If I built one.....

...it might look like this:

finally figured a way to make the berm....

Google sketch-up isn't the greatest, but it's kind of fun to play around with. At least it gives you a feel for real flow and scale in the application of an idea. 

I left out sky-lights and some other key components of the idea,  and a few things aren't strait. Spaces in the back of most rooms are closets/storage etc. the structure in the back is garage and storage...little courtyard in back w/ window to master was my idea, figured it would be nice in summer to have some airflow strait thru from the north. Other than that its a pretty basic 3 bed 2 bath earthship design, w greenhouse that can separate from house by sliding doors (the open spaces in my sketch-up) and large curtained interior windows.

National Franciscan Monastery

Awhile ago Kristin got me a voucher for a photography class in DC (she is the best gift giver). So I took an architectural photography class at the National Franciscan Monastery hidden in an out of the way corner of DC. It was really fun, a beautiful spot, and I learned a ton.

 These cloisters surrounded the large garden in front of the monastery, which was nice because it was raining so we could shoot from underneath. 

I only shot a couple inside because their were people worshiping and I didn't have a super wide angle lens. Apparently the layout of the center of a monastery is different than that of a cathedral or a church, so there are 4 almost equal sides with an altar in the very center. This shot I actually took before I changed the white balance from cloudy to indoor lighting, but I kinda like the golden glow.

 Along the cloisters were these beautiful mosaics of scenes from the life of the Savior. These are a couple of my favorites: The Annunciation and the Garden of Gethsemane. 

 And of course being a monastery for monks of the Franciscan order, there were 2 large statues of St. Francis in the garden, one in front of a small simple stone chapel.

From Jackson

Big Mike sent me this video today.  It is unbelievable.


Landscapes: Volume Two from Dustin Farrell on Vimeo.