In Nova Scotia, Canada, BIG, Vollebak and the local architecture firm FBM have designed on the so-called “Vollebak Island” a micro-village built using natural and artificial materials in an innovative way – including eelgrass, a type of seaweed, hempcrete, glass brick, local stone, wood and 3D printed concrete. The island has an area of 11 acres and is located a quarter of a mile from the port of Jeddore and about fifty minutes from Halifax, and will be auctioned starting June 8 through Sotheby, including permits to build the project.

The 597 square meters of  “Earth House” will consist of nine interconnected buildings, to which are added the 88 square meters of the “Wood House”, an independent garden suite, two bedrooms and two bathrooms, on the eastern shoreline of the island.

The island will be fully powered by carbon neutral energy, thanks to a combination of offshore wind, geothermal energy and solar power, stored in Tesla Powerwalls. A greenhouse will grow food for the island and plants and shrubs will be incorporated into the roofs to reduce rainwater runoff and relieve the load on sewers and water treatment systems.