Michael Reynolds builds self-sufficient 'earthships' that
generate their own power. Kirsten Jacobsen  Full name: Michael
Reynolds  Age: 63  Current position: Founder of Earthship
Biotecture  How I got to here in 10 words or less: Don't give
up.  * * *  Architect Michael Reynolds has built more than 1,000
homes from materials including used car tires and glass-bottle
bottoms. He calls his self-sufficient designs "earthships"
because they require little heating or cooling and generate
their own electricity and water. His company, Earthship
Biotecture of Taos, N.M., designs and builds sustainable homes
world-wide.   A: I discovered early on that architecture needs
to embody the needs of people. Most architects have impractical
ideas that are wasteful. That's why I've drifted away from what
you know as architecture. The University of Cincinnati had a co-
op program where you could work for three months and go to
school for three months. It took me six years of working in a
lot of architectural offices around the c