ARTE Distribution

This documentary sets out to show how, at the start of the 21st century, unbaked earth is fast becoming the building material of the future in both rich and poor countries.

Nearly 2 billion people live in unbaked earth dwellings. People in all parts of the world have been building with unbaked earth for thousands of years, and it was used in the construction of the earliest known cities. It can be shaped into any architectural form. Left to dry in the sun, it becomes as hard as concrete. For practically no cost, it can be extracted from the building plot itself. There is no need to fire it or transport it. It is 100% natural and environment-friendly. It is an extremely efficient insulator, keeping interiors cool in summer and warm in winter. It is still, as it has always been, the single most readily available, accessible and economical building material.
The fact that unbaked earth is so readily available and easy to use makes it the ideal building material for the poorest countries (an estimated 1.1 billion people are inadequately housed, worldwide). But in fact, these qualities are as valuable to rich countries as to poor. They offer an answer to uncertainties about the planet's future energy supply and damage to the environment. In many situations, this natural material can be used to replace modern materials and its aesthetic and constructional qualities are impressive. All over the world, unbaked earth is becoming increasing popular.
Filmed in Egypt, Syria, Peru, Burma, Mali (in Djenné, a UNESCO World Heritage site) and on the island of Mayotte (in the Indian Ocean), this documentary sets out to show how, at the start of the 21st century, unbaked earth is fast becoming the building material of the future in both rich and poor countries.