This book reminds us that most of what we need to know is simply what we've already forgotten. John Taylor's trained eye and skilled hand celebrate details of: -- Thousand-year-old earth-sheltered houses in China-- Passive solar heating designs of the Pueblo Indians-- Natural air conditioning systems built in the Middle East.-- Modular building techniques used in Japan 500 years agoThis is a book for builders, students, and anyone seeking stimulation for the imagination. Author and architect John Taylor's exacting eye, intricate sketches, and hand-written notes are gentle reminders that observation, even more than technology, is the best source of innovation.