true This course provides students with a comprehensive exploration of all facets of creating an energy efficient, climate-specific natural structure. In this two-week intensive, we will engage in studio sessions, hands-on construction experience, lectures, slide shows, and site tours. In the studio, students will develop a comprehensive design of a project through the creation of drawings of elevations, sections, plans, and scale models. In the shop, students will build a variety of insulative wall systems, examining critical details such as doors and windows, wall to roof connections, air sealing, framing options, plastering, and much more. Topics include straw bale construction, fiber-clay infill and other natural wall systems, clay and lime plasters, natural roof options, alternative foundations, water and energy conservation systems, permaculture and building-site relationships, and social and cultural contexts. Emphasis will be paid to designing and detailing for success in cold, wet climates. Beginner to Intermediate. 2009-11-07T09:12:49Z 12 2010-01-15 false 8 4 1 Rural 1445 2010-01-03 true Finishing walls with natural, nontoxic products imparts a number of benefits to a building, whether you are working on a plastered strawbale wall, or interior gypsum wall board. The ingredients are simple and safe, the process is creative and fun, and the possibilities are endless! In this course, we will look at the art, science and practice of making your own paints, washes, and other finishes with clay, lime, casein, wheat paste, mica, sand, pigments, oils and other natural materials. Students will be introduced to a variety of materials and their working properties, as well as gain a solid understanding of the basics of where and how to apply these products to different wall systems. This class will be mostly hands-on, with discussion ongoing throughout the course. All Levels. 2009-11-07T09:21:04Z 2 2010-02-07 false 11 4 1 Rural 300 2010-02-06 false Instructors are Sasha Rabin and Massey Burke. <br /> $250 for two people signing up together. No one turned away due to lack of funds, contact us about work trade opportunities. <br /> Includes all materials. <br /> This two day workshop offers a hands-on introduction to working with clay, sand, and fibers to make beautiful, non-toxic plasters and finishes. These methods and materials can be used over conventional sheetrock as well as earthen and straw bale walls. We will process both unrefined and store-bought materials into plaster and paint, and we will apply these finishes over both earthen walls and sheetrock. <br /> Participants will leave the workshop with enough understanding of the materials and process to mix and apply their own paints and plasters on a variety of substrates. 2010-01-13T23:34:53Z 2 2010-02-07 false 13 3 5 (East Bay Area) Lunch 150 Suburban retrofit 2010-02-06 true Learn to build beautiful, durable, long-lasting natural structures using little more than the earth beneath your feet. (Did we mention on a beautiful Greek island?) In this six day intensive course, we'll explore all aspects of building including foundations, walls, roofs and finishes. Focused specifically on cob - a millennia old material made from clay, sand and straw that is built without using forms and can be sculpted to form curves, archways, niches and just about anything else you can imagine - we'll also explore other 'recipes' for hybrid natural building materials that are appropriate in different circumstances. Cob structures can literally be built for free and if well protected with a good foundation, roof and plaster finish, they can easily last centuries. And beyond just hands-on work with these materials, we'll discuss all of the other considerations that go hand in hand with home construction and homestead development including siting, passive solar design, water and wastewater systems, electricity and most importantly, permaculture. Tuition for this six day course is 350 Euro which includes meals and camping. Please note that we do offer scholarships and a 'sliding scale' cost structure which means that we want to make sure that anyone interested in participating is able to join us. So if you'd like to join us, let us know and we'll find a way to make it work! For more information, write instructor Mark Krawczyk at mark@sgnb.com or workshop@ecoart.gr visit www.ecoart.gr 2009-12-10T22:24:14Z 6 2010-04-11 true 0 12 2 10 Island Yes 525 Cob and Straw on a beautiful Greek island. 2010-04-05