Cob Eco Houses

Cob is an ancient earth building technique which uses a combination of earth, straw, sand and water. These ingredients can be mixed together by hand, using tarps, or by machinery. The mix is formed into lumps or "cobs" which are pressed together to form the walls of a building, rather like building a giant clay pot...

When left to dry the cob sets to become extremely hard and durable, although in wet areas like Britain cob walls need protection from driving rain which will eventually erode them. There are thousands of cob houses still inhabited in England today mainly in Devon and Cornwall. It is estimated that 30% of the world's population live in earthen homes.

A simple technique to learn, safe, non toxic and lots of fun to build with, you can use cob to create almost any structure - from the simple to the fantastic. Cob structures can be finished using different mixes of the same materials, to produce beautiful paints, plasters, floors and sculptural features.

Cob building uses the world's most abundant and sustainable building materials, has very low embodied energy, and its cost is minimal. Virtually all the materials used in the cob building process are bio degradable or can be recycled, making it one of the most environmentally friendly ways of building.

Today there are many cultures who still recognise the advantages of building with earth and draw upon the natural landscape to create their own architecture which is both practical and sustainable. Architecture which reflects the rich variety of human culture, imagination and personal identity.