CruzinCobGlobal offers students a choice of 3 workshop formats, 21-, 28- and 35-days long. Below is a description of each one.
21-Day Basic Cob Building Workshop
Description
The 21-day Basic Cob Building Workshop consists of 15 days of theoretical instruction (lectures
with graphics) and construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon. Students
arrive on Sunday and settle in. International students can check with Host about arriving earlier to
adjust to time difference, etc. Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) are days off for resting, exploring
the area, studying and, if desired, continuing to build at your own pace. The last Saturday morning
may include some finishing up work and cleanup. Morning (4 hours) and afternoon (3 hours)
sessions each have a 15-minute snack break. Lunch break lasts 1.5-2 hours which includes about
1 hour of rest time before the afternoon session begins, with a 60 minute lecture on Mondays,
Wednesdays and Fridays, followed by construction. Tuesdays and Thursdays we begin building
right away after lunch break. After class in the afternoon, there is a 90-minute break before dinner,
which may include a yin yoga session or other movement class led by a student or just freeflow.
There will also be 1 evening a week) for showing slides, videos and having Course- related
discussions. Other evenings are free and/or organized by group for extracurricular activities as
desired.
The 21-day Course will offer practical learning by building the wall of a 12m2-15m2 (depending on
number of students) curvilinear building. The Course starts with the first 10” (gravel, insulation and
rough cob) of floor and continues on the second day with the start of the Cob wall on the pre-built
foundation and includes a door, opening and fixed windows, shelves, artistic inserts & sculpting,
electrical, plumbing and the roof connection. The Cob Wall will be built in the first 2 weeks. In Week
3 we will be sculpting and applying 1 coat of earthen plaster on the wall and, time permitting, finish
part of or all of the second floor coat.
While our goal is completion, certain factors need to come together smoothly for this to happen,
including weather, student number, abilities, and having the ideal materials. If for any reason,
anything is not completed, a portion of it will be done and explained in practice, and, as always, it
will be covered in lecture.
In some Courses we offer tadelakt lime plaster finish on a section of the inside walls.
Those who complete the 21-day Workshop will receive a Basic Cob Building Certificate of
Completion for Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Art, Electrical & Plumbing),
Floor, & Plaster.
Schedule
The 21-day Workshop begins on Sunday afternoon with a Host Introduction to the Site and Project,
followed by a Welcome Dinner and an Introduction to the Workshop Structure. The Host also
provides a Graduation/Celebration Dinner on the last Saturday evening and a Goodbye Brunch/
Lunch on Sunday, the last day. Students may also have the opportunity to stay after the Course
and help with the final finish work if needed (additional coats of plaster and floor, oiling and waxing
floor, inserting door and opening windows into frames, putting in appliances and fixtures). This is
usually in exchange for meals and up to Host & Student arrangement.
Mondays through Fridays we will build and Saturdays/Sundays we will have time off. The last
Saturday morning may be used to wrap things up otherwise the whole day will be for a final group
activity with a celebration dinner.
The daily schedule (subject to modification) will be:
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)
Detailed Course Contents
Students will learn every step with daily hands-on practice and in lectures/theory 3 times a week. In
addition, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and enhance their understanding of cob
materials, cob building, design, geography , budgeting, business options and legal issues.
Our hands-on practice will include:
analyzing soils and materials
making test bricks
deciding on correct mixture
deciding on best location
making cob w/ partner and solo
building with cob
preparing and inserting the door
preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
inserting bottle windows and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (1 coat)
pouring an earthen floor (2 coats)
preparing walls for roof connection
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material also includes:
legal issues about cob
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal
Requirements and Important Information Regarding Physical Work
Students will need to come prepared for physical labor from Day 1. This includes:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes
Flip-flops for cobbing days
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap), Level (2ft), Hammer (if possible)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottlegv
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)
These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build the walls of a complete
structure in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we make
time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and
participating in all building/learning hours unless ill or have some other significant reason. This is
because we design the size of the building and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance
with the number of students and when people are absent it impacts the whole group and the other
students have to work harder. In addition Instructors try to set up building work according to students’
preferences and learning needs. That being said, the workshop intensity also changes from week 1 to
week 3. While the first 2 weeks of cob making and building are physically demanding, they also are
flowing and active in movement and cardiovascular exercise. The third week slows down and the
body can rest as students tap into their creative source and design and sculpt the walls and around
niches, shelves, windows, etc. Plastering follows sculpting and is also an enjoyable lightweight
physical experience that lends itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the
students have bonded and shared deeply through a variety of experiences in weeks 1 & 2. Now the
workshop is in its final stretch and there is a boost of energy to wrap things up with the grand finale on
the last day, the second floor coat.
