Building with Cob

Cob building uses a simple mixture of clay subsoil, aggregate, straw, and water to create solid structural walls, built without shuttering or forms, on a stone plinth. This ancient practice has been used throughout Britain for centuries--in fact, the material is so strong and durable that it is currently in use for forty-five thousand houses in Cornwall, a county in southern England.

Building with Cob covers everything from design, planning, and siting to roofs, insulation, and floors. It is lavishly illustrated with more than three hundred inspirational color photographs. The authors have recently been commissioned to build a thirty-classroom school in England in 2006; it will be the largest new cob construction project in the Western hemisphere.

About the Authors

Katy Bryce

Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce run their own building company in Cornwall. They have built and restored many cob buildings, including two-story houses, small studios, and garden rooms, outside courtyards, fireplaces, and earth ovens. In 2003 they won a Pioneers to the Nation award from Queen Elizabeth II. They live in Manaccan, Cornwall, England. ...

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Adam Weismann

Adam Weismann and Katy Bryce work with lime and clay on a daily basis through their company, Cob in Cornwall. They learned these skills through restoring ancient vernacular buildings in Cornwall, and then began to apply the traditional techniques and materials to contemporary eco builds. They have a passionate belief in the power of these natural materials to benefit the health and well-being of people, buildings, and the environment. Adam and Katy live in Manaccan, Cornwall, and also wrote Building With Cob: A Step-by-Step Guide. ...

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