[Cob] Engineered Cob House Plans

[yewberry at wavecable.com]

Damon Howell wrote:

>I'm sorry, but every time a new 
>formless  building is erected with 
>cob a disservice is done to our 
>current  predicament . That would be 
>that honest individuals who want to 
>obey  the law cannot build because 
>most cobbers are looked at as clueless.  

I live in an ugly box.  I don't want to live in an ugly 
box.  Everything about those "formless" houses speaks to 
me on a deep and visceral level.  And this is coming from 
one of the most practical people you'll ever hope to meet. 
 I'd make a very poor flake.

>Why? Because our building inspectors 
>see pictures of cob homes and  say 
>"well, that looks like a nice fairy 
>tale home, but it will not  work in 
>the real world." 

In my experience, ignorance is often cured with 
information.

>And from what we keep hearing, it's not  
>about numbers. They will accept it if 
>they are liberal enough. And  the best way 
>to gain their approval is show them 
>something they've seen before and make 
>one change (it's built with cob).

Except (again) I don't *want* to live in that house. 
 Fabulously wealthy people get away with what amounts to 
structural insanity (I have a vague memory of giant house 
with a fish tank over the entryway in a seismic 
zone...might have been here in Seattle or in Cali.).  But 
we po' folk are expected to toe the structural line, 
despite our expectations being far more modest.  It's 
MADNESS.  And I'm unconvinced the best way to deal with 
madness is to cave to its every demand.

California-style Class K owner/builder permits are the 
best solution.  And getting them involves direct, 
productive action, not accepting the status quo.

Brina