Email this to a friend   Print this story

7 day Intensive Cob Workshop

11-17th September 2010, Bronwydd, Carmarthanshire, S.Wales

Inspire yourself and tantalise your senses during a week connecting with the earth at a beautiful rural location in Wales. During the week you will discover how it’s possible to use the ground beneath your feet to sculpt your own cob building!

click on title above for more info...

Title : 7 day Intensive Cob Workshop

Date : 11-17th September 2010

Location : Bronwydd, Carmarthanshire, S.Wales

Cost : £505/ £460 concession (including food and camping).


Course details

Inspire yourself and tantalise your senses during a week connecting with the earth at a beautiful rural location in Wales. During the week you will discover how it’s possible to use the ground beneath your feet to sculpt your own cob building!


Objectives

A one-week intensive course, which will inspire and amaze you. This is an intensive practical and theoretical course; expect long days of hands-on work with short theory sessions. Also you can expect good company, hearty vegetarian food and time to relax and explore the beautiful surroundings soak up the sunshine and absorb what you have learned.


During the week you will be helping to sculpt a section of a cob and roundpole timber house with stone foundation, cob walls and roundpole timber living roof, the structure will be completed with lime and earth plasters . You should leave the course with all the skills necessary to begin a small earth-building project of your own.

Practical sessions will cover:

• The location and testing of suitable materials.
  
  
• Mixing cob successfully by foot and using machinery. How to adapt your mixes to suit the conditions and elements in the design.
  
  
• Sculpting with cob/ How to create free flowing forms, integrated niches and decoration
  
  
• Learning different techniques of building and trimming walls both freeform and using forms.
  
  
• How to incorporate windows, doors and services into cob buildings.
  
  
• Cob and carpentry, creating suitable roof designs for your cob structure.

Theory/design sessions will include:

• Using our site as an example, how to assess your site and build holistically, taking into consideration passive solar design, drainage, natural features, flora and fauna.
  
  
• The design of cob buildings. How to sculpt spaces that reflect your needs.
  
  
• How other sustainable building techniques such as straw bale, light straw clay and round pole timber frame can be used in conjunction with cob to create hybrid designs.
  
  
• Cob buildings, planning permission and building regulations.
  
  
• Natural floors, paints and other finishes.
  
  
• The practical and environmental benefits of cob building.
  
  
• A brief introduction to the philosophy and history of cob and other natural building methods.

During the week there will be a day off to explore the local area which may include a trip to see other sustainable builds in the area. A couple of evenings will include a visual presentation of cob from around the world, from the functional to the fantastic. Magical and inspiring buildings to fire your imagination and a film about cob projects in the U.S.A

About the land
Info to be included shortly

The surrounding area
Info to be included shortly

How to get there

Full directions by bicycle, public transport and car will be sent to you when you book. To encourage cycling, public transport and car-sharing, there will be a levy of £5 for every car. This money will be used to plant a tree on the land.

Accommodation

Accommodation will be camping and for those of you who are less inclined to the camping life and who wish to pay extra,there are a variety of B&B's in the area. We do recommend you try stay on site to enjoy the full experience of the workshop and the land.



Facilities
There will be two compost loos on site and basic hot shower and washing facilities will also be available during the week. There will be a heated Yurt for people to retreat to during time off and a dedicated kitchen and eating area.

Children are welcome to participate but under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. There are no childcare facilities available on site.




Food

An on-site chef will be providing hearty vegetarian meals with vegan options (please inform us a.s.a.p if you have any special dietary requirements).




Schedule

We will expect participants to arrive the evening of 10th September, by 6 p.m for a hearty meal at 7p.m and introductions. Your days will start at 9.00 a.m and finish at 5.00 p.m. The workshop will finish early evening of 17th September and departure will be either that evening or the following morning. There will be a day off in the middle of the week to explore the local area, spend time reading the array of natural building books on display or to unwind and relax.




What to bring

Camping gear, pen/pencil and notebook, camera, work clothes or overalls, boots/wellies, warm clothing, waterproofs, torch, money for the pub!




Instructors

Alan Cameron-Duff and Annabel Fawcus apprenticed with Cob Cottage Company, the inspiration for thousands of natural builders around the world. They were so inspired they went on to build many cob structures in the UK, America and New Zealand and set up their own business Earthed here in Britain to enable others to access there own creative potential and inspire people to build using sustainable materials.




Booking

Please book directly through Earthed. Tel: 07917361580 Email: info@earthedworld.co.uk

Please then complete and send us a booking form with deposit to secure a place on the course. We will then confirm your booking, sending you detailed directions and information about what to bring etc.

There are 15 places available so please book as soon as possible.


Click here for a printable booking form