I'm Krista Tippett, today an architecture of decency.

The rural studio in Western Alabama draws architectural students into the design and construction

of elegant, sustainable buildings in some of the poorest counties in the United States.

This is architecture as a social art.

It's students and architects understanding the bigger, broader societal responsibilities

that they can have and take on.

I mean, we shape the environment.

I mean, for West Alabama, we're incredibly optimistic.

We want people to dream about having a better world, and that's what better to have than

a bunch of 22-year-olds who are just, you know, walk through walls to try and make it happen.

And it becomes infectious, people love to be part of it.

This is speaking of faith, stay with us.

Speaking of faith is supported by the Fetzer Institute, sponsor of car and armstrong's charter for compassion.

You can learn more at Fetzer.org.

I'm Krista Tippett.

This hour we take you to Western Alabama.

Scattered across it are some 75 works of livable art, beautiful economical homes and public buildings.

They're the products of an architectural adventure called the rural studio.

This is architecture as a social art, as a force for repairing the fabric of human community,

as well as the natural world.

From American public media, this is speaking of faith, public radio's conversation about religion,

meaning, ethics, and ideas.

...