Vertical Clay

HOW TO BUILD AN ADOBE NUBIAN VAULT*

August 28 & 29

Location: El Sobrante, Ca

Cost: $150

* The prerequisite for this class is to have some experience with earthen building, or to take our Introduction to Building with Adobe, or the Cob Building Intensive. 

The Nubian vault is a technique of building roofs that utilizes no wood for its structure or the building process.  The tradition comes from the deserts of southern Egypt where the technique has been in 

practice for over 3000 years.  The primary trait of this technique is the use of a catenary curve that provides the most stable transfer of weight from roof to foundation.  Now more than ever, in this age of deforestation, it is important  to re-explore, re-evaluate and adapt such valuable techniques to serve as a viable and socially acceptable way of housing for a wider range of climates around the world. 

This workshop will be taught by Stevan de la Rosa Tames.  Stevan de la Rosa Tames has been learning and practicing different natural building techniques since 2004.  His extensive travels through Asia and Africa have contributed to his diversity of knowledge and practices from different parts of the world.  Currently he practices and teaches natural building, volunteers his skills in projects for social justice causes, and continues to explore the vastness of vernacular architecture.  Recently he has worked with local masons building adobe vaults in Burkina Faso, taught natural building in Thailand and  teaches Nubian vault construction for the Adobe Alliance.

NATURAL BUILDING INTENSIVE 
October 9-16, 2010

Quail Springs Learning Oasis and Permaculture Farm in the Upper Cuyama Valley in Southern
California (www.quailsprings.org)

Cost: $675 before Sept. 1, $800 after Sept 1       (includes homegrown & locally-grown organic
food (our own goatmilk, cheeses, chicken, fresh eggs, and fall harvest vegetables), tent camping,
swimming in the pond, nature walks, and after good days of satisfying work - inspiring presentations,
discussions on natural building, and high desert star gazing. Contact to register: Kolmi at info@quailsprings.org or 805-886-7239

This workshop is designed for first-time builders, as well as professional builders and contractors who
want to delve into building with natural materials.

We will join together to build a community bathhouse/sauna* with the teaching and guidance of Sasha
Rabin. We will focus on earthen building, offering hands on experience with cob, light straw clay (slip
straw), adobe block, and wattle and daub. Students will learn to smoothly integrate a variety
of natural building materials to create the best possible building solution for each individual situation.
Sasha will demonstrate how to prospect and test for appropriate building sediment, how to mix cob,
various cob wall building techniques, the installation of windows into cob walls, methods for attachment of wood (e.g. doors, roofs), and how to sculpt niches, shelves and furniture.
As a complement to the hands-on building portion of the course there will be slide shows and discussion sessions about the philosophical and theoretical aspects of natural building. These sessions
cover building design and siting, passive solar design, foundations and drainage, natural plasters and
earthen floors, roofs, and electric and plumbing for earthen buildings. There will also be opportunity to gain some skills in simple wood working for those with minimal or no wood working experience.
*Project Description: Cob bathhouse & sauna with 2 inside showers and dressing areas, 2 outside
showers, interior bath and sauna space, attached greywater system and plantings.

To register for any workshops contact us.