EARTHSHIP BIOTECTURE VISITOR CENTER

This site, which extends over several kilometers, is an independent community that does not depend on any electricity or water network. Each home is self-sufficient, with its own energy recycling system, including solar panels. The story begins with a certain Michael Reynolds, a young architect in the 1970s who sought to develop his concept of Earthships, or "earthship", similar to a spaceship except that the planet on which one lands as an alien is none other than the earth itself. This militant ecologist created a zany architecture that would avoid any human footprint on the environment by generating its own water recovery and recycling system as well as solar energy. It all started when he was challenged by the concern of waste and the lack of housing. Michael created the "can brick" from steel and discarded cans. Ten empty cans, four flat and six unflattened, were wired together to form a building block. Over the next few years, new designs constantly evolved. The lot next to Taos is just one of many communities Reynolds created. People live there independently, just like in a normal neighborhood. By buying or renting a property on the lot, they become 'members' of the residents' association, and adhere to the rules of environmental compliance.