Beautiful architecture isn’t necessarily tied to the allure of glazed facades or the jaw-dropping sticker price. Designer Kristofer Nonn proves this point with the economically and ecologically friendly cabañas designed for Peace Villages Foundation. The two prototypes of Windscoop and Mariposa, both as part of the Eco-Cabañas project, are built from locally-sourced materials and are designed to combat the harsh weathers and corrosion from South American rains. The low-cost solution – ringing in at $500 USD – incorporate two intersecting, corrugated zinc roof planes resembling butterfly wings that guide water away from committing structural deterioration. Both built examples mark the site of Santa Elena in Venezuela, and even display a colorful flair through the recycled bottles embedded into the wall, a stippled and light-transmitting mosaic.

Images © Nick Brown / Open Architecture Network

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Kimberly

Kimberly is a graduate from MIT's Department of Architecture, and has recently joined the publication team at MIT OpenCourseWare. While architecture remains her first love, her interests encompass literature – epic poetry and Medieval romances are her favorite – and also fashion.

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