Just as seismic activity in the state is shaking things up after a long drought, some residents are pushing for permission to build homes the old-fashioned way—with clay and straw. Proponents of ...

Making homes out of clay, sand and straw — a material called “cob” — might raise eyebrows in earthquake country, but Bay Area devotees are hoping to gain acceptance for what they say is an ...

Local architects say ecological and local building materials like straw and clay allow for better ventilation and insulation. Kamen Pramatarov is an architect who built and lives in a small house ...