Thinking Outside the Box - An Organic House

Since we decided we'd think about building an extension on the house I have been reading all I can find about architecture, eco-sensitive materials, high energy efficiency windows, environmentally friendly insulation and all the rest of it. My head is spinning at this stage! But something that keeps cropping up is the organic house. We are all familiar by now with the environmentally friendly house, they cost a lot to build but with top spec materials often no heating is necessary and the savings come with little or no heating bills over a lifetime. Generally the manufactured costly but effective materials are said to be eco-friendly as a consequence.

So what is an organic house? Take a look at this because a picture can say what a thousand words could never convey (well not my words anyway, but somebody this poetic I'm sure wouldn't have the slightest problem).

 
Low Impact Woodland Home
by Simon Dale

AD33 Today ; The Cob Gallery

Before you read on, what is your initial reaction? Fantastic or ridiculous?

And the difference between this and a conventional environmentally friendly house is? It's designed by the occupants, not an architect. It's built by the occupants, not a building company. It's constructed using local building materials. eg. staw bale, cob (thats mud, from the ground, your ground hopefully, more specifically clay), timber. People of any age can do it, 4 to 400. Power tools required? Hands and feet, until you get to the roofing.  Due to all these factors the energy and resources required to construct one is minimal. Their creation has little or no impact on the environment. They are cheap to build and can be constructed without a mortgage. Yes thats right, no mortgage. There are little or no right angles in the construction which an awful lot of people, myself included, find incredibly satisfying, comforting, healing, relaxing, I've read that grown men have been known to cry when they first visit a place like this (and probably women too, but grown women crying is less of a newsflash, I even cry watching Neighbours for gods sake!) ... perhaps it's because there are no right angles in nature that  the organic house appeals to us on even the purest primitive levels. Hands up who didn't secretly wish that they lived in a Hobbit house when they first saw Lord of the Rings?

The question is, is that space for our family going to be a garden feature ... a tiny structure in which I or other family members can escape to for a bit of 'me' time ... or is it to be incorporated into the extension ... or is it to be a new home ... or perhaps its not for us at all? I wonder what the view of the local planning authority is towards these low impact dwellings?  We are sleeping on it, probably for a few years knowing us. Please tell me its a mad hat plan.

In a month or so the spring sowings will begin and the polytunnel will keep me safe from any more of these wild and dreamy tangents! The silly season will officially be over, or will it.

Comments

[carolyn]

It's not madhat at all it's wonderful and charming and would make a delightful project.

[Ivy]

Fantastic!
When we are ready to build a house, we would like to make it as wise as possible. Wonderful project and way to live!

[Lizz]

I was thrilled to come here and read this post today. My vote: Do it! We have plans ourselves to build cob.

What I want to share with you is that I have been to the Cob Cottage, several times! It's just South of me here in the hills. Ianto, author of The Hand-Sculpted House is quite amazing. They run a school too. To see and feel this form of building, it's...delicious, sensual, alive! I'm sure I must have cried to be there. It is truly an organic way of building.

[Wibit (Brie)]

I love it! Cob houses are just divine. You should so do it. As soon as we can afford a bit of land we will too. The feeling inside is just magical on some level like coming home. You will also have a new and valuable skill.

[Tom Atkins]

Enjoying reading about your journey in building research. If you're interested in cob and strawbale, I recommend a visit to the Hollies in County Cork:

http://theholliesonline.com

Ianto Evans and Linda Smiley (mentioned in a previous comment) and authors of the wonderful 'Hand Sculpted House' have taught several courses there and they have some wonderful buildings.

I spent a year helping build the cob houses there as a wwoofer. We've now found our own few acres here in West Cork and are building a house (plenty of trees planted already and to be followed by fruit and veg gardens when we're living there). The house is not all curvy - timber frame and fairly conventional looking - but I still have dreams to build something more like the house in this post down in the woods. Magical.

Tom

[Nancy]

I love your journal. I bookmarked it, with a link on my browser a long time ago. Actually that was the one with the willow house.

I'm hooked. We're very much alike. I build tipis. Just cut down 12-16 23' tall cedar trees, lash three together at 19' on the ground, lift the the tied area up onto a chair and then walk the one log toward the chair. Separate the other two logs into a tripod and keep walking that one into the center.

In about half an hour you have a lovely tipi frame. Cover it with some big fabric, hang up a few hammocks from pole to pole.

that's my getaway place. the kids also use it for parties.

Actually I have five of them.

I love felting, making stuff with willow, your idea of a sod house, all sorts of basketmaking, stained glass, making earings with feathers, journaling, etc.

Lets get to know each other!

[Gillian]

I am certainly one of those people who wanted to live in a little hobbit house in the shire. This house you showed is, indeed, quite beautiful but I must say that from the homekeeping standpoint I would want less wood with the bark still on. I like some of the curviness of the wood beams but I think the upkeep would be easier if they were stripped of the bark and had a beeswax, or other similar natural, finish on it. Have you ever tried to get cobwebs and dust off a piece of bark? Not fun I tell you.
I love the idea of starting with a small cottage that could be for guests, or quiet time - a mini retreat on your own land. Beautiful.

[Robert]

It looks fantastic and I would certainly give it serious consideration. The design would need to be altered to suit personal tastes, budget and location but overall I think this is a fantastic idea.

