Lindsay Blair Howe heads the Urbanism & Society Research Group (USRG) at the University of Liechtenstein.
USRG focuses on the connections between people and space, and how this knowledge provides us with the tools to confront urgent societal challenges.
Since "the urban" is both socially produced and has material dimensions, USRG draws from urban studies and cultural geography as well as the design sciences, across a wide range of scales. We develop innovative approaches and methods to examine the patterns of everyday life through mobility and infrastructure, theorize processes of peripheralization, conduct transdisciplinary "Pro Bono" project work with students, or forge pathways for the societal acceptance of sustainable building materials. We aim to generate impact through our research, teaching, and projects, and to promote a critical discourse about what it means to be a researcher and designer today.
This is our website until the official launch of the School of Architecture in early 2023. Have a look around and please stay in touch!
Upscaling Earth (2. Edition)
Earth building is not only one of the oldest construction methods, but also one of the most attractive material from an economic, environmental, social, and aesthetic perspective. In the future, cement – the most important component of concrete – will, like other finite resources, become less viable to produce and significantly more expensive. Considering appropriate alternatives for building materials is imperative. This book presents a wide range of built and unbuilt projects as well as strategies for architecture using earth materials – a construction method that can be adapted to every culture and context. We give examples to demonstrate groundbreaking technological innovations that highlight the advantages of this material, from its worldwide availability to its potential for complete recycling and climate-neutral production. The book reveals the incredible potential of earthen architecture – for people and for the entire planet.
(2019) 2nd, expanded edition 2022. 16 × 21 cm, softcover // 158 pages, 123 illustrations
ISBN 978-3-85676-393-0
