Examples of Beautiful Cob Structures
(images via: ecosense house)
With cob, the possibilities are virtually endless. Because this material makes it easy to build free-form structures, you can create rounded, amorphous homes with all the arches and niches you can handle. Pictured above is the EcoSense House, a private residence in Victoria, British Columbia that was North America’s first code-approved, seismically engineered load-bearing insulated cob residence. It achieved LEED Platinum for its many green features.
(images via: simondale.net, yearofmud, cob cottage co)
Cob is an ideal material for ‘hobbit houses’ and other rounded structures like the Simondale ‘Woodland Home’ (top two pictures), Ziggy’s adorable self-built house at the Dancing Rabbit Eco village (bottom left) and the many cute abodes made by the Cob Cottage Company in Oregon. As you can see, cob homes are often topped with green roofs. The swirling tree-trunk roof at the Simondale house is an example of a ‘reciprocal roof’.
(images via: green building elements)
The interiors of cob homes are simply spectacular. The material is so easy to work with that adding built-in cob counters, shelves, stairs, niches and even couches is a no-brainer, and this cuts down even further on building costs. Because cob absorbs heat, placing a wood stove snug in a little cob alcove as pictured above is a great way to quickly and efficiently heat up a home in the winter.
(images via: almfarms)
Because of its low cost, cob is growing more and more popular for people who might not otherwise be financially able to build their dream homes. Seeing photos of cob structures like those at Alm Farms, above, inspires people across the globe to attend cob building workshops and give this ancient building material a try.

