Building with Strawbales
Date: Octover 26 & 27, 2024 (8.45am-5pm)
Bookings via Humanitix
Download PDF about this course
- Early bird price applies to registrations received before 10pm on Fri Oct 4th, 2024
- Payment is transferable to another person but non-refundable if you cancel less than 2 weeks before the course date
- Group discounts when booking 2 or more people in one transaction
- Morning and afternoon tea is provided
- BYO lunch (fridge available, no heating facilities)
- Both days run from 8.45am-5pm
- Venue: The Food Forest
Bookings via Humanitix
The Course
This 2-day intensive workshop held at The Food Forest will present you with an opportunity to assess the possibilities for strawbale building in your life, whether you wish to build your own home, construct a garden wall or chook shed or just decide if strawbale is the right medium for your project.
You will learn through lectures, practical activities (building and rendering a straw bale wall), case studies, slides and inspection of strawbale structures at The Food Forest.
Topics discussed:
• Basic construction techniques
• Load-bearing vs pole frame structures
• Design principles and site assessment
• Doors and windows
• Natural finishes, renders and their maintenance
• Floors, foundations and roof options
• Fire, termites and rodents
• Building regulations and Council approvals
• Costs
• Builders, Contractors, Owner Builder comparisons
The Presenters
Lance Kairl, Gerald Wittman, Bohdan Dorniak, Graham Brookman and Annemarie Brookman.
The Venue
The Food Forest is on Kaurna country and we respect their connection to this land, water and community.
The original homestead was built within the first few years of settlement of South Australia and much of the history of the farm has been retained. The old barn, that once housed the horses that worked on the property, has been transformed into a Learning Centre for the presentation of courses and workshops. Visitors can also enjoy the 'loo with a view', a unique composting toilet and reedbed system which transforms human by-products into reeds for mulching, rich compost for fertiliser and bamboo for furniture and structural work.
Environmentally responsible building technologies are demonstrated in the Studio, the 'Eco-gazebo' and the drive-in coolroom, all of which are constructed with strawbales. The Cob Oven shows the ancient craft of building with special mud mixtures.
The heritage listed homestead, now more than 180 years old, at The Food Forest was built with thick rock walls and tiny casement windows. This dark and 'defensive' building has been extended using passive solar design and a fusion of strawbale, massive rock and highly insulated galvanised iron to create a light, spacious and sustainable living space.
Water is from roof catchment. The 7kW photo voltaic-system provides electricity to the house, farm and grid. The sun also heats our water.
The severe demarcation between inside and outside made by the early settlers is inappropriate for our Mediterranean climate and has been revolutionised by extending the paving of the verandah into a strawbale-walled, vine-covered outdoor food preparation and entertainment area featuring a cob oven for making pizzas and bread, a barbeque and a raised herb bed.
The trellis over the area also incorporates polycarbonate cladding which allows natural sunlight to flood the area but cuts out 99% of the harmful UV rays. Together with the strawbale wall to the south-west it provides shelter against wind and rain. The area is also shaded by trees and is adjacent to food gardens.
The most recent building at The Food Forest is ‘Cosy Cottage”, an extremely solar-efficient single room studio built with 'bales on edge' in just a few weeks on a shoestring budget.
Once you have registered, more information about this workshop and what to bring etc, will be sent out via email closer to the event.
Bookings & Refunds
- The organisers reserve the right to cancel the course with one weeks notice if registrations are insufficient. In this case a full refund will be made.
Fact sheets on strawbale building
COVID 19
If you are unwell with flu like symptoms, we ask you to please not attend the workshop – contact us beforehand to discuss options.
