Utopic Kryptonite: An analysis of Superadobe ARCHITECTure and its connections to American Political Ideologies
By Simon Muller and Matt McGregor
What Is superadobe?
Surprisingly, SuperAdobe has nothing to do with the software program. In fact, SuperAdobe is a sustainable, earthquake resistant and cost-effective architectural method. Nader Khalili, the founder of SuperAdobe, is an Iranian-born architect and founder of CalEarth, and he uses sandbags, barbed wire, and cement to create this innovative architectural design.
This YouTube clip from The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation showcases the benefits and construction of SuperAdobe.
Hormuz Island, Iran
No, as you may be thinking, this is not an art installation. In reality, it is a town constructed using SuperAdobe architecture. Located on Hormuz Island in Iran, this is a fully functioning SuperAdobe community.
For more on this SuperAdobe community, click here.
What are Utopias?
Defined as a place of ideal perfection especially in laws, government, and social conditions, the design and intentions of utopias can vary. One common feature among utopias is the criticism of specific societal norms through the creation of an experimental community. Although utopias are often associated with science-fiction or fantasy, there have been impactful and significant American utopias throughout history.
Click here for additional examples of American utopias.
Sustainable Architecture and Politics
Environmental issues and sustainability are both heavily politicized topics in America. Unfortunately, polarization and divide in politics can also hinder the success of sustainable measures in America. SuperAdobe and other sustainable architecture are synonymous with radical politics and anti-governmental movements, adding significant nuance to the future of sustainability in America.
The Basis Of American Sustainable Utopias
One of the primary motives for the formation of sustainable utopias in America is represented in the photograph by Ilse Bing above. The dark and melancholy architecture of the city obscures the bright sky and seemingly swallows the pedestrian in the foreground. Additionally, the lack of a single shrub or tree is a metaphor of how capitalism and industrialization have transformed a beautiful and nature-filled world to one full of gloom. One of the common tenets of American utopias throughout history is to create a society that opposes the one depicted above. One that seeks to live in harmony with its surroundings and emphasizes community. Below are three examples of utopias that seek to innovate and re-define what it means to be a community.
Drop City
Drop City, located in Colorado, is one of the most notable American sustainable utopias. As seen in a video footage during its construction, the houses were geometric domes built using salvaged materials and covered with a variety of materials, including tar paper and plastic sheets. The core ideals of Drop City surrounded community living, a rejection of capitalism, and a cohesiveness with nature. For more on the history and ideology of Drop City, click here.
Llano Del Rio
Llano del Rio is another example of an American utopia of the early twentieth century. Found just outside of Los Angeles, California, Llano del Rio’s community was grounded in the triumphant belief of socialism and collectivism. As BBC news discusses, Llano del Rio’s community was strong, and the community’s architecture was highly reflective of socialist values. Although the utopia did not last long, it has had a lasting impact to this day.
Black Rock City
Burning Man is a highly recognizable utopia in American culture. Found in Black Rock City, Nevada, the utopia only gathers once every year in a unique showing of community building. Those who attend value radical self expression, self-reliance, and communal living. As the Youtuber Anton somewhere discusses, there is a lot to learn from “the most unusual town on Earth.”
What is the Future of SuperAdobe?
Will the political associations of sustainable architecture hinder its utility or will SuperAdobe be the future of urban and affordable housing?
Works Cited
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Hanna, Hugh S. “THE LLANO DEL RIO COOPERATIVE COLONY.” Monthly Review of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, vol. 2, no. 1, 1916, pp. 19–23. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/41823863. Accessed 11 May 2023.
Meares, H. (2017, May 1). Llano del Rio: The Ruins of LA’s Socialist Colony. Curbed LA. https://la.curbed.com/2017/5/1/15465616/utopia-socialist-los-angeles-llano-del-rio
Medved, Primož. “Leading Sustainable Neighbourhoods in Europe: Exploring the Key Principles and Processes.” Urbani Izziv 28, no. 1 (2017): 107–21.
Newell, Peter. “The Political Economy of Global Environmental Governance.” Review of International Studies 34, no. 3 (2008): 507–29. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40212487.Hanna,
Page, Tom. “’Houses That Can Save the World’: These Homes Offer a Blueprint for a Greener Future.” CNN. Cable News Network, December 9, 2022. https://www.cnn.com/style/article/houses-that-can-save-the-world-book-spc-intl/index.html.
Sadler, Simon. “Drop City Revisited.” Journal of Architectural Education (1984-) 59, no. 3 (2006): 5–14. http://www.jstor.org/stable/4048064
“How Super Adobe Houses Are Made | The Henry Ford’s Innovation Nation.” YouTube. YouTube, August 6, 2021. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KPRCO41kSPw.
“SuperAdobe: Powerful Simplicity.” CalEarth. Accessed April 2, 2023. https://www.calearth.org/intro-superadobe
“SuperAdobe: Powerful Simplicity.” CalEarth. Accessed April 2, 2023. https://www.calearth.org/intro-superadobe.
“The Rise and Fall of Drop City.” Western Art & Architecture, December 12, 2017. https://westernartandarchitecture.com/features/the-rise-and-fall-of-drop-city.
“IN BRIEF.” Journal of College Science Teaching 28, no. 3 (1998): 148–149. http://www.jstor.org/stable/42990097.
Llano Del Rio: A Vision In Ruins. The Desert Way. (n.d.). https://www.thedesertway.com/llano-del-rio/
Welcome to the Burning Man Timeline. Burning Man Project. (n.d.). https://burningman.org/timeline/ YouTube. (2015).
A Failed Commune in The Desert | Llano Del Rio. YouTube. Retrieved May 11, 2023, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-qgNUpB37U.
Burning Man Project. (2017, June 27). Can Burning Man Culture Spark Political Change?. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WeMtMQa9gnQ
“Black Rock City. the Most Unusual Town on Earth.” YouTube, 12 Mar. 2021, www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRbC3GPW1HI&t=174s.
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