[Cob] cob building design acceptance

[Ocean Liff-Anderson]

I believe the reason British cob is square lies more in the fact that  
rectilinear design was the standard, and that after exhausting all  
the timbers on the isle the only material left to build with was the  
earth.  The British (and British Columbians) recognize the strength  
and longevity of the cob due to their multi-century experience with  
cob buildings (many cob cottages in Devon were built in Medieval  
times) .

Ianto and Cob Cottage Co teach that curvilinear walls are stronger  
than rectilinear.  This may or may not be true.  But I know for one  
that there is a "felt sense" of satisfaction, security, "hominess" in  
a Cob-Cottage-style curvilinear building that I just don't feel in  
square traditional (and even straw bale) structures.  This may just  
be a bias, or I'm drinking the cool-aid offered by Ianto, but also I  
would suggest we all read the third section of "The Hand Sculpted  
House", written primarily by Linda Evans, which focuses on the  
healing and spiritual aspects of cob buildings.  If it is too "woo- 
woo" for some, that's OK, but it does give greater context for Cob  
Cottage's rationale for curvilinear design.

I would also suggest a reading of Christopher Alexander's "Pattern  
Language" which Ianto draws from extensively in his emphasis we  
design from the occupants perspective - rather than from traditional/ 
conventional mindset - which lends to an elegance and simplicity not  
found in conventional buildings.  The Pattern Language helps explain  
why one can feel more complete in the Evan's 200 square foot Heart  
Cottage, but lost and alienated in your standard 4000 square foot  
"Sports Utility House" (to borrow Rob Bolman's term).

Peace to all,
Ocean Liff-Anderson
Proprietor, FireWorks Restaurant
Corvallis, Oregon
http://FireWorksVenue.com


> -----Original Message-----
> From: coblist-bounces at deatech.com [mailto:coblist- 
> bounces at deatech.com] On
> Behalf Of Damon Howell
> Sent: Friday, October 02, 2009 10:47 AM
> To: coblist at deatech.com
> Subject: [Cob] cob building design acceptance
>
> Just to be simple on the attempt to get cob approved, how much does
> the design (i.e. shape) of a cob house have to do with persuasion?
> Cob homes here in the states are organic shaped whereas the ones I've
> seen in Europe are more straight forward. Maybe a big reason for this
> is the Cob Cottage Company's suggestion of designing your house
> around your daily activities. I mean, if I were an inspector and
> someone come to me with a design that had curved walls I would
> automatically say it wasn't going to work. BUT, if the same person
> came to me with a four-corner, straight walled design I'd be more
> accepting of the plan, as long as I could see first hand the material
> it was going to be built of. Why are Americans such "purists" and
> want to build their "illegal" homes to look like something out of a
> fairy tale? Besides it's cool and it's possible. I'm sure the English
> recognized the plasticity of cob but they didn't push it beyond four
> corners.
> Damon in GA
>
>
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