Cob: small cob housing

[Wendy Smyer Yu]

Bill said:  To me the beauty of Cob is the ability to expand,,not the cob 
itself,, but
>to add on to the house...
>To make a chain of rooms that opened into an atrium,, add rooms as you 
>would
>need them. Then the house is never too small.


Although everyone I know who's ever build their own house is quick to say 
"never live in a house while it's being built, it'll never get finished", I 
think this is something good you've hit upon Bill - the fact that a cob 
house can be built upon, changed, adapted.  Work, yes, but also 
possibility....

I like that aspect in Timeless Way of Building/Pattern Language (Christopher 
Alexander) that suggests that there is great beauty and enhanced function in 
a house that evolves with the owners' needs, one that grows here and there.  
It's organic.

Thanks for mentioning that.

Wendy S.


>From: "Bill&Julie" <wbates at mn.rr.com>
>Reply-To: "Bill&Julie" <wbates at mn.rr.com>
>To: "Cob List" <coblist at deatech.com>
>Subject: Re: re:Cob: small cob housing
>Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2003 19:49:15 -0500
>
>Hidare,,,  If what you are after is to get a leg up on the mixing
>process,( ~¿~ ).. Then retro is a good way to start..
>In jolly olde England, they used cows,, walking around a turn style,,, once
>the process was started, one cow could make more cob than 5 or 6 people
>could keep up with...  I would guess horses or donkeys would work as 
>well...
>( any one going on a vacation,, and would need a cow sitter )  Don't buy
>,,,mooch!!!
>
>>
>Bill
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: <dkdale at earthlink.net>
>To: <coblist at deatech.com>
>Sent: Thursday, July 03, 2003 5:44 PM
>Subject: re:Cob: small cob housing
>
>
> > "Not to go fully industrial strength, but how could we utilize modern
>equipment to make the job easier on our old joints and/or speed up the
>work?"
> >
> > As homes go I prefer small and manageable - but as someone whose joints
>have been known to creak on occasion, I second Mary's question.  Does 
>anyone
>know of any resources on this aspect of cob?  Perhaps a small free-standing
>cement mixer (cleaned of its former contents) to replace feet for mixing?
> >
> > Deanne
> >
> >
>
>

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