Naturhus by Marie Granmar

In the 1970s, Swedish architect Bengt Warne developed the concept of the naturhus, or nature house. Such ecological buildings consist of a dwelling which is surrounded by a greenhouse. Sewage is being reused as fertilizer for the crops. In northern climates, the growing season is extended and the heating period is shortened. Since the 2000s, several new nature houses have been built and demand is growing: in the face of climate change, there is an increased interest in self-sufficiency – in food, electricity, heating, water, and sewage. In a natural house, much of this is provided at the same time.

Naturhus by science journalist Marie Granmar provides a comprehensive insight into the concept. The book tells the stories of several builders who have followed in Warne’s footsteps and shares their experiences of life in a natural house. Granmar also includes many practical tips regarding opportunities and pitfalls, building materials, and technology.

All of this is beautifully illustrated with pictures by photographer Christian Gustavsson. Stefan Fält, a graphic designer who shares his time between Stockholm and Paris, provided the book design. He worked with Grilli Type’s GT America and GT America Mono for the body text. For titles and headings, Fält’s choice fell on Minotaur Beef.

This brawny fella is a display companion to Jean-Baptiste Levée’s Minotaur, a typeface series inspired by the Cubist movement and published by Production Type. It is used exclusively in capital letters, featuring several of the stylistic alternates that are included in the font. With the mix of squarish forms and curved alcoves, its glyphs resemble floor plans or architectural drawings. And like the naturhus, Minotaur Beef may seem unconventional at first, but is definitely worth exploring.

Naturhus. Bygg, bo och odla för en hålbar framtid (“Nature house. Build, live and grow for a sustainable future”) was published by Natur & Kultur Allmänlitteratur.