Community Healing Cob “Cabina” in Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica!
March 23, 2025 ∞ 2:00 pm - April 27, 2025 ∞ 2:00 pm
$2500 – $2700
LOCATION
The workshop will be held at Eso Terra’s cozy jungle-immersed campus, located a short walk from Playa Chiquita, and close to the town of Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean coast near the Panamanian border. More mellow then the Atlantic coast of Costa Rica, it also has a more African influence and calm waters. We are not only perfectly located between Manzanillo National Park and Puerto Viejo town, but also situated just a short ten-minute walk from one of the nicest beaches in town, Playa Chiquita, safe and beautiful, with numerous cafes & restaurants for after-class and weekend hanging out. Puerto Viejo itself is a creative and vibrant town, bustling with visitors from all over the world, and infused with Caribbean and indigenous Bri Bri cultures.
La Playa Chiquita
At your fingertips will be nature like you’ve never experienced – monkeys, sloths, hummingbirds, etc. Most unique about the Caribbean Coast of Costa Rica is the “jungle meets ocean” experience. Our home is situated in the jungle, which walks right up to the incredibly stunning beaches nearby. This is a true paradise! But not for the faint of heart. While the days are mostly sunny, and the temperature not too hot (though sometimes it can be quite humid), there are certainly hard rains, insects, scorpions and spiders – and any other animals that come in a jungle rain forest environment.
Second Floor Communal Space in the treetops
The house is a unique open air rustic refuge. Troupes of monkeys, hummingbirds, and toucans regularly dance amidst the trees here. You’ll arrive through an open air kitchen with an open bathroom layout. We have a communal table in the open kitchen, inviting community cooking and chats. Upstairs is our lounge and co-working and community space, where people can eat, meet, work and connect, and another bathroom space.
There are two bedrooms upstairs and one downstairs. Upstairs bedrooms have canopy views, open access to the communal lounge area, and a shared
bathroom. The downstairs room lacks windows, and feels more enclosed. This will be the location for indoor camping with mattresses, for people who want slightly upgraded indoor living conditions
We have outdoor exposed and covered spaces for camping and can offer a wooden bungalow/ cabina, which can sleep up to two people, for an additional fee. This space would be perfect for a couple who wishes to have private living 
quarters, or could be outfitted with two beds/ and mattresses to fit two individuals who would like a private indoor room rather than a camping setup. We also have Mary Luz hotel just down the hill (on the way to the beach) for anyone looking for shared rooms at a relatively cheap price ($20-$25/ per person per night).
Our community here is one of a kind – there are ecstatic dances, sound and medicine journeys, sweat lodges, fresh markets, yoga, kundalini and art classes at your fingertips weekly. We are surrounded by waterfalls, hikes, dolphins and nature excursions. Our diverse and vibrant community gathers regularly for singing circles, potlucks and bonfires under the stars. We welcome all you future Cobbers in this magical space and look forward to getting to know you and spending some magical time together!
GALLERY
- Cabina
THE PROJECT
Azores, 2023
The 5-week Advanced Cobber Certification Workshop students will be building the Cob Cabina, as always, with 12 pairs of loving, muddy hands and feet. From the “boots”, or rock foundation, to the “hat”, or reciprocal green roof, we will cover everything in between! Students leave full of inspiration, motivation, passion, empowerment and hunger for more. Did we tell you that Cob is an addiction? The best kind!
Azores, 2024
We will be building our trademark 14m2/150ft2 round building (final size is always dependent on class number) for Eso Terra residents & guests to use. The breathtaking reciprocal roof structure we build in all of our workshops is the strongest roof there is, due to its interlocking spiral structure which holds itself up with no outward pressure on the monolithic round wall of the building. In addition, it mirrors the horizontal social structure favored in indigenous societies, who meet under these types of rooves for council circles and ceremonies, and thus acts as a spiritual support for any meaningful interactions taking place within our cob buildings. The Earthen walls provide the feel of being in a womb, protected from toxins, noise, and are visually nurturing & comforting in their irregular imperfect appearance & texture.
