The Villa CasaBlanca in Bali puts a new spin on the ancient tradition of cob building — a construction technique using materials such as clay and straw, often harvested from the building site. The home is part of a larger project consisting of 24 similar sustainable luxury homes in a communal eco-village designed by Kurt Beckman and MUD Sustainable Homes. The practice of building cob homes certainly makes sense in the tropical landscape of Bali. Cob homes provide a naturally cool living space with natural resistance to termites, mold, fires and earthquakes. The country is known for the rich clay soil that helps grow its coffee, supply spa treatments and even inspire traditional mepantigan mud wrestling. Unfortunately, the cob building technique largely disappeared following the rise of concrete in the 1970s. According to the designer, the villa is the first and only modern example of a cob and bamboo home in Bali. Inside, low-energy design considerations include full LED lighting, while outside, a graywater reclamation system and groundwater recharge well help control water flow. Though the cob construction technique naturally cools the space, the designers included additional open living spaces to allow for further access to breezes and natural […]
Villa CasaBlanca is an earthen home made from clay found onsite

Latest Articles
UK launches world’s largest ocean monitoring system
The U.K. government, under the Blue Belt program , has announced its plan to install underwater camera rigs for monitoring ocean wildlife in...
These endangered monkeys kept getting hit by cars. Scientists had a clever solution.
Zanzibar red colobuses (Piliocolobus kirkii) are one of the most endagered species of African primates. (Image credit: Tim R. B. Davenport) Endangered primates that...
United Airlines: ‘No choice’ but to go carbon neutral
In 2019 there were 4.5 billion airline passengers worldwide, up from 2.1 billion in 2005 Flying is one of the most carbon-intensive ways...
Old Samsung Galaxy phones are recycled into medical devices
The smartphone captured images, and the Galaxy device used artificial intelligence (AI) to analyse images for ophthalmic diseases. | Photo Credit: Samsung says the...
Turtles complete seemingly impossible journey thanks to a hidden ‘corridor’ through the Pacific
(Image credit: Shutterstock) North Pacific loggerhead sea turtles ( Caretta caretta ) hatch on the shores of Japan and spend much of their...
Surfers Against Sewage launches long-term plastic waste clean-up
The public is being urged to clear plastic and litter from their local beaches, rivers and parks as part of a million-mile clean-up...