Unusual Building Materials Used Throughout History
Unusual Building Materials Used Throughout History
When we think of construction, materials like stone, wood, and concrete usually come to mind. However, across cultures and centuries, humans have built with the most unexpected substances—materials sourced not just from the earth but also from the ocean, the sky, and even our own waste. These unusual building materials reveal a deeper story of survival, creativity, and sustainable ingenuity. Let’s explore some of the strangest, most innovative building materials used throughout history—and how they continue to influence eco-conscious architecture today.
1. Animal Bones and Skulls
In ancient Siberia, early humans built shelters using mammoth bones due to the scarcity of wood in the tundra. These bone huts were often circular, with bones arranged vertically and hides draped over the top for insulation. A well-preserved example is the Mezhirich mammoth bone hut found in Ukraine, dating back around 15,000 years.
This technique not only provided warmth in extreme climates but also demonstrated the human ability to utilize available materials for survival. Archaeologists believe these bone dwellings were symbolic too, reflecting spiritual beliefs or status within the group.
2. Glass Bottles and Recycled Glass
Glass bottles have been creatively reused as bricks in buildings across the globe. Beyond the Bottle Houses in Canada, similar projects exist in the United States, South America, and Asia. One notable example is the Wat Pa Maha Chedi Kaew temple in Thailand, constructed using over 1.5 million green and brown glass bottles.
These materials are not only aesthetically pleasing, with their colorful light reflections, but also durable and insulating. Using glass bottles in construction is now a popular method in sustainable architecture, especially in communities with limited resources and high plastic and glass waste.
3. Salt Blocks from Salt Flats
In Bolivia’s Salar de Uyuni, builders extract salt blocks directly from the surface to construct structures, including hotels, homes, and sculptures. Tourists sleeping in a salt hotel will find even the beds and dining tables made from compressed salt bricks.
These buildings are environmentally integrated but fragile in humid weather. To preserve them, maintenance includes regular patching and discouraging guests from licking the walls. Still, the novelty and resourcefulness of these salt structures attract thousands of curious travelers each year.
4. Ice and Snow Structures
The Icehotel in Sweden is reimagined annually with new artistic designs, each time using approximately 30,000 tons of ice and snow. It serves as both an art installation and a functioning hotel, complete with ice furniture and glassware.
Inuit igloos—domed snow structures—are built with snow blocks carefully carved and stacked in a spiral. Despite being made of snow, igloos can maintain interior temperatures up to 60°F (15°C) when heated by body heat or oil lamps, showcasing the impressive insulating properties of compacted snow.
5. Cow Dung and Earth Mixtures
Many indigenous communities in India, Africa, and South America use cow dung mixed with mud and straw for building. This blend creates natural insulation, pest resistance, and even antibacterial benefits. In Indian rural areas, cow dung is considered sacred and is used to coat walls and floors during religious festivals.
The material has low carbon emissions compared to cement and can last decades with proper care. In fact, UNESCO-recognized heritage homes in Mali and Zimbabwe still use this method, emphasizing its durability and cultural significance.
6. Shipping Containers and Modular Design
In urban areas like London, Tokyo, and Johannesburg, shipping containers are being turned into chic cafes, homes, and office spaces. Their modular nature allows architects to stack and combine them into multi-story buildings with minimal modification.
Entire communities, such as the Keetwonen student housing in Amsterdam, are composed of repurposed containers. This trend addresses urban housing shortages while promoting sustainability through reuse and energy efficiency.
7. Tires and Earth for Earthship Homes
Earthships use discarded tires filled with compacted earth to form thick, insulating walls. These homes are designed to be self-sufficient, with solar panels, rainwater collection systems, and greenhouses integrated into the structure.
In addition to tires, Earthships also incorporate aluminum cans, glass bottles, and reclaimed wood. This blend of materials makes Earthships some of the most eco-friendly residences available, often built in off-grid locations worldwide.
8. Bamboo: Nature's Green Steel
Bamboo is used in modern eco-architecture due to its strength, sustainability, and rapid growth rate—it can grow up to a meter per day. It's not only used in rural housing but also in award-winning resort designs across Southeast Asia.
In Bali, the Green School and Green Village showcase innovative bamboo architecture, with twisting spiral roofs, open floor plans, and structures that blend harmoniously with the landscape. Bamboo’s flexibility makes it earthquake-resistant and ideal for tropical climates.
9. Beer Cans and Plastic Bottles in Eco Construction
Recycled waste, including beer cans, plastic bottles, and even old CDs, are used to build eco-homes in developing nations. Sand-filled bottles can be used like bricks, offering strong insulation and structure. These techniques are common in communities that face resource scarcity but have abundant waste materials.
For example, in Nigeria, homes built from plastic bottles bound with mud and cement have proven resistant to bullets and earthquakes. They’re cheap, effective, and reduce environmental pollution.
10. Cardboard Tubes in Disaster Relief
Japanese architect Shigeru Ban’s work with cardboard tubes revolutionized emergency architecture. His designs provide low-cost, rapid-response shelters to disaster-hit areas like Haiti, Rwanda, and Japan after the 2011 earthquake.
These tubes are waterproof, lightweight, and recyclable. They can also be disassembled and reused. Ban’s innovative approach proves that even the simplest material—cardboard—can bring dignity and shelter to those in need.
11. Cork as a Renewable Material
Cork, harvested from the bark of cork oak trees, is renewable, waterproof, and highly insulating. In Portugal, where cork production thrives, it has been used to build homes and interior walls that naturally regulate temperature and resist fire.
The most famous example is the Cork House in England, which is built almost entirely from interlocking cork blocks. No glue or nails are used, and the entire structure is biodegradable. It represents a major step forward in zero-waste construction.
12. Straw Bales: From Farm to Framework
Straw bale construction gained popularity in the 19th century American plains, where timber was scarce. Today, it's making a comeback in eco-homes thanks to its insulating properties and affordability. Straw bales are stacked as walls and covered with plaster or lime render for strength and weather resistance.
Homes made from straw can last 100 years or more when maintained properly. They’re also highly fire-resistant because compacted straw limits oxygen flow. Several eco-villages around the world now favor straw-bale homes for their energy efficiency.
13. Human Hair and Animal Hair
Yes, even hair has been used in construction. In the past, horsehair and human hair were mixed into plaster for reinforcement. This technique was used in ancient Rome and later during the Renaissance period in Europe. Hair fibers increase the strength and flexibility of lime plasters and prevent cracking.
Historical buildings still standing today prove the strength of this method. In fact, restorers working on centuries-old buildings often look for hair within the walls as part of authenticity verification.
Conclusion: Innovation Through Necessity
The diversity of building materials across history reveals a core truth: humans are adaptable. Whether building with bones in the tundra or bamboo in the tropics, societies have always found ingenious ways to make shelter work for them. As the climate crisis pushes architects and engineers to rethink construction, many of these ancient, strange materials are finding new purpose.
What was once considered strange—bottles, tires, mud—is now being hailed as sustainable and forward-thinking. Perhaps the future of green building lies in learning from the past and continuing to find value in what others might overlook.
From prehistoric innovation to futuristic eco-homes, unusual building materials are more than curiosities—they're proof that creativity can literally build a better world.
@2025 Haruka Cigem - Curious Facts Explored.
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