Access to clean drinking water, sustainable energy sources and changes in the environment are some of the challenges faced by many around the world. Designers, from the Australia to Bangladesh, are responding with innovative design solutions. The Smithsonian Center for Education and Museum Studies organizes a free online conference series on pressing environmental issues. This...

Why? Preindustrial construction methods can provide fundamental lessons about sustainable design and environmental impact today. In this site-specific installation, thin tile vaults stretching across large spaces without formwork is part of a 700-year-old construction method that is energy-efficient, utilizes local materials, and achieves high structural strength. All of these factors have important applications in the...