Earthlodges, Tipis, Quinzhees, Snow Caves and More!
Building a Modernized Earthlodge
Exploring Low-Cost Dome Construction Methods
by Thomas J. Elpel, Author of Living Homes and Participating in Nature
Earthlodge architecture comes from the northern Great Plains where Mandan Indians built massive structures for communal housing and shelter from bitterly cold subzero winters and the relentless wind of the Plains. The initial framework for an earthlodge looks something like Stonehenge, or rather “Woodhenge,” with an inner and outer circle of support poles topped by cross beams connecting everything together. (more…)