[Amanda]

I watched a programme a few years back about the building of one of these houses and was fascinated - it made use of the natural hillside somewhere and was built *into* the hill... it was stunning! When I first saw the pics you posted I thought of Hobbits and yes I have *always* wanted to live in a Hobbit home... if you ever build one be warned that you'll probably get a lot of people just "popping round" to hav a sniffle at the sheer beauty of it ;o)

[kathyann]

What a wonderful place to live I would love somewhere like this for me and my girls,especially if it was near a bluebell wood with a stream running through it!!!what a peaceful haven! if something like this could be built at your place I would say go for it!!!!love from Kathyann and the girls

[vallen Queen]

just do it. it's a beautiful idea!

[Katrien]

Oh yes please do it. Of course begin with something do-able: an extension, a separate guest house...
I am saying this for purely selfish reasons. We are looking to get out of our condo and buy some land (1 acre at most, more is not affordable round here) and a house that we can manage all aspects of ourselves (no more condo telling us not to compost, to forget about alternative energy!).
We're looking for something that is already built for several reasons. For one, we all have jobs and a toddler, so building something ourselves would take a long time and we couldn't afford living in our old condo while building (2 mortgages, brr!). Also, you can hardly buy land out here anymore: it all comes with a house attached.

Nevertheless, I have been dreaming of a house like that. So the idea is to buy a house and to build an extension or guest/childhouse like that once we're settled in. If only to hone our skills on, to try out the possibilities and advantages.

You're already at that stage!

Be sure to keep us totally posted and to count the (wo)man hours and pounds that are going into it!

Good luck!

[Claire]

That looks absolutely fantastic.

I have friends who live in a willow based structure and have done for a few years now. They have raised their children there from being babies. I don't think it is something I could do, the cold would kill me, but I take my hat off to anyone who does.

[Karen]

WOW - what amazing spaces. I would love to live in a truly green home.

Karen, Wiggly Wigglers

[simon]

Wild and dreamy tangents keep life fresh. Following them can remind you that you're on a magical path.

I certainly cannot tell you that it is a madhat plan. Go on, do it. If you need help just ask and i'm sure the universe will provide ;)

Starting small sounds sensible, but what about "is it to be incorporated into the extension", did you mean "is it the extension"....

x

[Tanya]

Wow what great photos! My stepfather wanted to build an underground (1/2 submerged) home into the side of a cliff when i was small, i wonder if this was kind of his vision. Never happened. What a neat project your looking to do!

[Eloise O'Hare]

Hi there Irish Sally Gardens, These cob houses are brillient and I can't wait to see your cob house. I would like to build one myself too. Have a look at http://www.sci-scotland.org.uk/earthship.html
This building was constructed using tractor tyres, not as natural as a Cob house but uses waste matriel.
I was lucky enough to read the Masonic lodge bible that was found in a skip. The book goes on and on about everything and buildings must be rectangular and perfect, hence why the world is covered in very boring rectangular buildings made with rectangular bricks or stones. The masons also hate women because women tend be creative and put lovely natural curves in everything. I spent me my whole life bumping into corners of rectangular shaped walls, tables, you name it. plenty of bruises. I really want want a cob house and will buy the book and look for timber in skips.

[allison]

My aunt in uncle have a straw bale house tucked up against a beautiful hillside in rural Colorado (I'm in the USA). The rocky hillside behind the house has all sorts of interesting carvings left over from the Native Americans that lived there hundreds of years ago.
The builders left a small bit of a wall covered in Plexiglass so you can see the straw inside the wall. It faces east, and even when it's cold and snowy, that house is warm and cozy!
The whole property is wonderful and mysterious and intriguing and a peaceful place to be. Plus, they often see bear and weird UFOs!

[mil]

Loved the pics, but you need to check if you can expect cob to be ok on wet ground. Bryn tells me it has to be built on dry hard ground as it absorbs moisture like mad. He knows a chap who moved into a house with one cob wall. He diverted a stream to create a water feature closer to his house. The cob wall collapsed very soon after. P.S I'm now on broadband, but can only work it in the sitting room, through a cable... I will overcome. Txx

[Péitseoga]

initial reaction - definitely fantastic!

[Rebecca (felting and living sustainably in rural Ireland)]

Thank you everybody for your wonderfully encouraging comments. There has even been a comment from Simon Dale, the guy who built the house in the image on this post. He offered his advice and even suggested he might come over to Ireland to help if we go ahead.

Everyone seems really excited about our plans. At the moment we are thinking we will build something very small in the woods, certainly below the size required for planning permission. But it will be large enough to 'camp out' in, perhaps even stay there during the summer months.

Its all still in the making of our minds at the moment.

MIL, please don't worry. The whole thing is being thoroughly researched, that includes drainage and foundations to ensure the cob doesn't succumb to the wet.

[dervilleoneill]

hi rebecca not very good at this but how proud would your M um be of you She would love all of this but most of all how you are as a person well done Derville we all miss her terribly but you will continue her legacy love Dervillexxx

[used digger trucks]

About three years ago I decided to build my own home instead of hiring the expensive contractors. It was actually quite easy, even with my limited knowledge of construction. I am just thankful that I had the bucket truck handy because my pick up couldn’t cut it.