A similar but larger dome we built in Zambia in 2012.
The Zambian dome takes shape
Lovely local food to start the day…
Workshop participants practice the art of accurately positioning a tube of earth…
“The dome WE built!” – Poland, 2012
24-30 June 2020
A 6 to 7 day Earthbag Dome Workshop. (some call it Superadobe, except we keep our earthbag technology as natural as possible, built using mostly earth and a pegging system with no barbed wire..! cement and barbed wire used ONLY where absolutely necessary.)
Taught by architect and earthbag author Paulina Wojciechowska.
The workshop will be lead by Earth Hands and Houses founder Paulina Wojciechowska, a qualified architect who has over 20 years of experience building with earthbags in communities all around the world. Paulina worked alongside Nader Khalili at Cal-Earth in 1996 and is the author of “Building with Earth”, one of the leading earthbag construction books.
What You Will Learn
The workshop is a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience of all stages of constructing a small earthbag dome with an arched entrance, in a beautiful location on a community farm in E.Sussex.
The workshop will include:
Earthbag Dome Workshop
- Theory of earthbag stucture and foundations.
- Building an earthbag dome.
- Creating earthbag walls using both single bags and earthbag tubes.
- Stabilising the wall using a peging system and some barbed wire where necessary.
- Different techniques using arches and lintels to construct doorways and windows within the earthbag structure.
- Ensuring the structure is stable through the correct use of buttressing and corbelling based upon the nature of the earth used to fill the bags.
- Recognizing the clay found on our land and understanding how to use it for building.
- Preparation and application of the first coat of interior clay plaster onto an earthbag dome.
Book Your Place
The workshop price is: £395
Earthbag Dome Workshop:
(the workshop is 6 or 7 days depending on the size of group, with the possibility for a day off in the middle if the workshop is running on schedule.)
Numbers on the workshop will be limited to ensure a good learning experience, and we are expecting the allocated places to fill up before the workshop.
Note that we are running two workshops at this time in E. Sussex, with the artistry with clay plastering and carving after this Earthbag workshop. This second workshop will ensure you walk away with a good understanding of how to mix eath and lime earth plasters and how to apply them and turn them into decorative wall finishes.
To book your place
email earthhands@gmail.com or
call Paulina on (+44) 7787918184.
About your Workshop Leader
The workshop will be lead by Earth, Hands and Houses founder Paulina Wojciechowska, a qualified architect who has over 20 years of experience building with earthbags in communities all around the world. Paulina worked alongside Nader Khalili at Cal-Earth in 1996 and is the author of “Building with Earth”, one of the leading earthbag construction books. Click here to hear Paulina talk about her experiences.
Food, Location, Accommodation
Vegetarian/Vegan food will be available at a cost of approx. £10/day, payable upon arrival. The food will comprise a self service breakfast, full cooked lunchtime meal, and a light supper, ususally leftovers from lunch or soup. This money covers the groceries only. To keep the food cost to the minimun the food will be prepared by ourselves.
Location : The workshop will be held on a small community farm, 10 minutes walk outside of the village centre of Forest Row, 30 minutes drive from Gatwick Airport near London in East Sussex, UK.
The community farm where the workshop is located is a beautiful setting with simple camping fascilities, a natural swimming hole and a sauna.
CLICK HERE for Location Maps, more details of the camping facilities, maps, travel information and other accommodation available.
Trains: the nearest train station 3 miles away is East Grinstead, with direct trains from London Victoria and london Bridge.
Camping : You may camp on the workshop field for £5/day per person, if you have a tent. The site has very simple camping fascilities like a kitchen, compost toilet and cold showers, a possible sauna and a natural swimmin hole.
Places to stay: Forest Row has a good airbnb selection of places to stay, or find a hotel nearby in East Grinstead area.
Workshop Timing
The earthbag dome workshop will run from approx. 9.30am to 5.30pm on each day. with a half day off in the middle, if we are running on schedule. We will aim to be finished by approx 4pm on the last day to give you time to pack etc..
But there is more…
This will be more than just an earthbag dome workshop – it will be a wonderful opportunity to enjoy learning and relaxing amongst like minded people, some who may become your friends for life!
Earthbag Homes in Disaster Regions
Click here to read more about why earthbag homes are a great construction method to introduce into the world’s poorer, disaster prone communities.
Learn more…
Hear Paulina talk about her experience and vision for Earth, Hands and Houses:
Watch people’s experience of an Earth, Hands and Houses straw bale and clay plastering workshop: