Building Community
Public natural building projects can take many forms and be any size, from a small weekend oven building project, a bench, or art installation, to a small building or an entire community center. Whatever you decide to do, involving the community in an earthen building project is fun and creative. Projects that involve the whole community create a sense of ownership and pride of place. Working together on a creative project is a great way to get to know neighbors and to bring different generations of a community together. Everyone feels like a kid when we’re playing in the mud!
Natural building projects offer a hands on opportunity to learn about our personal responsibility to our communities and planet as well.
What do we mean by “community”?
A community is simply the people you share your life with. Your community is your:
*City or Town
*School
*Spiritual group or church
*Neighborhood
*Club
*Family
*Any group of people you share your life with
Project Ideas
* An ongoing public space project that would involve people of all ages working together. For example, a project where on any given day a class of high school art students and a 2nd grade class will work together on the project at City Hall. The next day, a class from the local alternative school will work with the Tuesday Bridge club. With all of these very different people working together we can build a new space for everyone to enjoy and be a part of!
* Urban cob installations in the middle of the sea of concrete and advertisements. A little “garden” of the beauty of nature in downtown. Creating ownership and comfort within the unknown urban pedestrian freeways. A project like this could take the form of a street corner bench, a little wall around a community garden, a free book exchange stand, community bread oven, a sculpture, a play structure… the project is determined by the needs of the community that will build it.
*Indoor cob installations in and around our community space. For example, in the library, in the coffee shop, or in the youth center social space. Bring the outdoors into our indoor spaces. Involving the core community and inviting the greater community. This could take almost ay form from earthen wall murals, to unique seating, to things yet unimagined.
Funding for public projects:
We have experience working with communities to find creative funding options such as grants, public funding, and involving multiple organizations in collaborative efforts. There are lots of ways to pay for a community project so if you have a project in mind let us know and we’ll try to point you in the direction of some good funding options.
Evergreen Community Charter School Strawbale Playhouse and Outdoor Classroom
Tony teamed up with AB Tech and ECCS to begin building a natural playground featuring alternative and natural building techniques and materials, (straw bale, cob, reclaimed material). Students from all grades will participate in at least one aspect of building this structure, from design ideas to applying mud to the walls. The entire school community, including students, parents, and staff members will proudly take ownership of this structure as it represents the beginning phase of an entire natural materials playground. Our vision is to add other natural structures made from different materials like cob or rammed earth to complete a playground with a climbing structure, artistic bench, tunnels and more.
In 2007, Evergreen was recognized as one of the top ten green schools in the nation, and remains committed to establishing programs and projects that align with their philosophy of being an eco-conscious campus. To meet this end, Evergreen has formed a partnership with Artisan Builders Collective and AB Tech Carpentry Department in a shared vision to create a natural playground showcasing alternative and natural building techniques and materials. This partnership’s vision is to link the community through shared projects. Both partners in this endeavor will benefit as the AB Tech students will focus on a hands-on project and Evergreen students will have a sustainable playhouse that will be enjoyed by many. The straw bale playhouse will be suitable for children to play in, as well as provide an excellent opportunity to share natural building techniques with the community.
Stay tuned for photos and more projects!
