Architect: A Handbook for Green Bui

A former UN worker and prominent architect, permaculture teacher/designer 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 the 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.Basic design, climate, and site planning for humid and dry climates. Includes info on Adobe, rammed earth, bamboo, plaster, wood, concrete and ferro-cement; Foundations, roofs, floors, walls, doors, windows, and eco-techniques; Solar heating, water-powered electricity, natural cooling and ventilation; Water purification, pumps, cisterns, septic tanks, composting toilets

This book is for people who dream of building a simple home. It is also for those in the building trades: carpenters, masons, plumbers, and artisans, as well as for urban planners, rural technicians, and small community designers.
It covers basic design, use of a great variety of natural materials, construction details, natural heating and cooling, and water and sanitation techniques. Although many of the methods shown are traditional, more modern techniques are shown as well.

FROM THE JUNGLES OF BRAZIL -
A GREEN BUILDING MANUAL FOR THE 21ST CENTURY

        *       Basic design, climate, and site planning for humid and dry climates
     *       Adobe, rammed earth, bamboo, plaster, wood, concrete and ferro-cement
   *       Foundations, roofs, floors, walls, doors, windows, and eco-techniques
   *       Solar heating, water-powered electricity, natural cooling and ventilation
       *       Water purification, pumps, cisterns, septic tanks, composting toilets
This book is for people who dream of building a simple home. It is also for those in the building trades: carpenters, masons, plumbers, and artisans, as well as for urban planners, rural technicians, and small community designers.

It covers basic design, use of a great variety of natural materials, construction details, natural heating and cooling, and water and sanitation techniques. Although many of the methods shown are traditional, more modern techniques are shown as well.

Johan van Lengen wrote and illustrated the Manual of the Barefoot Architect in Spanish in 1982, while in Mexico. The government bought 40,000 copies and placed one in every library in the country. The book went on to sell over 200,000 copies in Latin America.
An extended version was later published in Portuguese in Brazil. This is the first English translation.

Through the integration of art and science, intuition and logic, reason and feeling, communication will be enriched. Each individual is given a possibility to share his own experience, which then becomes a part of a true collectiveness, using group communication and creativity.

In conjunction with its various programmes in housing, sanitation, communication and education, TIBÁ provides consultation in eco-techniques. Our staff also maintains exchanges with other experts, institutions and groups dedicated towards similar goals, within Brazil as well as in many other parts of the world.

TIBA has developed a number of ways to improve housing and ways of transferring this knowledge to those who stand to benefit by it. This is done in the form of workshops, all supported by a program producing didactic materials such as posters, games, bulletins, manuals and books.

Our team is available to give courses and workshops abroad; we have given seminars throughout Latin America, Europe, and India. In addition the centre is open to receive other groups who are looking for a beautiful and inspiring place to run their own workshops or gatherings.

TIBA's buildings surround a charming cobblestone square set within the Mata Atlantica (coastal jungle) with waterfalls, large ponds, orchards and gardens. There are many trails to explore throughout this tropical forest where one can observe the many birds and other animals.

In Tupi, an indigenous language in Brazil, Tiba means

INTRODUCTION TO PERMACULTURE WORKSHOP: May 22 and 23, 2010
Professors: PETER VAN LENGEN AND MELINA GOULART
This workshop offers an awakening of simple practices of planning, ones that can be used at your home, in your life and begin the walk in search of ecological sustainability.
GRASS ROOF WORKSHOP: May 29 and 30, 2010
Professors: JOHAN VAN LENGEN AND PETER VAN LENGEN
This workshop will teach one how to prepare a grass roof structure covered with plants and which materials one should use. This type of roof has a thermal function, for it helps to keep a comfortable temperature inside the house.

ECOLOGICAL WATER SYSTEM WORKSHOP: June 3 to the 6, 2010
Professors: JOHAN VAN LENGEN, PETER VAN LENGEN AND ROQUE SAENZ
In this workshop we will review the following techniques: Bason (waterless toilet), biological filters for grey water treatment and rain water harvesting.

BAMBOO WORKSHOP: July 15 to the 18, 2010
Professors: EDOARDO DE ARANHA AND FRANCISCO LIMA
"Bambooist" is the term usually given to any individual that has a passion for this material: Bamboo. Henceforth the main objective of this workshop is to transform the participants into bambooists.

BIO-ARCHITECTURE WORKSHOP: July 21 to the 25, 2010
Professors: JOHAN VAN LENGEN AND PETER VAN LENGEN
In this workshop all the techniques offered by TIBÁ will be approached; Bamboo, Grass Roof, Cascaje, Bason, Adobe, Permaculture, Creativity and Alfa/Beta. The workshop will explain the concept of Bio-architecture through the combination of traditional materials like bamboo or adobe and modern materials such as cement or plasto.
BUILDING WITH EARTH WORKSHOP: July 29 to August 1, 2010
Professors: PETER VAN LENGEN, MICHEL HABIB E BIANCA JOAQUIM
This workshop will examine the importance and versitality of earth building techniques. The student will learn how to prepare and apply ADOBE, COB, RAMMED EARTH, SUPER ADOBE, etc. They will also make natural paints and finishes and a natural water-proofing component based on cactus juice.

AGROFORESTRY WORKSHOP: October 9 to the 12, 2010
Professor: ERNST GÖTSCH
This workshop offers the principals of the AGROFOREST SYSTEM (AFS). These are used in the recovery of damaged areas, creating agricultural ecosystems similar to natural and original ecosystems. This is accomplished with the planting of annual, biannual and permanent plants.
Forest creations made of different cereal, fruit and flower species through the use of AFS, enabling short, medium and long term production. We will also examine soil management, ecological techniques like the systematic reuse of organic matter and permanent management.

This workshop teaches us how to become aware of Beta waves through different exercises of logic followed by exercises where we learn how to go into our natural creativity using Alfa waves. We will also learn how to use them not only in our profession but also with any other creative experience.