For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience along with time for personal
exploration and experimentation, these workshops are not for you. However you can find a more
suitable workshop online that is usually for a shorter period building a garden wall, a bench, a
compost toilet or some other small-scale project.
Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” before the workshop begins and any
other book they find, as well as watching videos on YouTube, especially the ones posted on
CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery to get an idea of what is expected. Please bring your
book(s).
Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert
themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us
know before the workshop begins so we can adjust appropriately. It is totally OK to come for the
lecture/theory part, and then help the building part in less physically demanding ways, ie cutting
straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting
bottles. There is alot to do besides making and building with cob!!!!
Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course including meals. Feel free to share your dietary needs with CCG or the Host and bring your
essential snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free to also bring slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test.
28-Day Intermediate Cob Building Workshop
Description
The 28-day Intermediate Cob Building Workshop consists of 20 days of theoretical instruction
(lectures with graphics) and construction for 4 hours in the morning and 3 hours in the afternoon.
Students arrive on Sunday and settle in. International students can check with Host about arriving
earlier to adjust to time difference, etc. Weekends (Saturday and Sunday) are days off for resting,
exploring the area, studying and, if desired, continuing to build at your own pace. The last Saturday
morning may include some finishing up work and cleanup. Morning (4 hours) and afternoon (3
hours) sessions each have a 15-minute snack break. Lunch break lasts 1.5-2 hours which includes
about 1 hour of rest time before the afternoon session begins, with a 60 minute lecture on
Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, followed by construction. Tuesdays and Thursdays we begin
building right away after lunch break. After class in the afternoon, there is a 90-minute break
before dinner, which may include a yin yoga session or other movement class led by a student or
just freeflow. There will also be 1 evening a week after dinner for showing slides, videos and
having Course-related discussions. Other evenings are free and/or organized by group for
extracurricular activities as desired.
The 28-day Course will offer practical learning by building foundation and walls OR walls and roof
of a 12m2-15m2 (depending on number of students) curvilinear building. In the first option, the
Course starts with the Foundation and first 10” (gravel, insulation and rough cob) of Floor during
Week 1 followed by the Cob Wall in Weeks 2 & 3, which includes a door, opening and fixed
windows, shelves, artistic inserts & sculpting, electrical, plumbing and the roof connection. In Week
4 we will be sculpting and applying 1 coat of earthen plaster on the wall, as well as pouring the
second floor coat. In the second option, Week 1 will begin with the Floor followed by Cob Wall until
the end of Week 2. Week 3 will be sculpting and applying 1 coat of earthen plaster on the wall and
in Week 4 the roof will be built with the second floor coat poured on the last day.
While our goal is completion, certain factors need to come together smoothly for this to happen,
including weather, student number & abilities, having the ideal materials and the complexity level of
roof. While we usually complete our goal, if that is not the case, enough of the final step will be
done for students to understand and as always, the information is covered in lectures with graphic
posters.
In some Courses we offer tadelakt lime plaster finish on a section of the inside walls.
Those who complete the 28-day Workshop will receive an Intermediate Cob Building Certificate of
Completion for either Foundation or Roof, Cob Walls (which includes Door, Windows, Shelves, Art,
Electrical & Plumbing), Floor & Plaster.
Schedule
The 28-day Advanced Cob Workshop begins on Sunday afternoon with a Host Introduction to the
Site and Project, followed by a Welcome Dinner and an Introduction to the Workshop Structure.
The Host also provides a Graduation/Celebration Dinner on the last Saturday evening and a
Goodbye Brunch/Lunch on Sunday, the last day. Students may also have the opportunity to stay
after the Course and help with the final finish work if needed (additional coats of plaster and floor,
oiling and waxing floor, French drain, gutters, inserting door and opening windows into frames,
putting in appliances and fixtures). This is usually in exchange for meals and up to Host & Student
arrangement.
Mondays through Fridays we will build and Saturdays/Sundays we will have time off. The last
Saturday morning may be used to wrap things up otherwise the whole day will be for a final group
activity with a celebration dinner.
The daily schedule (subject to modification) will be:
8:00-8:45 Breakfast
9:00-1:00 Class
1:00-2:30 Lunch
2:30-5:30 Class
5:30-7:00 Rest/Yoga
7:00-8:00 Dinner
8:00-9:00 Slides/Videos/Discussion (once a week)
Detailed Course Contents
Students will learn every phase of building a cob building from foundation through the roof in
lectures/theory. In addition to the lectures, slideshows and videos will be shown to support and
enhance their understanding of cob materials, cob building, design, geography , budgeting,
business options and legal issues.
