Winter Indoor Straw Bale/Natural Building Intensive

This course provides students with a comprehensive exploration of all facets of creating an energy efficient, climate-specific natural structure. In this two-week intensive, we will engage in studio sessions, hands-on construction experience, lectures, slide shows, and site tours. In the studio, students will develop a comprehensive design of a project through the creation of drawings of elevations, sections, plans, and scale models. In the shop, students will build a variety of insulative wall systems, examining critical details such as doors and windows, wall to roof connections, air sealing, framing options, plastering, and much more. Topics include straw bale construction, fiber-clay infill and other natural wall systems, clay and lime plasters, natural roof options, alternative foundations, water and energy conservation systems, permaculture and building-site relationships, and social and cultural contexts. Emphasis will be paid to designing and detailing for success in cold, wet climates.

A Little About this Project:

Contact: Yestermorrow Design/Build School, info@yestermorrow.org, 802-496-5545

• Total Days: 12
• Meals Included: Meal plan available
• Camping Available: Yes
• Additional Lecturers: Instructors: Jacob Deva Racusin, Ace McArleton, Others
• Field Trips Planned: Yes

Professional Semester in Integrative Design/Build

he Professional Semester in Integrative Design/Build at Yestermorrow is a cutting-edge design/build program which combines interdisciplinary research, debate, design and construction to explore the intersections of green and natural building, social justice, and contemporary architectural practice, empowering future professionals to create a built environment that is useful, beautiful, and ethical. The professional semester program is an intensive semester-plus (Spring and Summer) for masters students from varying disciplines related to the study and making of the built environment (architecture, engineering, building science, urban planning, art, environmental science, forestry, business, and economics), who want to go beyond conceptual designs to immerse themselves in the integrative process of making a building. Through guided research, lectures, field visits, discussion, studio work, and active hands-on construction and management, students will collaborate on the design and construction of a light-footprint, high-performance shelter for a community organization. The heart of the program is participants’ team-based work to weigh and balance a range of values, priorities and metrics - such as aesthetics, environmental sensitivity, building energy performance, durability, life-cycle materials analysis, cost, and social and natural ecology.

A Little About this Project:

Contact: Yestermorrow Design/Build School, info@yestermorrow.org, 802-496-5545

• Total Days: 90
• Meals Included: Meal plan available
• Camping Available: Yes
• Additional Lecturers: Instructors: Jacob Deva Racusin, Ace McArleton, Carey Clouse
• Field Trips Planned: Yes

Sheltership: Natural Building Apprenticeship

Sheltership is a six-week intensive apprenticeship and journey into the creation of a small shelter from start to finish, using natural materials, at a beautiful location in the Southern California mountains. Sasha Rabin of Vertical Clay and Paul Swenson of Quail Springs will lead a small group of individuals who are passionate to learn and explore. Although welcome, experience with natural building is not necessary. With natural building materials and applications as our focus, we will also explore the beauty of natural materials in how they connect us to so many other aspects of our lives often offering a more holistic approach to living simply. During this six-week intensive apprenticeship, we will build a small shelter (less than 120 square feet) from start to as close to finish as possible, using a variety of earthen materials and applications. The educational emphasis will be on student's developing a keen understanding of the materials, so they can develop insight into the best possible way to use each of the materials/applications for specific building needs and individual situations. We will focus on building with earth, including clay soil, sand, stone and straw. These materials will be used in a variety of applications, including: cob, light straw clay (slip-straw), wattle and daub, earth bag, earthen plasters, poured earthen floor, and some woodwork. For more information go to quailsprings.org/events $2,200 Early bird special before March 2.

A Little About this Project:

Sheltership is a six-week intensive apprenticeship and journey into the creation of a small shelter from start to finish, using natural materials, at a beautiful location in the Southern California mountains.

• Total Days: 40
• Meals Included: Yes
• Camping Available: Yes
• Additional Lecturers: TBA
• Field Trips Planned: no