The structure is made primarily of cob (sand, clay, straw and water mixed in appropriate proportions) and timber. The former roof apparently wasn't up to par. I've been seeing more and more that an adequate roof is essential in working with cob. It's incredibly sturdy stuff once it's allowed to dry properly, and will remain sturdy basically indefinitely if kept dry. This particular structure was built about 20 years ago.
Part of the work included demolishing some existing sections where either water had been leaking onto for years, or some sections that just didn't feel like they belonged. As I said before, cob is sturdy stuff. Demolition was quite the workout. I didn't do much of that, instead choosing to focus on rebuilding the demolished areas and filling in areas near the new rafters. What was really freaking cool about that was that we were using the material we had just demolished to rebuild the structure. Just add some water (and maybe more sand and straw if needed) and mix again, then form it into a wall. It's a bit more complex than that, but you get the idea. No waste!
I spent a couple days doing that this weekend. Super labor intensive, but in the end, I felt really good about it, and met some really cool people too. They also took us to a yoga studio/sanctuary they have been working on for about a year and a half. I was a little overwhelmed by the place, but I did manage to snap 2 pics. First is a "keystone" detail that tugged at my heartstrings just a little. Second is an incredible stained glass flower pattern.
Yea, it was a good weekend.
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