Meadow Orchard – Community Centre
WHO
Meadow Orchard Project- Community Build, Crouch End
THE BRIEF
Community Centre 25m2 hybrid cob and straw bale build single story structure with reciprocal roof located in a meadow in north London.
Cob in the Community were engaged to manage the cob building and rammed earth tyre stem wall aspects of this build.
THE OUTCOME
The community participants, and the site benefitted from deep participation in the design, creation of materials build of the community centre. The choice of natural materials – in the case of cob sourced directly from the foundations dug for the building itself, were supportive of protecting this space – a rare, beautiful meadow.
The meadow is conveniently sited alongside a local medical centre on NHS land and will offer a long lasting contribution to all as healing space.
• Engaged wider community to engage with the space and with low impact natural recycled materials.
• Targeted specific community users including those with special needs (referrals).
• Over 270 people learned how to make cob, how to build with cob and take part in making their community centre.
• We ran a series of workshops on cob building including: mud and mindfulness
mud and music
family build days
youth volunteering days
• Ran a weekend on how to make rammed earth tires enlisting rammed earth tire expert from Brighton Permaculture.
• Promoted and gave talks about the build at London ‘eco / green’ fairs.
Meadow Orchard Project- Community Build, Crouch End
THE BRIEF
Community Centre 25m2 hybrid cob and straw bale build single story structure with reciprocal roof located in a meadow in north London.
Cob in the Community were engaged to manage the cob building and rammed earth tyre stem wall aspects of this build.
THE OUTCOME
The community participants, and the site benefitted from deep participation in the design, creation of materials build of the community centre. The choice of natural materials – in the case of cob sourced directly from the foundations dug for the building itself, were supportive of protecting this space – a rare, beautiful meadow.
The meadow is conveniently sited alongside a local medical centre on NHS land and will offer a long lasting contribution to all as healing space.
• Engaged wider community to engage with the space and with low impact natural recycled materials.
• Targeted specific community users including those with special needs (referrals).
• Over 270 people learned how to make cob, how to build with cob and take part in making their community centre.
• We ran a series of workshops on cob building including: mud and mindfulness
mud and music
family build days
youth volunteering days
• Ran a weekend on how to make rammed earth tires enlisting rammed earth tire expert from Brighton Permaculture.
• Promoted and gave talks about the build at London ‘eco / green’ fairs.
St. Josephs African Cob Hut & Oven
WHO
St Josephs School
THE BRIEF
A sculpted cob story telling space and oven, built with local recycled material and by parents and children from infant to (key stage 1-4) primary school.
THE OUTCOME
The structure opened up dialogue with pupils about recycled car tires, earthen architecture, similarities between ancient UK dwellings and building techniques and African huts, the use of clay in sculpture, building and renders.
Children gained new skills from making and working with cob. They created sculptures, participated in the work to complete the walls and children really enjoyed the experience of working with parents at school to complete the cob oven.
Parents involved in the cob build found the process very rewarding. One parent said “My contribution in building the oven at the school made my kids really proud. It gave me a sense of connection. I am now coming back on a regular basis to cook bread, pizzas and foraged food in our oven.”
We helped clear a disused area of the school by using unwanted bricks and wood in the build.
Recycled cob bricks left over from “Grand Designs Exhibition” exhibitor Mike Wye Associates were also used to build the wall minimizing the costs to the school.
CIC were invited back to do a one-day talk on cob.
TECHNICAL
A third party company supplied the African Hut - a thatched roof and roof supports.
St Josephs School
THE BRIEF
A sculpted cob story telling space and oven, built with local recycled material and by parents and children from infant to (key stage 1-4) primary school.
THE OUTCOME
The structure opened up dialogue with pupils about recycled car tires, earthen architecture, similarities between ancient UK dwellings and building techniques and African huts, the use of clay in sculpture, building and renders.
Children gained new skills from making and working with cob. They created sculptures, participated in the work to complete the walls and children really enjoyed the experience of working with parents at school to complete the cob oven.
Parents involved in the cob build found the process very rewarding. One parent said “My contribution in building the oven at the school made my kids really proud. It gave me a sense of connection. I am now coming back on a regular basis to cook bread, pizzas and foraged food in our oven.”
We helped clear a disused area of the school by using unwanted bricks and wood in the build.
Recycled cob bricks left over from “Grand Designs Exhibition” exhibitor Mike Wye Associates were also used to build the wall minimizing the costs to the school.
