Anna Heringer's Low-Tech Clay Schools Thrive Worldwide
Published on 7.18.25
Scientists are developing high-tech coatings that could outperform air conditioners, but German architect Anna Heringer advocates for sustainable architecture using local materials like clay. Heringer has designed schools in Bangladesh and Ghana, where she uses mud as a low-tech material with high-tech performance. Clay walls balance humidity, reducing physical discomfort in extreme heat and cold, and can be strengthened over time through natural crystallization processes. Contrary to popular perception, clay walls do not dissolve in the rain, and Heringer's schools have required minimal maintenance despite being hundreds of years old.