May 14, 2019
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TODAY is Underground America Day!DO YOU KNOW Malcolm Wells, FAIA?! Considered the father of modern earth-sheltered architecture, he built his semi-underground office in Cherry Hill, NJ! Located on Cuthbert Boulevard adjacent to the Cooper River, this building reflects his interests in energy efficiency, land preservation, aesthetics & durability of materials.
Wells began his work in architecture & design in 1953. After 10 years of “laying asphalt” on the earth, he began to focus on underground architecture to promote gentle building with the intent of treading more lightly on our planet. The author of numerous books on the subject, his volumes have sold over 120,000 copies.
Wells’ writings & illustrations are filled with a dry, self-deprecating humor, as seen in the “Ways to Observe Underground America Day” illustration below.
Wells, or “Mac” as he was called, died in 2009 at the age of 83. He wrote his own obituary, also in his creative style. It is a good read & can be found here: http://malcolmwells.com/obituarycomplete.pdf
Thanks to malcolmwells.com for their info & images. You may find much more about Wells’ work at the website.
Thank You to the NJ Historic Preservation Office.
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By AIANJ | Posted in AIA West Jersey, AIA-NJ News | Tagged: Malcolm Wells FAIA | Comments (0)
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