With construction accounting for more than a third of global emissions, sustainable architecture is central to the world meeting its climate targets.
Global climate efforts rely heavily on transforming the building sector, which drives a massive share of worldwide emissions. Five distinct projects from across the globe demonstrate how green structures can combine low-resource engineering with striking design. These developments range from rural boarding schools in South America to tall timber cultural hubs near the Arctic Circle.
Childrens Village in Tocantins Brazil
In 2017, architects built two new dormitory villages for 540 boarders at the Canuanã school in central Brazil. The structures utilize locally sourced timber and earth bricks. Perforated brick walls allow air to pass through a vast canopy, keeping bedrooms comfortable without air conditioning even when temperatures hit 45 degrees Celsius.
“It is absolutely fantastic. So beautiful. It does a lot with little resource, which is the essence of a sustainable approach,” said David Mikhail, co-founder of the UK practice Mikhail Riches. Mikhail added: “I love the economy of it, and the huge sense of place they managed to evoke through such elegant and limited means.”
The Arc Gymnasium in Bali Indonesia
Surrounded by jungle, Bali’s Green school has relied almost entirely on bamboo construction since opening in 2008. The school completed its gymnasium, known as the Arc, in 2021. Inspired by a mammal’s ribcage, bamboo arches span a 760-square-meter sports court without interrupting the floor space.
Did You Know? Large varieties of bamboo reach building strength in just three to six years, making it a rapidly renewable construction material that sequesters carbon dioxide quickly.
“It is so fast-growing and sequesters a lot of carbon dioxide very quickly, so using it for building is a bit of a no-brainer if you can make it work,” Mikhail said. “And not only have they made it work, they’ve done it absolutely beautifully.”
Sara Kulturhus in Skellefteå Sweden
Skellefteå added the 20-storey Sara Kulturhus cultural centre and hotel in 2021, making it one of the tallest timber buildings in the world. The building incorporates glulam and cross-laminated timber sourced from trees harvested within 40 miles of the site. Prefabricated wooden pods formed the hotel rooms, cutting construction time by a year compared to steel and concrete.
“It promotes a love affair with wood and timber, and the localism of that in an area like Sweden is fabulous,” Mikhail said. He said that cross-laminated timber panels do not require elderly specimen trees and can rely on fast-grown, sustainably farmed wood.
The Forest Redevelopment in Hobart Australia
The University of Tasmania opened its newly redeveloped central Hobart campus in February 2026. Architects stitched together two early 20th-century brick warehouses and a 1997 heritage-listed glass dome into a single facility. The dome houses about 3,200 native plants, including various fern species, maintained by an integrated misting system that creates rainforest conditions.
“You could argue the most sustainable building is actually no building, and the second most sustainable building is a refurbished old building,” Mikhail said regarding the adaptation of existing structures.
Rammed Earth House in Wiltshire United Kingdom
Built on a former brickworks site in the Wiltshire countryside, the Rammed Earth House utilizes clay-rich soil mixed with local limestone and rubble from demolished outbuildings. The earth walls are unstabilised, meaning no cement was added during construction. This technique gives the building high thermal mass to regulate indoor temperatures and moisture.
“As a piece of architecture, I think it’s phenomenal,” Mikhail said. “It’s an architect’s dream, and I’m slightly envious of it, I’ll be honest.”
Questions About Canuanã School, Sara Kulturhus and Hobart Campus
How many boarders live at the Canuanã school in Brazil?
The Canuanã school accommodates 540 boarders who come from remote farming communities across the region.
What materials were used to build Sara Kulturhus in Sweden?
Sara Kulturhus is built from glulam and cross-laminated timber derived from trees harvested within 40 miles of the site.
When did the University of Tasmania open its redeveloped Hobart campus?
The redeveloped campus opened in February 2026 after architects transformed two early 20th-century brick warehouses and a glass dome.
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