2-Story Cob House, Azores, 2021
Note: We especially invite non-White and multiracial students who are curious or already interested and passionate about earthen construction to come learn the art and technique of cob building with CCG. We want a workshop that feels comfortable for non-white students, and aim for a healthy balance as our ideal. CCG has taught in many countries of the world and our mission is to create access to everyone interested, especially the local people, so we can create international cob building families where all students grow and learn on a personal and interpersonal level. We aim to create intercultural and interhuman bonding experiences through our Cob building workshops to heal the world one Cob house at a time. So please follow your Heart & Soul, listen to the Call, and come and embark on a life-changing adventure in 2025.
DETAILED WORKSHOP DESCRIPTION
The 35-day Advanced Cob Building Workshop consists of 25 days (Monday through Friday) of learning & construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon with theoretical instruction (lectures with graphics) on most Monday, Wednesday and Friday afternoons to complement the hands-on experience.
Students arrive on Sunday between noon and 2pm and settle in. The Workshop begins at 4pm and ends on a Sunday, 5 weeks later, after the morning Closing Circle & Brunch, around 2pm. Students can arrive a day or two before to acclimate and settle in (please let us know) but will need to cover their own food needs, unless a work trade or meal fee is approved by Host (to be decided closer to the date). The Opening Circle begins promptly at 4pm, followed by a Host Site Orientation at 5pm, Dinner at 6pm and an Introduction to the Project by the Instructors at 7pm.
We require that students arrive Saturday or Sunday by 2pm AT THE LATEST!!! We need to begin ALL TOGETHER, as the MOST important information for the success and smooth-running of the workshop and the well-being of the students will happen on Sunday between 4pm and 8:30pm. It is very inconvenient for late students, Host, Instructors and the group, when someone arrives late and misses any of the opening sessions. Please be punctual because Monday morning at 9 am we begin digging the trench for our Cob Building and students need to be prepared and ready to go!!!! Please aim to arrive to this workshop on Saturday, unless you are a local resident, to avoid issues due to flight delays or changes.
Following Breakfast from 7:30-8:15am, the morning learning/building session begins at 8:30 am and lasts until 1pm with a 20-minute snack pause at 11am. Lunch break is from 1pm to 2:30pm, which includes a rest time before the 3-hour afternoon session begins, from 2:30pm-5:30pm. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays there is a 60-minute lecture at 2:30pm, followed by construction time. Tuesdays and Thursdays students begin building again right after the rest time. After class in the afternoon there is a 90-minute break before dinner (served from 7pm to 8pm), in which students are encouraged to stretch, do some type of relaxation/movement practice, go swimming, walking and just relax.
There is sometimes a work trade student officially or informally leading yoga and movement practice in the mornings or afternoons (depending on student preference). There will also be 3-4 evenings (once a week) after dinner for showing slides, videos and having Course-related discussions. Other evenings are mostly free and sometimes students offer informal courses in their specialties and passions. Tuesdays are reserved for our weekly Council Circle, where we do a deeper sharing and listening to attend to the inner worlds of our students, staff & Host(s) during this intense experience.
On weekends students are free to explore the area, go traveling, rest onsite, and even continue building, subject to Instructor approval. All weekend meals are provided by students who are welcome to use the kitchen. Host and/or other students can carpool into town for weekend food provisions. Puerto Viejo has bikes to rent and students can organize car rentals to explore farther on weekends.
The 35-day Course will offer practical learning by building a complete 15m2 curvilinear building from foundation to roof, as described in the “Project” section. Those who complete the 35-day Workshop will receive an Advanced Cobber Certificate of Completion for Foundation, Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Art, Electrical Housing & Plumbing preparation), Floor, Plaster & Roof.
DAILY SCHEDULE
The daily schedule (subject to slight modifications due to climate/time of year) will be:
7:30-8:15 Breakfast
8:30-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class (Lecture on MWF’s)
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)
Students are expected to be on time and participate in all sessions and required activities as the goal of building a full construction depends on the whole group working together both physically & energetically! Out of respect for the Instructors & the group, we ask that students always communicate with Instructors if they are having any issues that cause them to be late or have to excuse themselves from class for something.
COURSE CONTENTS
Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the reciprocal roof in hands-on building and lectures/theory. In addition to the lectures, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, design, geography, budgeting, business options and legal issues.
