Cob dreams

This post is for Jen. Because she asked.

Once a long time ago Florian said to me. “I would like to build a house, using poles cut on our property, sand and straw.” Years before this conversation I saw such a house in a magazine and wished to one day live in one.

Below I tell the story of how this dream became reality. I also include quotes from Florian’s workshop notes for those interested in the history and technical aspects of cob building.

"Using Cob as a building material
Earth, water and straw are mixed by “stomping” on it and rolled using a tarpaulin until the mass is well-mixed, stiff, and difficult to pull apart. It is then rolled into loaf-sized lumps and worked into an existing structure using a cobber's needle. This allows the straw fibers to knit, enabling builders to sculpt walls that are a monolithic mass. Surplus cob or bulges are trimmed back with a panga or spade.”

Florian Kroll- cob building course notes

When Florian first mentioned his wish, I did not remember mine. I listened to his words but did not want to believe in something that might never happen. But Florian persisted. A group of people wanted to build this house as part of their dream, which was to start a sustainability node in the Johannesburg area.

“Sustainability of Cob
The use of earth for construction is sustainable because:
· it is a cheap, readily available resource
· it is not diminished by use
· it can be recycled
· it leaves no waste - surplus material is reused or rapidly degrades to soil
· it uses locally-available skills and resources
· it is a very flexible material that can be integrated with various existing technologies
· used correctly, it is very durable
· it buffers environmental extremes well and creates a healthy human habitat
· earth-pits can form part of efficient water-management designs
· energy inputs for earthbuildings are very low and can be met with minimal use of fossil fuel.”
Florian Kroll- cob building course notes

A workshop was scheduled as part of an environmental conference. Florian hired a TLB and prepared the site. To get the soil for our house we dug a deep hole which is now used to catch rainwater.

We raised a wooden frame, with timber cut on the property.

“Design
The nautilus was designed by Florian Kroll, architect Helene .v.d.Merwe, and Helena Wagener.

The design uses a universal natural pattern, the spiral, as its aesthetic and functional point of reference. The spiral allows wind catchment and climate control, optimal orientation, passive solar gain, economic rainwater harvesting, and ergonomic flow of everyday activities using a minimum of building material. "
Florian Kroll- cob building course notes

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"Site preparation was assisted by Pete Savage. The first walls were raised in June 2005 as part of the 2005 Sustainable Built Environment conference, with the help of architect Etienne Bruwer, strawbale-expert Pete Mackintosh, and lime-expert Jill Hogan.”

Florian Kroll- cob building course notes

Some forty people arrived at our home with sleeping bags and the wish to learn sustainable building techniques. At the time we were still staying in Florian’s dojo. We moved into an old caravan allowing them to sleep in the dojo.

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There were students from the university of the Freestate, architects, a great caterer, perma-culture enthusiasts, a workshop co-ordinator. Some people were from Johannesburg, some from the freestate, some from the cape and some from France. They build for a week and then departed. We had the start of our home.

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We have two labourers working for us. Both used to work in the construction environment but they prefer working with cob. They build three days a week.

When we find time we build over weekends.

We conduct cob building workshops to help cover the cost of labour. About 250 people have already helped to build our house. Many dream of one day building their own.

“Properties and Performance
Earth is one of the most environmentally friendly building materials available; it is chemically inert and does not release toxic vapours. Because it is breathable, it buffers moisture and temperature very well.
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If constructed appropriately, earth walls are not subject to water penetration or rising damp.

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Thick earthen walls can thus absorb a lot of heat energy during the day and release it again over night, thereby buffering temperature extremes in the daily and seasonal cycles. Earthen buildings are largely fireproof. It has great sound-proofing qualities, providing a private and peaceful environment.
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The compressive strength and mass of earth is often complemented by the tensile strength and insulative properties of natural, lignin-based fibres like straw or manure. This provides a powerful blend of compressive and tensile strength which has excellent structural properties as long as the material remains dry.”

Florian Kroll- cob building course notes
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We built a staircase using sandbags as a base. The staircase will lead to our sleeping loft.

We built a roof. We did not support it well and it started sagging.

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We tore it down and saved to buy more supporting poles. Last year December we bought thick strong poles. Finally the roof is about to start. It might be a living roof which means that it will have plants growing on it.

Experiencing this process reminds me of many things.

1. That dreams can come true. You just start and carry on one step at a time. When I first expressed the wish, more than 10 years ago, to live in an earthen home I had no idea how to get there.

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When I met Florian I was living the corporate dream in a tiny apartment in one of the wealthier northern suburbs of Johannesburg. I was feeling dissatisfied without knowing why. I have forgotten the need I had since childhood to live close to nature. It simply did not seem possible living in a city where space is a luxury few can afford. I was not even aware of the suburb we now live in.

When I went to visit Florian the first time I followed the instructions he gave me. One minute I was still on a dual carriage way, the next I was driving down a narrow road. Streetlights were gone, I had to slow down to avoid a group of people on horseback, huge plots of land stretched out of both sides of the road and all familiar city noises were gone. It was surreal. At night we hear crickets instead of cars.

Yet we live 30 minutes drive from my office. And soon we will live in a house made from mud, straw and sand, designed and built without obtaining a bank loan.

2. Mistakes happen. We did not need a wooden structure and we had to rebuild our roof. But we learned and moved on.

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3. We have the right to live in an environment that supports us. An environment that we recognize from a time long ago. An environment built from the same matter we ourselves are made from. There are no steps in the process that abuse anyone or anything. No energy is wasted producing bricks and cement and transporting building materials. You just take sand, clay, straw, add water and mix it with your feet.

“Earthbuilding technologies make use of earth in combination with various natural and synthetic building materials. Earth is one of the oldest and most widely used building materials in the world.

Earthbuilding traditions are found around the world in most cultures.

The origins of civilisation and urbanisation are closely entwined with earthbuilding technology, esp. Catal Huyuk, Mesopotamia, Sudan, Monomotapa, Egypt, Neolithic, Bronze-Age, Celtic & medieval Europe, Meso-America, South America, North-America. The monumental buildings of great civilisations were built and supported by people who lived mostly in earthen dwellings.

Earth has been used in the building of houses, blocks of flats, churches, mosques and community facilities for many centuries. Today, more than a third of the world's people live in earth-built homes.

Mainstream building technologies were revolutionised by industrialisation, the availability of cheap fossil fuels, and the increased use of fired bricks and cement.

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Houses built with traditional earthbuilding technologies using indigenous knowledge make up the majority of houses in the informal housing sector in South Africa. “

Florian Kroll- cob building course notes

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The walls enfold me in their cool embrace. I dream of lying on a Persian rug with Florian, staring into the fire. Of having coffee on a bench outside. Of the row of San Pedro cactuses guarding our front entrance and our dreams.