cob building | CruzinCobGlobal

WE DID IT!!!!

Posted on November 19, 2017 by Claudine Desiree

I had a feeling this workshop would be the one that would reach my personal goal of truly completing the whole building right to the roof covering. It is the third month-long cob workshop I have led and for factors that I managed to control this time, the previous two did not attain the roof completion. I am learning to stay strict about building size relative to number of students and strict about the schedule. I think I am also learning to support the students mentally and physically in maximizing their potential.. I still realize that whatever number I declare to be the daily individual goal for cob batches, people rarely attain that consistently. The lesson this time was that as I lowered the daily goal to 3, the lowest yet, people lowered their output. If I had declared it to be 6 batches, everyone would easily be making 3 batches a day. At 3, there were many 1 batch days for a number of students. My intention in the cob workshops I teach is to have students experience the intensity of effort it takes to complete a cob building in a reasonable time frame. Most cob projects I have heard about take an excessively long time to complete because it’s hard work and not systematized or consistent. On the job sites I have had, the only way we can advance effectively is to have systems of concentrated production, multi-tasking with trimming, and of course having all the inserted materials prepped and ready when needed. Same for the workshops. When talking with other teachers or students who have taken other workshops, what I hear is that a full building is never completed. I know that students really want this experience and when they accomplish benchmarks like finishing the wall, there is such an ecstatic bliss that sets in, along with fulfillment, pride and confidence, that I know I am doing the right thing.

The Texas workshop students had a phenomenal synergy. There was the youthful crew that worked hard and played hard, every night, and weekends…and then the others that paced their energy with early bedtime and restful weekends. Nonetheless the closeness and joy of the whole group grew quickly from Day 1 until the difficult goodbyes one month later. The deep bond that was formed in the creation of this beautiful sculpted cob studio is irreparable and eternal. Each student has gained the knowledge and ability to do the same when they return home or wherever they are. For this reason, the Complete Cob Workshops will become CruzinCobGlobal’s standard offering 4 times a year, all over the world. It is this type of workshop that will produce confident and able Cobbers, ready to be assistant teachers and ready to build cob projects.

Congratulations to the new class of Advanced Cobber graduates! Well done!

The Cabo Verdean Culture of Rock n’ Cob Houses Opens the Door to Something New…

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Claudine Desiree

As I make my way into new countries and cultures, especially non-industrialized, non-Western (all these labels are kinda janky, as my kids say) lands I am always excited to discover how my introduction of Cob will be received. In Senegal, traditionally a mud house-building people, especially in the Southern Casamance region, our techniques were still of interest. There they don’t use straw in their mix and often use termite mound mix which barely has any clay in it and washes away with water. Some areas do have really good yellowish clay soils that may be akin to the red ready-mix of the Sierra Foothills. They mainly use block-making building style with forms. They certainy don’t take time to test as we have been taught and teach others. But heck, if it’s still standing after the rainy season then it’s a good mix.

Here in Cabo Verde the tradition is rock with cob originally and now cement mortar. You only see them in the rural areas. It seems cob is faster and easier and cheaper though. It took the “pedreiros” or “stoners” (heehee) 4 days to build a 12m2 foundation! Rocks are heavy and unless they’re right where you want to build, the transport is costly and demanding.

The first day we started the wall the masons were still there and curious to see what we were up to in the workshop. Within minutes of starting the first mix, they were piqued. They watched intently as I demonstrated the pisé cob dance and came in

Nuno’s First Cob Mix Ecstasy Dance

closer to pick up on the fine details. They were excited. Everyone was… as they always are on Day 1. Come back on Day 5, 6 and 7 and see how excited everyone is! The “pedreiros” jumped in and began their dance with agile feet and a good rhythm. Everyone always has their unique steppin’-in-the-mud style but the Black Africans in Senegal definitely had a groove I’ve never seen that is somehow connected to their tribal dance steps. They twist their feet outwards and use their whole body weight at a nice clip. Here in Cabo Verde, not as African, there was a little less initial naturalness. As I said they are a rock land.

