Pictures of Patrick's cob cottage on Mayne Island

This cob cottage was mostly built during a 2 week cob workshop last year, led by Ianto Evans. What makes this structure so unique it that it is the 1st code approved cob home in Canada. Patrick invited the building inspectors to participate in the 2 week course. The roof is filled with hay for insulation, then a water proof membrane, he then covered the roof with hay to decompose and grow grass on top. The large front window is tempered glass that he curved.

So far Patrick has invested $500 in materials to build the house to this state. $300 of it was to get sand for the project.

Most of the wood used in the structure is driftwood Patrick found at a nearby beach. Here you can see the Rumford fireplace design with a whimsical snake slithering down the chimney .

This man made pond was the source for the clay that was used in the structure.

The inside has been creatively detailed & whitewashed with a lime based plaster.

Good view of the soon to be living roof.

Note the windows, all different kinds. Patrick put an add in the newspaper wanted your old windows. All windows used were delivered to his property free.

Love that drift wood door!

Love that drift wood door!

The East side windows, Lori has the wooden tamper used to create pack the cob floor section. Floor is still under construction.

Another view from the North side.

The fridge embeded in the north wall.

This shows the cob oven and the back of the fridge, made from a part of an old wood stove embeded in the north wall.

The open air outhouse, not fun when its raining.

Click here to see pictures of cob and other natural building examples

Check out Patrick's own web site. Cobworks is committed to building beautiful, affordable structures with natural and local material in a spirit of cooperation and social responsibility. They offer natural building workshops, construction and accommodation.