commune

Welcome to Commune

Commune brings together people exploring simple living, natural homes, growing food, art and belonging. Rooted in Pakistan and connected to the world, we learn in public and help the conversation grow.


For the past few years, I’ve been exploring ways to return to a simple, meaningful life. I realized that I don’t want to spend a lot of money building a house in the city. Instead, I want to live in a simple home made from natural materials that doesn’t harm the environment.

I also came to understand that processed food and modern agriculture are polluting our rivers, destroying ecosystems, and damaging our health. I’ve been fortunate to work with organizations planting forests around the world and advising groups in Pakistan that build affordable housing and work directly with farmers.

However, I still have a long way to go. Today, I live in the city, but soon I hope to move to what I believe will be my permanent home.

While Commune is a dream project encompassing many ideas, at its core, it is a place for me to share my knowledge and plans about housing, growing food, and living simply.

نہیں نگاہ میں منزل تو جستجو ہی سہی
نہیں وصال میسر تو آرزو ہی سہی

If the end is nowhere in sight,
Let the search itself suffice.
If union is out of reach,
Let longing itself be enough.

Explore what matters to you

Building a Natural Home

Over the past five years, I have gathered a wealth of information on building low-cost houses using natural materials.

Growing Food & Sustainable Farming

Growing our own food has many benefits. We eat healthier, save money, and, by practicing sustainable agriculture, help protect the planet as well.

Following The Play

Life feels richer when we do the things that feel like play. They settle us, and from there, our best work flows.

Living With The Family

For me, family means people who believe in you, respect you, and help you grow.

Re-wilding the world & living in harmony with nature

Living in harmony with nature is essential to our inner peace.

Sharing as a Way of Life

I have always believed that living should be free; however, COVID-19 exposed just how unreliable our economic systems can be.

Latest stories and conversations

Building with natural materials

We’ve put together a field guide on building with earth, lime, bamboo and stone — materials, techniques, real case studies, and the architects and organisations carrying this work forward in Pakistan and beyond.

Read the full field guide · Browse all resources

FAQs

How can Commune help you?

Depending on who you are, Commune can help in different ways. If you’re someone looking to build your future home, you can find helpful content on Commune. If you’re an NGO or social organization working to support communities, Commune offers strategic planning and execution for housing initiatives. For academic institutions, we can connect you with the right people for training programs. And if you’re an architectural firm looking to create housing plans for rural and urban populations, we can assist with design thinking, research & even execution.

Are you building houses?

Yes, we are building houses, and we are learning as we build. In many cases, our experience comes from research or from working with architects who have built them. We are passionate about sharing our knowledge and network for the collective good of humanity and the planet.

What about farming & afforestation?

We have close ties with organizations that build forests worldwide, especially in Pakistan. We also collaborate with organizations focused on sustainable agriculture and supporting smallholder farmers. We believe that a future integrating sustainable farming, rewilding the world, and living in harmony with nature is the best path forward.

Can I be a part of commune?

We’re inspired by aspiring architects who want to make a difference in the world. We’re looking for people passionate about growing food in new and thoughtful ways. We love collaborating with artists and craftspeople who are committed to empowering rural communities through training and education.

If you’re an educator, community leader, or someone who thinks deeply about the future—we’d truly love to hear from you.

Use the Commune form to share why you’re reaching out, what you are exploring, or how you would like to contribute. We read every message.

You can also connect with me on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/usamaah/