- Beyond Sustainability - The Case for Regenerative Design
- Understanding Place - Climate, Site, and Solar Geometry
- The Six Integrated Systems - An Overview
- Building with the Earth—Natural Materials
- Passive Solar Design - Heating and Cooling Without Machines
- Off-Grid Energy Systems - Power from the Sun
- Water - Catching, Storing, and Cycling
- Liquid Waste Treatment - Botanical Systems
- Food Systems—Buildings That Feed
- Community Design - Scaling Up
- The Integrated Design Process
- Appendix A: Glossary of Key Terms
- Appendix B: The Pangea Textbook Series
- Appendix C: Key Design Principles at a Glance
- The Regenerative Community Vision
- Site Assessment and Land Reading
- Land Use Law and Legal Frameworks
- Master Planning for Regenerative Communities
- Infrastructure Systems Integration
- Housing Typologies and Density Design
- Community Governance Structures
- Economic Models for Community Development
- Phased Development Strategy
- Community Resilience and Long-Term Stewardship
- Appendix A: Legal Entity Comparison Chart
- Appendix B: Community Design Checklist
- Appendix C: Glossary of Community Development Terms
Can and bottle walls are a signature element of Earthship aesthetics. Aluminum cans and glass bottles are packed into a mortar matrix and laid like bricks to form non-structural interior partition walls and decorative features. The resulting walls are beautiful, colorful (especially with glass bottles, which transmit colored light), and made entirely from materials that would otherwise go to landfill.
Can walls are not structural and are used only for interior partitions, decorative features, and occasionally exterior infill panels in non-bearing locations. They provide good thermal mass and sound insulation. The mortar mix typically used is a mix of cement, sand, and clay that provides structural integrity while allowing slight flexibility.
Glass bottle walls are among the most visually striking elements of Earthship and natural building construction. Bottles are typically cut in half, and the two halves placed opening-to-opening to form a sealed unit, which is then set in mortar. When light passes through these bottle bricks, they glow like stained glass, creating interior environments of remarkable beauty.