CIC were invited back to do a one-day talk on cob.
TECHNICAL
A third party company supplied the African Hut - a thatched roof and roof supports.
Castle Climbing Centre – Cob Oven
WHO
Castle Climbing Centre
THE BRIEF
The Castle Climbing Centre has extensive grounds of which much has been converted into food growing areas. The Castle has a great eco philosophy, a strong recycling policy and a desire to positively engage with community.
Garden staff wanted to improve the perception and contribution of the garden by the office staff, climbers and increase visitor numbers.
To achieve this a commercial size oven to be built in an outdoor kitchen / teaching activity area.
To keep costs down, they built their own plinth structure. When the oven was complete, they built the own round pole reciprocal living roof kitchen / activity area.
THE OUTPUT
A commercial cob oven for use on open days, generating revenue from the sale food on open days and feed the volunteers and attendees to courses in the garden.
THE OUTCOMES
• We used recycled materials to fit in with their eco policy, clearing the garden in the process
• We engaged climbing trainers and office staff to build the oven. This was important as some staff never used the garden
• The team felt confident to use its cob skills to build a cob bottle wall and have other cob plans to follow.
• The space is regularly used throughout the year to fundraise on open days, offer teaching programmes
• Cob in the Community was invited back to run a course on how to build a cob oven in a day, permaculture and natural building.
The Garden has supported the Castle Climbing Centre achieve numerous awards including the Sustainable City awards for Sustainable Building, Sustainable Procurement as well as the Green Thinking Award.
Castle Climbing Centre
THE BRIEF
The Castle Climbing Centre has extensive grounds of which much has been converted into food growing areas. The Castle has a great eco philosophy, a strong recycling policy and a desire to positively engage with community.
Garden staff wanted to improve the perception and contribution of the garden by the office staff, climbers and increase visitor numbers.
To achieve this a commercial size oven to be built in an outdoor kitchen / teaching activity area.
To keep costs down, they built their own plinth structure. When the oven was complete, they built the own round pole reciprocal living roof kitchen / activity area.
THE OUTPUT
A commercial cob oven for use on open days, generating revenue from the sale food on open days and feed the volunteers and attendees to courses in the garden.
THE OUTCOMES
• We used recycled materials to fit in with their eco policy, clearing the garden in the process
• We engaged climbing trainers and office staff to build the oven. This was important as some staff never used the garden
• The team felt confident to use its cob skills to build a cob bottle wall and have other cob plans to follow.
• The space is regularly used throughout the year to fundraise on open days, offer teaching programmes
• Cob in the Community was invited back to run a course on how to build a cob oven in a day, permaculture and natural building.
The Garden has supported the Castle Climbing Centre achieve numerous awards including the Sustainable City awards for Sustainable Building, Sustainable Procurement as well as the Green Thinking Award.
Oasis Oven
WHO
Oasis Nature Garden
THE BRIEF
• To build a cob oven with members of the community for use in their outdoor kitchen.
• To feed the gardening volunteers in the community growing space.
• To get the indoor staff more engaged in the growing space project.
THE OUTCOME
• Over 16 participants came over two days; 70 % of respondents came because they build their own cob oven in their community garden or school. 15% wanted first hand experience making and working with cob because they wanted to test cob for self build.
• The oven build was constrained by the size of the plinth – and this resulted in our smallest oven build. The client was happy because the oven would mostly be cooked in by the children. This required us to balance the thickness of the walls with the size of the internal cooking space.
• Participants left with practice skills on how to source and test clay, how to make and build with cob how to use natural and recycled materials for insulants and how to use the oven to burn minimum wood.
TECHNICAL
• External diameter was 1400x1000.
TESTIMONIAL
"Cob in the Community and Linda were an absolute pleasure to work with. A real "can do" attitude, lots of fun and a wonderful cob oven, thank you" – Oasis Nature Reserve Education Leader.
Oasis Nature Garden
THE BRIEF
• To build a cob oven with members of the community for use in their outdoor kitchen.
• To feed the gardening volunteers in the community growing space.
• To get the indoor staff more engaged in the growing space project.
THE OUTCOME
• Over 16 participants came over two days; 70 % of respondents came because they build their own cob oven in their community garden or school. 15% wanted first hand experience making and working with cob because they wanted to test cob for self build.
