Intro. Natural Building

Learn how to use Clay and Straw at home!

Mentored by

Edward Dale-Harris

Architect, Regenerative Designer, Builder, Grower

SAWA Architecture, Builth Wells

Ages: children 16 - 18 · adults 18+ years

High Waged £80Mid Waged £60Low Waged £40

Next date: None - Register your interest

Intro. Natural Building block mentored by Edward Dale-Harris

A summary

Two opportunities to revel in the wisdom of the beautiful materials of Clay and Straw. Discover how these natural materials can transform your home, life and approach to building. As is the SAWA way, this community-spirited workshop will leave you both with theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience in natural building techniques as the day splits itself between these two critical learning styles. You will get a chance to dive into why the championship of these materials is so important in the current climate, as well as trying your hand at wall plastering and making cob mixes among many other things! Expect a day of fun, laughter and getting our hands mucky as we explore the intelligence this combination can bring to the building art. Theory Session An Introduction to natural materials Learn about the properties and benefits of clay and straw, and how they compare with conventional traditional building materials like timber, stone, lime, as well as modern, energy intensive, fossil fuel-based materials such as cement, fire clay brick, steel, and plastic. Why Natural Materials are important now? Understanding how the use of natural materials could help us in the current climate and environmental crisis. Permaculture + Natural materials – Discover how permaculture ethics and principles can guide our use of natural materials in construction. Applying natural materials to your home - Whether it be a stone cottage in Wales or a terrace house in Bristol. Learn how you could apply these materials to your home in the UK. Natural materials and building performance - Learn how clay and straw can improve the thermal performance, humidity control, and acoustics properties of your home. Sourcing natural materials – Find out where and how to obtain clay and straw for your projects. Hands on workshop 'The Knowing is in the doing' In the hands-on session we will explore what it means to make building elements out of clay and straw by getting practical with the materials themselves. You will get the chance to: *Make cob - clay and straw mixes for balls, gaps or blocks *Make clay slip for light earth straw / straw panels for insulation *Make scratch and finish - clay plasters for finishes We are looking forward to sharing our love and knowledge of these materials with you. Come and play with the beautiful material of clay!

About your mentor

Edward Dale-Harris

Architect, Regenerative Designer, Builder, Grower

ARB Architect, Edward Dale-Harris believes we must look beyond sustainability and move towards regeneration, we have to change our destructive behaviour and do much better to protect nature as citizens of the earth and stewards of the lands, waters, winds, forests and cities. We need ‘self-directed learning’ to build self reliance, wellness and confidence. We must learn to share resources fairly to create a healthier planet for all. Ed realises the importance of regenerative design, using and observing the true patterns of nature as our teacher, and valuing a collective and collaborative decision-making process for a grounded and successful project. Ed qualified as an Architect in 2017 and has gained many awards for his design, commitment, vision, compassion, charity work, environmental and peace building projects. In 2014 Ed founded SAWA with Enock Ruziga in Rwanda whilst working together on the 'a house for a victim' project. In 2015 Ed received the ‘RIBA North West London Society Award’ at the CASS Design School for this project, nominated as the best live and community engaged project. Ed spent eight weeks on site building a compressed earth block (CEB) house with recently-released prisoners and some of the families of their victims. The project was instigated by Ed and the Ntarama House Building Cooperative, to facilitate development and peace-building in post genocide Rwanda. The cooperative was set up by REACH, a local reconciliation focused charity, to help reintegrate perpetrators back into their community, by enabling them to build homes for victims of the genocide. This profound experience and research propelled the work of SAWA into the world of socially, environmental and ethical architecture. Ed has grown SAWA, into a collective of freelance professionals and pro-bono network of supporters. The structure is flat it has no hierarchy, each project is discussed openly and relationships and roles are defined on a project basis which meet the specific needs and constraints of each project. Ed has collaborated with a range of community groups, individuals, charities, private businesses and professionals to deliver the best holistic well rounded result, fair to the environment and all. In 2016 Ed received the ‘RIBAJ Rising Star 2016 Cohort Award’ for We Yone School in the Ebola-affected region of Freetown, Sierra Leone. Enabling 180 of the most vulnerable children in the community to attend primary school and provide a community space for adult learning. WYCF, the client, which nominated him for the RIABJ award, says: ‘Ed demonstrated a commitment to the charity’s mission and vision that made it very easy to entrust him with a great deal of responsibility. Ed would deliver design iterations while involving other experts to improve overall robustness ... he conducted workshops with men, women and children and the community’s vision became firmly embedded in the design.' In 2019 Ed received ‘The Agri Tech Centre AJ100 Best Collaboration of the year Award’ with Squire and Partners, with the judges describing it as ‘an exceptional example of architectural practices doing charitable work in the developing world’. Ed has spent a large amount of time volunteering his skills in Rwanda and Mozambique, while seeing festivals as an opportunity to be socially active and experimental in the UK. Delivering projects in challenging environments: post '14 Ebola Sierra Leone, post genocide '94 Rwanda and '79 Cambodia and post '15 earthquake Nepal. Working closing with international and grassroots organisations to deliver appropriate and considered results. Since 2022 Ed has been living and working from a Tiny House of his own. It has been towed from farm to farm, project to project, displaying the joys of regenerative low impact living wherever it goes. His Tiny House allowed him to live in close proximity to his projects and take a very hands on approach. In March 2024 Ed moved to Builth Wells, Powys, Wales were he is converting a cottage and barn into a homestead and regenerative showcase! Where some workshops are held.