Nonetheless it wasn’t until we were almost finished with the walls that people REALLY got it. “Wow, these walls are strong!” the cheesemaker, the welder and the other rural folk began complimenting our work. “Touch it! Go ahead! Kick the walls!” I offered up. They did. A bit shy and surprised, they were not sure what to make of this new

Oooooh….wooooow….hmmmmm

technique for building that was clearly cheaper, natural, beautiful, local and sturdy. This part of the world is very set in their ways, we have learned. Things take a long time to come into effect. They got used to cement, didn’t they? We are moving forwards people….come along for the ride….

University professors, architects, engineers, contractors, the national TV, students and more neighbors all came by to see. You can talk about COB all day long….but it’s when you take action and make it happen by letting people mix and build and feel and see the wall growing in their hands that the magic of awakening and revolution begins to happen, one mix, one cob loaf, one builder, one cob family at a time. The auburn green-roofed12m2 room we built is now visible on the horizon to every passing vehicle on the road. Its unique shape and natural colors draw the eye and attention. Calháu will never be the same and has begun its road to showing an alternative to the concrete landscape of today. May the cob house speak for itself, silently creating transformation, a sensual kiss on the surface of Mother Earth.

Perfect Symmetry

An African Mystical Cob Oven, Senegal, May 22, 2015

Posted on May 25, 2015 by Claudine Desiree

The first week of our cob oven workshop in Toubab Dialaw, Senegal was full of a cultural diversity of

The first batch of cob is always an amazing surprise

human energy, world music beats, delicious large shared dishes of fish, rice, veggies prepared in a myriad of ways, story-telling, learning, good exercise, hard work and beautiful, rich artistic expression.

We had 3 young children who learned to make their own cob mix, a range of ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and languages. In the end we were all connected by the mud, from whence we have all come and to which we shall all return.

Azadey, Ousmane and Adama

After the intense and frustrating concentration of building a 6 foot diameter laterite rock foundation with cement mortar, we began to have fun preparing the mudbath for the straw. Finally, the mud stompin’ begins.

Mbarou struts her Afro steps in the mudbath for the straw insulation

The insulation, cob base, and bricks were set with utmost precision for a level oven floor. The sand dome was formed like a day at the beach. Each material we work with our hands creates a new massage on the skin, a new relationship to learn between our handwork and the result we are looking for, new skills we perfect with each minute of practice. For some it comes easily and well, for others it requires more disciplined attention and effort. We all watch each other and learn.

Baye massages the beautiful sand dome

Time for the oven layering around the sand…a long day. But we must complete the oven today or the sand dome will dry and fall. One more push. 16 hands working together making mix and forming it to the dome around and around. Finally we are starting to see the oven take shape. Even if it looks lost on the large foundation, each successive layer of insulation, cob mix and plaster will bring it closer to the edge of the base.

Our beautiful oven shell

And ultimately, the excitement of cutting open the door and digging out wheelbarrows and wheelbarrows of sand out of the new oven. An endless stream of sand pours out. So much sand that we will reuse for the plaster mix.

Ousmane checks out the inside walls

Ahhhhh, there’s my oven. Beautiful sculpted Ghanaian symbols representing “harmony”, “energy” and “Mother Earth”, as well as an African sun, an elephant, stars and a wavy border adorn the new community oven. This oven now has an identity.

Ghanaian Adinkra symbols for Harmony, Energy and Mother Earth

It is an African oven, a mystical oven, representing the harmony of the people working together to build it, the energy required, and the Mother with her pregnant belly made of Earth. As always things happen exactly as they should. Blessings on this first cob oven in this area of Senegal. May it last many generations and cook many fine foods to be savored by all. And may more cob ovens flourish through the land here, as an expression of love for Mother Earth and gratitude for her gifts.

Mother Earth Symbol

Finished oven with local clay pigments

The Cob Oven Family

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