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Natural Building Part 1: Straw Bales, Cob and Earthen Floors
This is one of a series of comprehensive workshops in which we will be constructing a hybrid natural building using many site-sourced materials and permaculture principles. This workshop will focus on clay and straw, two of the most versatile natural building materials. In the first part of the workshop, you will learn to: • Build a highly insulating and fire-resistant straw bale wall • Mix clay soil, sand and straw into cob • Sculpt cob into beautiful, durable walls • Sustainably harvest…
Find out more »Natural Building in Japan with Michael G. Smith
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to learn natural building from leading experts at one of Japan’s premier Permaculture education sites. In this course you will learn a wide range of natural wall building techniques including Cob, Straw Bale, Light Straw Clay, Light Rice Husk Lime, Wattle-and-Daub, Clay Wattle, and Earthbag foundations. Daily hands-on building practice on actual buildings in progress. Lectures cover testing clay soils, wall system selection, materials testing, passive solar design, composting toilets, and more. Language: English with Japanese…
Find out more »Natural Plastering with Earth and Lime
This is a unique opportunity to learn traditional Japanese plastering and contemporary earth and lime finishes at one of Japan’s premier Permaculture sites. An intensive training including history, plastering procedures, materials and tools, with an emphasis on plastering fundamentals. Techniques include: Shikkui (lime, hemp, seaweed glue) Nami-Otsu (colored clay, lime and hemp) Kirikaeshi (fine clay, sand and straw) Nakanuri (earthen brown coat) Arakabe (clay/chopped straw) Takekomai (traditional Japanese bamboo lattice) Language: English and Japanese Participation Fee: 75,000JPY (if paid by June 1 or…
Find out more »A Complete Introduction to Ecological Building Techniques (Cob, Wattle and Daub, Earthbags, Natural Plasters)
About The Workshop This six-day workshop will cover considerations on picking a house site including passive solar design, building a rubble trench and natural rock and lime mortar foundation, wattle and daub wall construction, building with cob, earthbag construction, natural, earthen plasters, and ways to heat your home in a sustainable and natural way. During the workshop, we will build a rubble trench and rock foundation for a new structure. We will also build wattle and daub walls for a communal center currently…
Find out more »VersaTerra Pro in Mexico
(this workshop now has a waiting list. please email Kyle for more information) This VersaTerra workshop is being offered by the nonprofit “Be the Change Project.” it takes place on the west coast of Mexico. Learn how to build and camp on the beach! Included in the fee: Three vegetarian meals/day Monday-Friday prepared by a local chef as well as coffee, tea, and a snack (there will be optional meat on occasion). Campsite on the beach Our course book “House of Earth”…
Find out more »VersaTerra, a complete cob and natural building intensive
This is the most comprehensive workshop you can find. Decades of teaching on four different continents has helped us design this rich learning experience, giving students the tools they need to become confident earthen builders. Earth is the mother of all building materials. For millennia, and all over the world, people have used earth to build beautiful, simple, efficient and inexpensive homes. It’s plentiful, ecological and non-toxic. Plus, it can’t burn, won’t rot and is much simpler to build with than conventional…
Find out more »VersaTerra, a complete cob and natural building intensive
This is the most comprehensive workshop you can find. Decades of teaching on four different continents has helped us design this rich learning experience, giving students the tools they need to become confident earthen builders. Earth is the mother of all building materials. For millennia, and all over the world, people have used earth to build beautiful, simple, efficient and inexpensive homes. It’s plentiful, ecological and non-toxic. Plus, it can’t burn, won’t rot and is much simpler to build with than conventional…
Find out more »