Archive for May, 2010

[ May 29, 2010; ]
A one day introduction to cob building that covers history, advantages, essential aspects, materials (testing and location), siting, foundations, drainage, tools, mixing, sculpting and plasters. Hands-on learning.

[ June 19, 2010 to June 27, 2010. ] (to be held at the Hollies complex in Co.Cork, Ireland – visit their website at www.theholliesonline.com)
After the great success in previous years the Hollies are looking forward to run this very comprehensive building course again this year. At the end of the 9 days you will know all you need to be able to go [...]

[ October 15, 2010 to October 17, 2010. ] A weekend course for those in love with fire. Learn how fire burns, what makes combustion efficient, how to build the ultimate in snug, energy-saving campfires, stoves, and fireplaces for cooking and comfort, all hand-made at almost no cost.
Rocket Mass Heaters by Ianto Evans and Leslie Jackson has made these incredibly clean-burning wood burners big [...]

[ October 2, 2010 to October 3, 2010. ] In Denmark, indoor composting toilets are legal and encouraged. Flemming has for decades been an expert and manufacturer of elegant odorless toilets. Flemming and Karen will lead a 2-day workshop October 2nd and 3rd, immediately following their European Masonry Heaters workshop. Cob Cottage Company already uses two outdoor composters, which have worked [...]

[ September 24, 2010 to September 30, 2010. ] In Russia, Scandinavia and much of Northern Europe houses are heated by huge upright brick stoves, often floor to ceiling, weighing several tons. Some incorporate a bread oven, some a cooking stove. Known as Russian Stoves, Finnish heaters etc., they can be faced with decorative tiles (kachelofn). From a single daily firing [...]

[ September 11, 2010 to September 19, 2010. ]
One of the most comprehensive cob course available in North America. In the past 15 years, we’ve taught almost 200 major cob courses. In 9 intensive days, we’ll cover in depth all aspects of cob and the many techniques of building with cob including arches, details, shelving, furniture and earthen floors. In this expanded version [...]

[ July 9, 2010 to July 17, 2010. ] This workshop will be held at our Partner location in Point Arena California in beautiful sunny Mendicino County at the Mobert complex.
One of the most comprehensive cob course available in North America. In the past 15 years, Cob Cottage Company has taught almost 200 major cob courses. In 9 intensive days, we’ll cover in depth [...]

[ July 5, 2010 to July 11, 2010. ] Spend a week in North Carolina learning about cob building as we work together on the construction of a small cob cottage. We will work on mixing and applying cob as we build up the walls, as well as incorporating windows, a door frame, built-in shelving and seating. There will also be discussions [...]

[ May 2, 2010; ] Making adobes is something best done in a group, and a group is happier when there is music. The Malinke people know this better than anybody: kassa in their tradition is a ritual, very energetic, interchange between work and music during harvest time; and kassa also refers to the drum rhythms that are [...]

[ April 25, 2010 to May 1, 2010. ] Start Date / End Date:: 4/25/10-5/01/10Over the last two decades, the historic craft of timberframing in residential construction has experienced a revival. Students will learn the fundamentals of designing and constructing a timberframe using mortise and tenon joinery. Layout techniques, tool use and sharpening, and joinery cutting methods are taught as we work on a [...]

[ May 1, 2010 to May 2, 2010. ] This hands-on workshop will provide students with basic skills for working with stone and masonry. Students will learn various methods of constructing stone walls and will be exposed to a variety of examples of stonework incorporated in residential design. Each student will have the opportunity to work firsthand with footings and dry-laid, masonry-laid and masonry-veneered [...]

[ May 2, 2010 to May 7, 2010. ] Have you always wondered about strawbale construction? Heard it is only for hot and dry climates? Think again! With their combination of insulation and thermal mass, plastered strawbale walls can be perfect for cold – and even wet – climates if they are designed and built according to a set of time tested principles. This [...]

[ May 8, 2010 to May 9, 2010. May 8, 2010 9:00 pm to May 9, 2010 9:00 pm. ] Start Date / End Date:: 5/08/10-5/09/10Mud, earth, clay, soil – an awesome and versatile building material which can act as a thermal battery, holding heat. People have used this technology for thousands of years to bake bread and other staples. Today wood-fired earthen ovens are seen as an appropriate technology in an increasingly over-complicated world. [...]

[ May 9, 2010 to May 14, 2010. ] Henry Beston noted how the hand-made thing has the mark of the living soul. This course will teach you how to create and apply beautiful hand finished plasters and paints on many wall surfaces. People around the world have been using clay, gypsum, and lime as plasters and paints for millenia, and these materials have [...]

[ May 30, 2010 to June 4, 2010. ] Start Date / End Date:: 5/30/10-6/04-10Green roofs are gaining popularity for several reasons. They are super efficient at insulating a home. They also minimize our ecological footprint by retaining and filtering water before it reaches our rivers and streams. In this course, we will explore intensive and extensive green roof systems. We will discuss various [...]