Lloyd Kahn wrote "Home Work," a big, famous book of pics and info about unusually creative homebuilt houses back in the 1970's that provoked a lot of folks into building things like geodesic domes. Quite a few of the houses he features are traditional to their culture or part of the world -- or they at least include a sense of roots in their design.

Then he wrote the first and still main book about stretching called Stretching.

He keeps these things updated and expanding. He publishes quite a line of books showcasing creative small houses of the world.

He's a Nor Cal guy and when he's not at the office he's surfing or skateboarding or traveling. ...He's in his 70's, I think.

Here's his publishing website:

www.shelterpub.com

And here's his onling personal blog:

http://lloydkahn-ongoing.blogspot.com/