One Natural Builder’s Educational Tour
I have always loved building and making things. I went to architecture school in order to do that professionally, yet when it was over, I found myself spending 40+ hours a week behind a glowing screen instead. I worked in an office and became LEED certified, heavily involved with several ‘green’ buildings, but still, I knew the details that I was drawing weren’t truly sustainable. I felt the need to direct my energy in a more positive way.
I was considering grad school, but the cost was high and not necessarily going to bring the fruits I desired. Thus far I had built with Timberframe, Strawbale, Cordwood and Cob and was hungry for so much more. What I had learned through my natural building experiences really resonated with my beliefs, so I opted to focus on builder training instead. I decided to leave my architecture job and take a leap of faith into the world of natural building. How else would I ever reach my dreams of having a natural homestead to share with others one day?
As a designer, I really wanted to understand the larger implications of natural building. What wall systems are most appropriate in which climates? What types of business models really work and support the education process yet also provide a good living in today’s uncertain economy? In order to answer these questions, I felt the need to create an educational program for myself that involved traveling and experiencing many different sides of our community.
In July 2008, I left my steady job, darling home, garden and friends in Eugene, Oregon. My journey began with the basics – a few weeks of cob building and work trade at the Cob Cottage Company in Coquille, Oregon; one of the most holistic Natural Building Schools out there. Then I hopped down to Cuyama, California to study Permaculture with Geoff Lawton at Quail Springs Learning Oasis. I felt that a Permaculture Design Course at the beginning of my trip would really help me maintain the larger picture of what I was studying and why natural building is so important. Soon after, I would be back on the job site and into the details again. Next in New Mexico, I visited earthships and studied timber-framing and Light Clay-Straw with the EcoNest Building Company, perhaps one of the country’s most professional natural building firms with a focus on demonstrating the health benefits of natural homes and how a successful design-build business can be run. Next I made sure to have some fun and get in touch with the rest of my community by attending the 2008 International Natural Building Colloquium near Santa Barbara, California to geek-out and talk about nothing but natural building for a week – simply great! While there, I met several folks who opened even more doors for me, but that comes later. Next I was off to Thailand to bring it all together for a few months and build a two-story adobe home for the owners of a Living Seed Bank called Pun Pun. This period of self-sufficient living really helped me ground all the things I had learned and time to think about the potential implications.
On my return, it was time to start turning this dream into a profession. I had managed to acquire a client for a Light Straw-Clay house and developing the drawings per code was a great learning experience. I also lined up a few workshops to teach and build things such as ovens and benches wherever possible. I’m now at a project hosted by BambooDNA and soon onto creating a sculpture for the city of Ithaca. My new life is taking shape and several exciting projects are starting to fill my schedule. I find myself really quite knowledgeable about a wide range of natural building techniques and when they are appropriate. I am eager to share and pass on what I’ve learned with others. My deepest gratitude goes out to everyone who opened up their homes to me during my travels and sincere thanks to everyone who believed in me and helped me realize my dreams. And a word of advice for anyone who is interested in learning the craft of natural shelter—you can do it too!
If you’d like to learn more and see photographs of any of these experiences, check out my website at:
or my blog at: