381 | Return to the Origin: Using Earth For the Future with Daniel Parra
What if the path to climate resilience was not found in glass and steel — but in earth, craft, and community?
This is just one of the provocative questions we explored with Daniel Parra on the latest Awarepreneurs podcast episode, hosted by our very own Paul Zelizer.
Bio: Daniel Parra is a Colombian architect and was born in Soccorro, Santander - a small town with a rich history. He is the leader of the Rammed Earth Collective, an international design–build collaborative advancing earthen architecture. His practice blends traditional tapia pisada with contemporary design to create low-carbon, place-rooted buildings. Through Ciudad Insecto Estudio and Rammed Earth Colombia, Daniel designs, documents, and teaches earthen construction across Latin America. His work focuses on craft, climate resilience, and dignified housing that grows from the colors and soils of each site.
This episode is sponsored by the consulting company of the host, Paul Zelizer. Consider Fractional Business Development Services if you can use support growing your impact business.
Resources mentioned in this episode include:
Transcript of Using Rammed Earth Construction for the Future: Interview with Daniel Parra
NOTE: While it’s not perfect, we offer this transcript and the below summaries by Castmagic for those who are hearing impaired or who don’t find listening to a podcast enjoyable or possible.
Read the transcript of this episode here.
Key Takeaways in Using Rammed Earth Construction for the Future: Interview with Daniel Parra
Rediscovering Tradition as a Path to Sustainability:
By returning to traditional methods like rammed earth construction, communities can build more environmentally responsible, healthy, and locally rooted spaces that honor cultural heritage and advance social impact.
"I have a motivation. Motivation was a sustainability. I want to design house are beautiful, but healthy for the people and healthy for the planet. You know what I mean?... And one of the reason that for the last 20 years, I love that technique is because I use the soil on the side. You know, it's unbelievable. I don't need to go to the store, to the store like a Home Depot or things like that. And BO materials. I just use the soil and the soil when if you finish your. Your wall, you can put it into again into the earth and to the ecosystem, and that's it. You don't have zero contamination." (Daniel Pata)
Persistence and Craft Elevate Alternative Solutions:
Success in sustainable entrepreneurship often requires years of persistence and a dedication to craft—turning skepticism into admiration by elevating traditional materials into modern expressions of luxury and wellness.
"But one important thing, it's the luxury. Redefine the luxury. You know, if you have a beautiful earth world, Earth finished earth floor without crackers, without a box, using technology, the people say, hey, I want this because this is a luxury. This is luxury. With the tradition, with the thick system. This is one of the reason for the act, for the success about my career in ramped Earth." (Daniel Pata)
Community Empowerment through Knowledge Sharing:
Rammed Earth Collective’s impact goes beyond buildings; by educating local workers and communities in earthen techniques, it creates economic opportunity, spreads know-how, and reinvigorates connection to place—ensuring sustainability is felt community-wide.
"We make a difference. We show the people that run or this. It's a possibility, a real option for, for their house. And we... We learn about RAM Earth making workshops. We make a project and the community around the workers, the people who live for the construction, the kids we have, we made workshops and learn about Rand Earth to create conscious beautiful." (Daniel Pata)