Our hands-on practice will include:
digging foundation trench
pouring gravel and inserting drainage pipe (if applicable)
building foundation stemwall
analyzing soils and materials
making test bricks
deciding on correct mixture
deciding on best location
making cob w/ partner and solo
building with cob
preparing and inserting the door
preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
inserting bottle windows, glass and other objects
inserting electrical housing and outlet/switch boxes (when applicable)*
insert PVC pipe for plumbing in walls (when applicable)*
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plaster (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (2 coats)
preparing walls for roof connection
building reciprocal roof frame
putting on roof sheathing and other elements
installing green roof
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material
also includes:
legal cob construction practices & the international cob code (Appendix AU in the IRC)
time & cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal
*While the insertion of electrical housing and one or more outlet/switch boxes and PVC pipes to hold plumbing are always included in the workshops, the simplicity or complexity depends on the host’s design and preferences. There will be no electrical wiring or plumbing pipes installed during workshop. That is beyond the focus of this course and requires professional experience and certification/licensing.
REQUIREMENTS & IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Students will need to come prepared for demanding physical work from Day 1.
This includes bringing:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes (for foundation and roof)
Flip-flops (for cobbing/plaster days)
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves (for stone work)
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Wood Hand Saw (cheap)*
Level (2ft)*
Hammer*
Japanese plastering trowel(s) (email:goldhillclayplaster@gmail.com)
Ear Plugs* (roof week)
Safety Glasses*
Wood Chisel*
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids* (for plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Water Bottle
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Carpenter Pencil & Sharpener
Sample of your Soil (optional)
Any other power tools like skilsaw, grinder wth metal blade, cordless drill, chop saw, extra hammers, trowels, saws, levels…will be very welcome if you have them and are driving in. Some students fly in wth only carry-on luggage and can’t bring some of these tools.
*These tools will be very helpful to bring if you can, to minimize sharing and waiting, but if you can’t the Host will provide them.
***PLEASE READ THIS VERY IMPORTANT INFO!!!***
These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build a complete structure from start to finish in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we make time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and participating in all building and lecture learning hours unless absolutely incapable due to illness or have some other significant/emergency reason. This is because we design the size of the building and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance with the number of students and when people are absent, it impacts the whole group and the other students have to work harder and it disturbs the integrity of the group. It takes the whole village to see the building through from start to finish! In addition, Instructors set up building work according to students’ strengths and learning needs. In short, if you don’t feel that you will be able to be present every day for every session, please re-think your readiness for our Advanced Training. We attract serious and highly-motivated students so if that’s you, you will be surrounded by others with the same desire to learn and build!
We need and depend on everyone’s full participation in each day of the workshop. This is a total group effort on all levels: physically, mentally, emotionally and energetically.. If someone is physically absent from the site and lectures due to illness or other urgency for more than one full day, they will need to make up the days missed in a subsequent workshop to receive the Certificate (only paying food costs). If physically injured or ill (and capable), it is requested students still be present at the site and for lecture and other required evening activities, so as to not miss out on information and keep learning by observation, and thus still qualify for the Certificate.
The workshop intensity changes from week 1 to week 5 with the focus of the week. The first foundation week breaks people in with the work of moving, lifting, rolling and placing rocks and is a new and demanding physical and mental experience for most students. It also includes the first layers and coat of cob floor. The second week and part of the third week of cob-making and building are similar to the rock foundation week in physical demand, but are more flowing, multi-faceted and cardiovascular in movement. On Thursday & Friday of week 3, the workshop takes a turn and slows down and the body can rest as students tap into their creative source now and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows, etc. This is a very special rewarding experience and time of the workshop, decorating the walls with visual beauty and meaning as expressed by each unique student. Usually there is an overarching theme decided on by Host(s). Plastering follows sculpting and is also an enjoyable more lightweight physical experience, that lends itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the students have bonded and shared deeply through a variety of experiences for a month. On day 5 of week 4, the roof begins. This part is the beginning of a change of pace from the earthen building work to carpentry skills, power tools, measuring, sawing, drilling, hammering, screwing, trimming, etc. But now the workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap up the roof, close the top of the wall, and tend to finishing touches….the grand finale.
