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Making due is one of those things most of us don’t think about much, given our society’s affluence and excess.  When we do think about using items we already have, it tends to come from a concern about the environment, instead of finding a way to create what we want and need with limited resources. I was reminded of this after a family member sent a picture she took in Africa—the building was modest, but bright colors and decorations made from old soda cans made it beautiful. And over the years, people have been using bottles and cans they already have to create what they need, whether that's construction, decoration, or something that manages to become both. Bottle as Building Material Since the ...

I don’t think of shingles—the siding style, not the skin condition—as particularly modern. In fact, I think of them as just about the most traditional style possible—not just because Shingle Style architecture emerged way back in the 19th century, but also because, even then, it was referencing an even earlier style—Colonial architecture. That’s historical on top of historical. Not to mention, it’s totally one of those lace-doily styles. But despite this highly historical background, using shingles in modern ways is catching on, and we're seeing pattern, texture, and graphics created from these simple rectangles. Color Blocks By varying the color of the shingles, this townhouse in Berlin seen on Notcot, creates a bright pattern, using a traditional cladding type to make ...