Important Details

What to bring: Inside + Outside Clothes – 1 set of clean clothes and 1 set of clothes you don't mind getting muddy in, which are weather appropriate and can be layered up – Powys weather is very changeable. Reusable items - Water bottle, cup, plate + bowl. Food: A lunch contribution to share (potluck style). We’ll provide a large pot of vegan curry, rice, and salad. Please bring a small something or sweet to share. We will provide teas, herbs, soya milk, and basic coffee available in our pauses. Please advise us of any dietary requirements/allergies you have. Other: Notebook, pen, your eagerness to learn and don’t forget - your smile! TRAVEL Parking is limited onsite to 3 spaces onsite (for the teacher and assistant teachers to use), theres a working farm track which goes past the cottage which has big vehicles coming in and out all the time, we must not block this access. They will be very upset if we do!! PARK + PICK UPS FROM HERE: Therefore we ask everyone to park on Hospital Road, near the Junction of Irfon Bridge Road: Link to Google Map Location https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y37kPxTfi5p1JEDP9 Lift Shares Please email us 1 week before if you are travelling via car so we can arrange/offer lift shares to those that need/want it. Timings Please park up here before 9:30 am, so we can pick you all up at 9.45am. Train and Bus Station Pick-ups Can be arranged from either: 1. Cilmeri Railway Station, 2. Groe 2, The Stand, Builth Wells, Bus station. 3. Hospital Road, near the Junction of Irfon Bridge Road: Link to Google Map Location https://maps.app.goo.gl/Y37kPxTfi5p1JEDP9 Cycling Cyclist are legends and get a front row seat. Go to SAWA architecture, 2 Tyny Graig Cottages, LD2 3HH. Accommodation: On-site accommodation can be arranged, Tyn Y Graig is currently under refurbishment but welcoming, there are some basic rooms available, a large bell tent and camping spots. We also have a shared shower bath WC room and kitchen which are spring water fed. Please enquire separately. Course requirements 16 years plus welcome, those who are 16-18 year olds must be with an adult. Dogs + Pets Please don't bring you dogs or pets, sadly we have too little space to be able to accommodate them. Volunteering Staying on to help volunteer on the build project and garden works might be possible, get in contact with Ed and see. Inclusion We strive to make sure this opportunity available to all people from all backgrounds, wealth, ethnicity, gender, sex, sexuality, identity etc. If there are any specific requirements in relation to food, accessibility or any other matter, please get in touch and we will do all we can to try and accommodate your requirements to make you feel welcome as possible. Contact Us Email: sawa.architecture@gmail.com Phone: +447899657128

Learning aims

Aim 1

Learn how to Plaster with Clay

Aim 3

See how you can use Natural Materials in your home

Aim 2

Learn how to Make Cob, Light Earth Straw, and Adobe blocks

Aim 4

Have a fun day playing with Clay and Straw

Flow of a Typical Day

9am - Start to gather onsite, parking up, settling into the space, grab a drink and WC. 9.30am - Park up / Arrive Builth Wells at Stations and Pick up point 9.45am - Pick time (don't be late) 10am - start - check in circle , Intro talk, theory, slides and site orientation 11am - First Activity 11.30 am - Drinks and WC break 11.45 am - Second Activity 1 pm - Lunch Break 2pm - Third Activity 3.30 - Drinks and WC break 3.45 - Closing Circle - Reflections, Learnings and Gratitudes 4pm - Departure / informal time to chat / clean up hands appreciated. 4.30pm - Drop offs back to Builth Wells 5pm - All day visitor to have left

Pricing information

Ticket namePriceInformation

Ticket nameHigh Waged

Price£80

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Ticket nameMid Waged

Price£60

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Ticket nameLow Waged

Price£40

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Where we'll be

SAWA Architecture, 2 Tyny Y Graig Cottage, Builth Wells, Powys, LD2 3HH

WHAT’S PROVIDED

Drinks

Meals

Equipment

Safety

Risk Assessment

Smoke Detector

Please note

Please note, it is the responsibility of the booker to satisfy themselves about the adequacy of the safety measures. This platform is merely an introducer and does not verify the items listed here.

Cancellation Policy

Cancel more than two weeks before the start to receive a full refund.

My experience consists of a leisure activity, on a specific date(s), and therefore the 14-day ‘cooling off period’ under the Consumer Contracts Regulations 2013 does not apply.

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