For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience, along with time for personal exploration and experimentation following their own rhythm, these workshops are not for you! However, you can find a more suitable workshop online with other organizations that offer a shorter period, building a garden wall, a bench, a compost toilet or some other smaller scale project.
Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” and “Essential Cob Construction” (see website Resources page) before the workshop begins, and any other books they find or are listed on our Resources page, ideally on plastering and reciprocal roof building. We ask that you watch the many videos on our our “International Cob Workshop” playlist on Claudine’s YouTube channel, the new educational YouTube series “Building a Mud Home” by Cooper Green, posted by Natural Buildings and created from our North Carolina workshop footage, and the ones posted on CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery, to get an idea of what is expected. Also it is a great idea to watch as many other videos on cob and reciprocal roofs as you can, to come mentally prepared. Please bring your book(s).
Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us know when registering, so we can make sure the workshop is a good fit. If approved before the workshop begins, we will aim to adjust appropriately. There is alot to do to support making and building with cob while respecting your physical limitations!!!
Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Please make sure you share your dietary restrictions/allergies with CCG in your registration form. Note that very demanding dietary needs will not be able to be met (vegan & non-gluten ok) and those students may be recommended not to participate, unless they are willing to meet their special needs on their own, which will not include kitchen access on weekdays. Please discuss with Claudine at time of desire to register. Also please bring your essential snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free to also bring playlists, speaker, slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test.
We look forward to opening you to a whole new world of experience, skill, growth and transformation as you bond with your new COB family for life!
MEALS & ACCOMMODATIONS
We will serve three meals a day from Monday through Friday including the Welcome and Celebration Dinners and Farewell Brunch. Weekends students will be on their own for food and may use the onsite kitchen. Meals will be vegetarian and locally-based as much as possible, including farm produce and eggs! Carnivores & pescatarians & omnivores will, if desired, be offered non-vegetarian options of meals a few times a week and/or supplemented with canned fish, dried meats, cold cuts. They are also welcome to buy additions to cook on the side.
We will attend to vegan and gluten-free diets if needed, but any other restrictions & allergies that require extensive preparation needs will probably not be able to be honored. And kitchen will only be accessible on weekends for students.
Camping with your own tent and bedding is always free. There will be an inside floor option for camping for a limited number of people and a wooden cabina for two people to rent. Ask about the fee. The Mary Luz Hotel close by is another option for people but it’ always preferable to be onsite for many reasons.
There is Wifi, a Washer & Dryer (for a fee) & a Hot Shower!
TRANSPORTATION
Students from abroad will need to fly in to San José and take either another short flight for $125 to Limón and an $80 taxi to Eso Terra, a shared airport shuttle for $65 (4-5 hours) or a standard bus for $7 (cheapest). Shuttle can be organized just for the students by Host as we get closer to the arrival time and know how many people will arrive together, which will be cheaper.
NICOLAS PIMENTEL
Cob Instructor & Master Cobber
Happy Builder!
I was born and raised in Santiago, Chile, and had a childhood deeply connected to the arts and nature. From an early age, I felt a strong curiosity to travel and learn about other cultures, people, and places. During my university years as an architecture student, I went to study in Porto, Portugal in my final year. There, I first encountered the idea of natural building while attending a conference in Prague. After this brief introduction to theoretical knowledge, I wanted to get hands-on experience. In 2017, while searching online, I found a CruzinCobGlobal workshop taught by Claudine in the Azores Islands, and that was the beginning of this amazing journey of fascination with and passion for Earthen Building, as well as a great, long friendship with Claudine. After spending a long time on the islands, I returned to Chile to receive my degree in architecture. I also went to Colorado to assist in a CCG workshop lead by Claudine, and then assisted & co-taught 2 CCG workshops in Chile.
Nico leading the light straw clay 2nd floor of Claudine’s Cob Villa in 2021
I also learned other natural building techniques at TIBÁ in Brazil, and continued working independently in Chile, where I built my first light straw clay house in southern Chile. This is when I eventually settled in the northern Patagonian mountain town of Pucón, where I co-founded my architecture studio, PIWA. My focus is designing homes in rural areas, integrating bioconstruction and bioarchitecture techniques. Parallel to this, I returned to the Azores Islands to teach a light clay straw workshop on Claudine’s land in 2021 and a Complete Full Build Workshop in 2023.