Our hands-on practice will include:
digging foundation trench (option 1)
pouring gravel and inserting drainage pipe (if applicable) (option 1)
building foundation stemwall (option 1)
analyzing soils and materials
making test bricks
deciding on correct mixture
deciding on best location
making cob w/ partner and solo
building with cob
preparing and inserting the door
preparing and inserting fixed and opening windows
preparing and inserting shelves
inserting bottle windows and other objects
inserting electrical wiring and plumbing in walls
sculpting
preparing and applying earthen plasters (2 coats)
pouring an earthen floor (2 layers)
preparing walls for roof connection
building roof frame (option 2)
building roof covering (option 2)
making small-scale cob designs of future projects, time permitting
In addition to Cob Building practices, the Course material also includes:
legal issues about cob
cost analysis
creating a cob business (building/teaching)
assisting, interning and teaching with CruzinCobGlobal
Requirements and Important Information Regarding Physical Work
Students will need to come prepared for physical labor from Day 1. This includes:
Work clothes appropriate for the country and climate we are in
Work boots or other closed-toe shoes
Flip-flops for cobbing days
Rubber dishwashing gloves (for lime mortar)
Work Gloves
Tape Measure
Box Cutter
Carving Knife
Wood Hand Saw (cheap), Level (2ft), Hammer (if possible)
Ear Plugs (roof week)
4”-6” Diameter Round Plastic Container Lids (plastering)
Good Moisturizer
Hat
Sunglasses
Safety Glasses
Water Bottlegv
Notebook/Pen/Camera
Sample of Your Soil (Optional)
These workshops are designed for people that want to learn how to build a complete structure from
start to finish in a professional manner and amount of time. They are very intensive and, while we
make time for yoga, stretching, dancing, music, relaxing….all students are expected to be present and
participating in all building/learning hours unless ill or have some other significant reason. This is
because we design the size of the building and organize the structure of the workshop in accordance
with the number of students and when people are absent it impacts the whole group and the other
students have to work harder. In addition Instructors try to set up building work according to students’
preferences and learning needs. That being said, the workshop intensity also changes from week 1 to
week 4. In option 1, the Foundation week breaks people in with the work of moving, lifting, rolling and
placing rocks and is a new and demanding physical experience for most students. It also includes
the first layers and coat of cob floor. The second and third weeks of cob making and building are
similar to the rock foundation week in physical demand but are more flowing and active in movement
and cardiovascular exercise. The fourth week finally slows down and the body can rest as students
tap into their creative source and design and sculpt the walls and around niches, shelves, windows,
etc. Plastering follows sculpting and is also an enjoyable lightweight physical experience that lends
itself to talking and sharing at the wall in a meditative rhythm as the students have bonded and shared
deeply through a variety of experiences for a month. Now the workshop is in its final stretch and there
is a boost of energy to wrap up and pour the second floor coat on the last day. In option 2, the pace
and gears shift from Cob to Roof in Week 4, with wood and power tools and alot of hammering
replacing the quiet flow of plastering. However there is much pride in sseeing the completed building
once the Roof is done!
For students wanting a more mellow slow-paced cob experience along with time for personal
exploration and experimentation, these workshops are not for you. However you can find a more
suitable workshop online that is usually for a shorter period building a garden wall, a bench, a
compost toilet or some other small-scale project.
Students are required to read “The Hand-Sculpted House” before the workshop begins and any
other book they find, as well as watching videos on YouTube, especially the ones posted on
CruzinCobGlobal’s website under Gallery to get an idea of what is expected. Please bring your
book(s).
Students must tend to their own personal needs, drink alot of water, rest when needed and exert
themselves at a steady pace. Students who cannot do the strenuous physical work should let us
know before the workshop begins so we can adjust appropriately. It is totally OK to come for the
lecture/theory part, and then help the building part in less physically demanding ways, ie cutting
straw, sifting for plaster, hammering nails into frames or shelves, sculpting, plastering, cutting
bottles. There is alot to do besides making and building with cob!!!!
Finally, please bring a watch or use your phone to be prompt and ready for each part of the Course
including meals. Feel free to share your dietary needs with CCG or the Host and bring your
essential snacks and foods, pillow and whatever you NEED to be comfortable and happy. Feel free
to also bring slides, videos, movies and books to share, as well as a sample of your soil to test.
