Join natural builder and teacher Bryan Burnoski for a hands-on cob building workshop that goes beyond the basics and dives into the creative art of earthen construction. Cob is a natural building material made from a mixture of clay, sand, straw, and water, that can be formed into a material to create structures that are breathable, fire-resistant, thermally efficient, and beautiful!
With over 18 years of experience teaching cob construction and building earthen cottages, Bryan will guide participants through the foundational techniques of cob building—how to source and test your own clay, mix cob by hand (and foot!), and apply it to real structures.
In this workshop, you’ll learn how to:
Source and identify the right clay for your own projects
Mix and build with cob using traditional methods
Construct beautiful arches, niches, and corbels
Insert bottle art and glass blocks to bring light and color into your walls
Explore the sculptural and artistic elements of natural building
Participants will get to practice building a cob wall that will incorporate artistic design in addition to the more structural elements of natural building.
Learning the skills of natural building supports community resilience by combining simple, time-tested techniques with natural, locally sourced materials. The high thermal mass of cob helps regulate indoor temperatures, reducing the need for mechanical heating and cooling, while its breathability supports healthy indoor air quality. Cob structures are durable, repairable, low-tech, and can be built with minimal embodied energy, making them a community-accessible option for more sustainable and adaptive housing.
Learn more about Bryan’s work here.