• The oven build was constrained by the size of the plinth – and this resulted in our smallest oven build. The client was happy because the oven would mostly be cooked in by the children. This required us to balance the thickness of the walls with the size of the internal cooking space.
• Participants left with practice skills on how to source and test clay, how to make and build with cob how to use natural and recycled materials for insulants and how to use the oven to burn minimum wood.
TECHNICAL
• External diameter was 1400x1000.
TESTIMONIAL
"Cob in the Community and Linda were an absolute pleasure to work with. A real "can do" attitude, lots of fun and a wonderful cob oven, thank you" – Oasis Nature Reserve Education Leader.
Vauxhall City Farm – Story Telling Benches
WHO
Vauxhall City Farm
THE BRIEF
The Ecology garden at VCF faced stiff competition for land and VCF resources from areas where animals were more popular and therefore more important to visitors and staff.
To change the role of the Ecology Garden in relation to the farm by:
• Repairing to existing Rain Temple
• Clearing the site of rubbish
• Engaging community
THE OUTPUTS
We designed the repair and rebuild programmed to allow maximum engagement and participation and use of unwanted materials / rubbish on the farm.
Removal of cement from benches.
Repair to foundation, reinstatement of rammed earth tires as stem wall.
Cob made and used to create benches
Tree cuts embedded in cob as seating
Sculpted figures made Earthern floor laid
Site cleared and ‘rubbish’ used to help build the structure
The project was successful in its use of community whose work to create a beautiful space helped re- balance the role ecology at the farm. The area now serves to celebrate the unsung heroes of ecology; the worms and insects and beetles that this area of the farm wanted to include in its educational activities.
THE OUTCOMES:
• We engaged Young Farmers to design and produce 3D models for the new area, to be inspired by the ecology garden
• We worked with first time young offences to remove the concrete from structure. This group gained news skills and a heightened self-esteem, learning new skills and leaving a positive impact on the Farm. The team leader said, “what ever you are doing, keep doing it. I’ve never seen them so happy”.
• We engaged with HSBC, RICS and John Lewis corporate teams to make cob and clear the site. Their involvement helped fund the project and progress work. For many, this was the first time they had each worked as a team with different departments of and hierarchies within an organisation. 75% of respondents to our survey said the project exceeded their expectations. One said, “It felt like we were really making a difference” (HSBC); another said “Best day in ages – it was very inspiring to learn how to make building materials from very simple materials” (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors).
• Local Muslim groups worked with representatives from the local church and the project even had a visit from the then Archbishop of Canterbury. The day left a lasting impression. TECHNICAL
The bench was in a bad state of repair because cement had been used to cover the rammed earth tires foundation. The cement trapped moisture and water into the structure, causing the surfaces to crack. By replacing concrete with cob, moisture from ground and the rammed tires was able to evaporate into the atmosphere.
Approx. two tonnes of sharp sand, ¾-1 tonne of London clay and a lot of recycled straw were used We conducted numerous tests to determine materials found on the farm for use as renders - hair from llama, horse, alpaca, and manure from horse, cow and chicken.
Use of these materials on the bench was scrapped because of fears that some city farms were being closed due to outbreaks of e-Coli.
We opted linseed thinned with turpentine to cover the cob benches. Our initial choice of citronella as a thinner, was also scrapped because this this acts as an insect / bugs deterrent The linseed took a long time to dry.
The structure was part funded by SITA and completed over four months.
Vauxhall City Farm
THE BRIEF
The Ecology garden at VCF faced stiff competition for land and VCF resources from areas where animals were more popular and therefore more important to visitors and staff.
To change the role of the Ecology Garden in relation to the farm by:
• Repairing to existing Rain Temple
• Clearing the site of rubbish
• Engaging community
THE OUTPUTS
We designed the repair and rebuild programmed to allow maximum engagement and participation and use of unwanted materials / rubbish on the farm.
Removal of cement from benches.
Repair to foundation, reinstatement of rammed earth tires as stem wall.
Cob made and used to create benches
Tree cuts embedded in cob as seating
Sculpted figures made Earthern floor laid
Site cleared and ‘rubbish’ used to help build the structure
The project was successful in its use of community whose work to create a beautiful space helped re- balance the role ecology at the farm. The area now serves to celebrate the unsung heroes of ecology; the worms and insects and beetles that this area of the farm wanted to include in its educational activities.
