Photos from our 5-day natural building course in October 2022. Students got to experiment with various Natural Building methods, including wattle and daub, earth bricks, earthbags, cordwood, cob, earth plaster, lime plaster and straw bale. Please take a look at the photos below from the five-day course.
You can also check our video from our 2-week course or join us for a future course.
Wattle and Daub
This is the fastest natural building method. It uses Mimosa from our land as wattle (wooden supports for clay), earth from our land as plaster and old bottles for effect. Here the centre wall is double wattle and daub with an insulated centre. On the sides are the more standard single wattle and daub, which gives a thinner wall without insulation.
Cordwood
Cordwood is my favourite method as it only uses materials from our land. The timber is from dried eucalyptus trees, stone foundation from the fields and clay from the land. It gives a thick wall with a beautiful effect. On top of that, it is very easy to build.
Earthbags
This is our least favourite method but would be suitable if you do not have timber or stone available. We include it in the courses so you can experience it. It is fast, solid and has good thermal mass but required our least preferred material, ´plastic bags. However, we have built foundations with earthbags made from reused animal feed bags.
Strawbale
Another very fast method for building a house. It requires a lot of straw bales, timber and clay. I would say it is the least sustainable of methods, but it is fast, effective and with great insulation.
Earth bricks
Basic timber frame
Farm life
All photos were taken from the 5-day natural building course in October 2022. You can also check our video from our 2-week course in May 2022.