Common Ground Art and Learning Center
Oberlin, Ohio
This single story straw/clay building serves as an indoor children's activity area. HarvestBuild acted as a consultant on the design of the building, led several straw/clay and plaster work sessions, and also served as the natural building subcontractor for the project. The building features a 2x6 frame with our lath-n-stuff straw/clay wall system mixed with pine cones, as well as cob sculptural elements. Earth and lime plasters were used on the inner face of the walls, and wood siding with a vented rain-screen clads the building exterior.
Testimonial
"With Mark's help and tutelage, we recently completed construction on The Deborah Cook Art and Learning Center (ALC), a 20 ft. x 36 ft. children's activity center. The building seeks to be a teaching structure, and is itself an example of sustainable living to all who visit. Featuring composting toilets along with straw/clay walls mixed with pine cones, it's very presence prompts the important natural systems' conversations inherent to our Outdoor Education Program."
"Pine cones? Yes, pine cones. For those of you who 'know' Common Ground, you know we have plenty of these. I remember Mark walking the site in pre-design, searching for usable resource, getting a feel for what fit and what might work. Could we use native timber for the frame? What about sand and water from the river on-site for plaster? 'Gosh, you sure have plenty of pine cones!' Hmmmm … I wonder … anyways, suffice it to say, straw and pine cones are now performing quite nicely as wall insulation in the ALC."
"Mark is careful, knowledgeable, affordable, and a dream to work with. Believe me, we put him to the task a few times and each time he patiently and effectively came through. I can unilaterally recommend Mark and his associates to not only construct high-performance, beautiful structures, but also to listen and to teach us all the importance of relationship with living systems. This is a good man. I loved working with him. Come see what we have built!"