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"I am not the workshop teacher. I only facilitate the introduction. Wood, clay, fiber and stone are your teachers."
- Robert Laporte
This five-day workshop gives you hands-on experience in timber framing – a true craft. It offers you a unique opportunity to work with timbers as well as with others of like mind. For some, this experience could be a doorway into the rich world of wooden architecture and perhaps the beginnings of a career in timber framing. Regardless of your intent, the process of transforming a tree into one of the “bones” of a home is magical.
Do you dream of living in an authentic home... a legacy of beauty, health and environmental stewardship that reflects your deepest values? Perhaps you have already searched the conventional real estate offerings and realized that to truly fulfill your deepest vision you must build from scratch... a daunting challenge! This seminar will empower you to embark on your unique journey home. Prepare to be inspired as you gather with an intimate group for a deep exploration of all that home can be - a living sanctuary.
Bringing the wisdom of nature into the fabric of the home.
The clay and fiber (straw or wood chip) wall is the core of the EcoNest building system. In this four day workshop learn how to efficiently wrap a building with a 12” thick blanket of dynamic insulation for health, comfort and building longevity.
Clay-Fiber Wall Construction may be taken separately as a class on its own, as part of the Builder Training I-II-III package or within the EcoNest Intensive.
• Recipes, colors and textures
• Wall preparation, tools & equipment
• Mixing & applying scratch, brown and finish coats
Natural Plasters and Floors may be taken separately as a class on its own, as part of the Builder Training I-II-III package or within the EcoNest Intensive.
• Hip and gable framing
• Layout & roof math
• Thermal performance & rainwater catchment
The EcoNest Roof may be taken separately as a class on its own, as part of the Builder Training I-II-III package or within the EcoNest Intensive.
The EcoNest intensive is an accelerated learning experience in the philosophy and specialized techniques of EcoNest construction. For those desiring the efficiency of time and a discounted price, the EcoNest Intensive is a package of consecutive workshops and seminars offered by EcoNest. This is a very full and challenging 16-17 days of education and hands-on training that will totally change the way you think about shelter and our impact on the planet. This package is well-suited to general contractors and owner-builders and is the core training for future EcoNest Affiliates.
At its finest, building a handcrafted home is a soulful experience combining art, science and craft and involving mind, body and soul. The knowledge and skill to build mindfully is not learned overnight. The EcoNest Company realizes the vital importance of passing this craft on to the next generation and offers apprenticeship programs to promising individuals who feel a calling to make fine ecological home building their life’s work.
No other culture brings the forest element home as does the Japanese. We are proud to host Renowned Japanese Woodworker Dale Brotherton (http://www.japanesecarpentry.com). Dale, together with Robert Laporte, will lead a maximum of eight students in this rare opportunity to bring together tools, trees and tradition for an intensive woodworker’s experience on beautiful Salt Spring Island.
View a timelapse of an EcoNest being built or educate yourself on the many aspects of natural building.
VideosThe EcoNest Co. has been published in a wide variety of publications. Read our articles to find out more.
ArticlesEcoNest invites you to meet the homeowners of ten different EcoNests around the country who live simply, in harmony with nature.
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