Plaster Master!
My motivation to keep learning has never waned, and this drive took me to Marrakech to learn Tadelakt from ancient masters. I also constantly return to books to learn more about various techniques and experiment with them. In 2024, I began teaching online workshops as well as in-person workshops on earthen plasters in southern Portugal and southern Chile.
Currently, I work as an architect in my own studio, mainly designing in southern Chile. I am also co-founder of a conservation project called Jungla Peumayen, located in the central region’s mountains, where we focus on the conservation of flora and fauna, conducting rewilding efforts by reinserting wild animals, among other activities. I also co-founded Kalina, a creative space in nature located in northern Patagonia, where I reside and am currently building my second light straw clay home.
I love teaching these techniques and learning from other students. I believe every interaction is an opportunity for learning, and bringing earthen building to new environments and professionalizing it is a crucial task in contributing to this paradigm shift. The earth has built me and I am constantly growing and learning from it!
ALICIA SALAS
Cob Assistant
Beaming Cobber!
Hola, me llamo Alicia! I’m a Californian Tica (Costa Rican), who has led an unconventional
life. I have a major in International Relations and a minor in Spanish. My studies and travels have led me to live in the villages of Slovakia, the brilliant beaches of Brazil, a cacao farm in Costa Rica, and now Puerto Rico where I live.
Plastering in Puerto RIco
My first introduction to Natural Building was in Costa Rica in 2019, where I built and lived in a super adobe home. I then had the opportunity to learn and construct two adobe pizza ovens. Being inside my first Earthen home was life changing. I was amazed by the beauty, how I felt living in an Earthen home, and how it completely rewired my brain. I have always loved architecture, sustainability, and interior design, and this encompassed everything I love. Suddenly I didn’t just want to build my own house one day, I wanted to build an Earthen house. I started looking at different techniques, and that is when I discovered Cob.
The crew in the Azores led by Nico!
I built my first Cob house with CruzinCobGlobal in the Azores in Portugal in 2023, taught by Nico. After the house build I stayed on to build a beautiful cob oven and bench. I now live in Puerto Rico, working in construction on houses that were affected by hurricanes. In February 2024, CruzinCobGlobal came to Utuado Puerto Rico, and I came back as a return student for my second house build. This house was unique because we got to work with bamboo for the reciprocal roof. I am particularly fond of Earthen floors, plastering, and roofing! I love Cob, and I love the community and friends I have made along the way. Natural building has changed my life, and I am very excited to continue working in this field, with the dream of building my own Cob house one day!
REGISTRATION & PAYMENT
Very Early Bird Rate: USD$2500, paid in full by December 1st, 2024
Early Bird Rate: USD$2600, paid in full by February 1st, 2025
Standard Rate: USD$2700, paid in full by March 1st, 2025
We are offering 4 work trade positions which give you a $250 discount for working one hour each weekday from 6:30am to 7:30am either on the site prepping materials and other work as guided by the Instructors or preparing & putting away breakfast. Two persons for each service. These are the first options to go. Depending on when you pay in full, the discount is taken off the appropriate amount.
Payment can be made using Zelle, Paypal and Venmo to claudinedesiree@gmail.com. Europeans and other international students can pay in USD using the Wise app/website using same email.
Please contact claudine@cruzincobglobal.org or Whatsapp +1(831) 212-7225 to register and ask any questions.
To hold your spot (there are 12 for new students), you can make a 50% deposit. The balance owed depends on the date of payment in full. Final payment deadline is March 1st, 2025.
CANCELLATION POLICY
Students who have paid and cancel by January 1st, 2025 can get a full refund minus a 5% administrative/inconvenience fee on the amount they have paid.
Students who have paid and cancel by February 1st, 2025 will receive a credit for a future workshop within two years minus a 10% administrative/inconvenience fee.
Students who have paid and cancel after February 1st, 2025 will not receive a refund or credit unless they have proof of an emergency situation or other reason out of their control, in which case they will receive a credit for two years minus the 10% admin fee.
SEE YOU IN THE MUUUUUUD!