THE OUTCOMES:
• We engaged Young Farmers to design and produce 3D models for the new area, to be inspired by the ecology garden
• We worked with first time young offences to remove the concrete from structure. This group gained news skills and a heightened self-esteem, learning new skills and leaving a positive impact on the Farm. The team leader said, “what ever you are doing, keep doing it. I’ve never seen them so happy”.
• We engaged with HSBC, RICS and John Lewis corporate teams to make cob and clear the site. Their involvement helped fund the project and progress work. For many, this was the first time they had each worked as a team with different departments of and hierarchies within an organisation. 75% of respondents to our survey said the project exceeded their expectations. One said, “It felt like we were really making a difference” (HSBC); another said “Best day in ages – it was very inspiring to learn how to make building materials from very simple materials” (Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors).
• Local Muslim groups worked with representatives from the local church and the project even had a visit from the then Archbishop of Canterbury. The day left a lasting impression. TECHNICAL
The bench was in a bad state of repair because cement had been used to cover the rammed earth tires foundation. The cement trapped moisture and water into the structure, causing the surfaces to crack. By replacing concrete with cob, moisture from ground and the rammed tires was able to evaporate into the atmosphere.
Approx. two tonnes of sharp sand, ¾-1 tonne of London clay and a lot of recycled straw were used We conducted numerous tests to determine materials found on the farm for use as renders - hair from llama, horse, alpaca, and manure from horse, cow and chicken.
Use of these materials on the bench was scrapped because of fears that some city farms were being closed due to outbreaks of e-Coli.
We opted linseed thinned with turpentine to cover the cob benches. Our initial choice of citronella as a thinner, was also scrapped because this this acts as an insect / bugs deterrent The linseed took a long time to dry.
The structure was part funded by SITA and completed over four months.
Pooles Park – Earth Kitchen & Oven
WHO
Pooles Park primary school – nationally renowned for their environmental work
THE BRIEF
Cob oven with lockable door
THE OUTCOME
Cob became a very popular activity with the after-school club. The children engagement with the project gave them a profound sense of ownership and achievement. “This is the best thing the school has ever done”, said one child. The children gained new levels of learning and self-esteem though practical skills including building foundations, bricklaying, rammed earth tires, sculpting and making cob.
They engaged in team building and leadership activities as children were encouraged to teach each cob building. We worked with the school and teaching staff to:
• Engage pupils across the school, relating our teaching where possible to curriculum
• To enhance understanding of working with waste as a resource
• To learn about use and recycling of car tires
• To make their own building materials and learn skills to build with them
• To have a new sense of ownership of their outdoor space
We engaged with local Finsbury Park community, including the Transition Town network. The school has received numerous awards including the Growing Schools Award, The WWF Green Ambassadors Awards and Lottery Funding.
Cob in the Community developed several policies specific to working with schools and children such as health and safety, model release forms and fact sheets on how to use the oven safely. We were invited back by the Eco Coordinator to build structures in another school.
TECHNICAL
• We used 2 tonnes of clay sourced from a local landscape project in N5. We used circa 3 tonnes of sand, 12 recycled tires, recycled wood, 25 engineering bricks for the oven arch and hearth.
Pooles Park primary school – nationally renowned for their environmental work
THE BRIEF
Cob oven with lockable door
THE OUTCOME
Cob became a very popular activity with the after-school club. The children engagement with the project gave them a profound sense of ownership and achievement. “This is the best thing the school has ever done”, said one child. The children gained new levels of learning and self-esteem though practical skills including building foundations, bricklaying, rammed earth tires, sculpting and making cob.
They engaged in team building and leadership activities as children were encouraged to teach each cob building. We worked with the school and teaching staff to:
• Engage pupils across the school, relating our teaching where possible to curriculum
• To enhance understanding of working with waste as a resource
• To learn about use and recycling of car tires
• To make their own building materials and learn skills to build with them
• To have a new sense of ownership of their outdoor space
We engaged with local Finsbury Park community, including the Transition Town network. The school has received numerous awards including the Growing Schools Award, The WWF Green Ambassadors Awards and Lottery Funding.
Cob in the Community developed several policies specific to working with schools and children such as health and safety, model release forms and fact sheets on how to use the oven safely. We were invited back by the Eco Coordinator to build structures in another school.
TECHNICAL
• We used 2 tonnes of clay sourced from a local landscape project in N5. We used circa 3 tonnes of sand, 12 recycled tires, recycled wood, 25 engineering bricks for the oven arch and hearth.
