Description:
O.U.R. Natural Building Passport Skillbuilder 2009 is a concentrated Learning Internship at O.U.R. ECOVILLAGE. This Program is for participants who wish to learn foundational design and construction of Natural Building. It is O.U.R. ECOVILLAGE hope that we can help create a further pool of inspired, committed, and skilled Natural Builders who will widen the circle of people who are working within the field of ecologically design and construction. Though always on the edge of new innovations, and testing new opportunities, it is O.U.R. primary interest to construct buildings which can be lived in, or used legally, plus serve as a demonstration for other builders, homeowners, designers/engineers, and regulatory authorities. 

 

Elke Cole, resident natural builder at O.U.R.ECOVILLAGE, will lead this comprehensive training program.  Specialists in natural plasters and other techniques will join the teaching for short periods of time. The training is run in conjunction with O.U.R. ‘2^nd Generation Internship’ where previous Interns are hired to help lead the facilitation and construction processes onsite.

    

 

This year’s Natural Building training modules will focus primarily on Earth Building techniques;

 

These modules will be inter-woven with the practical design challenges of how ‘natural building’ and ‘conventional building’ are merged. Our Theory will also cover building elements from foundation to roof, present solutions for wall systems and passive solar design basics.

 

We have several projects on the go that will provide the practical hands-on workspace for learning. The Community Art Studio is close to the finishing phase and offers our space for natural plasters. Learn different recipes, plaster and paint techniques, pigment options and more. Freya’s House is our main project in 2009. A hybrid building with earthbag foundation, cob and straw-bale walls, earthen floors, timber frame and natural plasters- it will offer various opportunities to be involved. Main focus for the Skillbuilders will be cob on this site. If the building progress permits we will also raise bale walls as part of this course.

Classroom time for background information as well as evening presentations and discussions will round out the program.

 

Participants will be expected to participate full time. Everyone is sharing in meal community chores; assisting O.U.R. cook with meal preparation, kitchen clean, upkeep and clean of all site amenities, which the programs utilize. Community life will help develop leadership skills.

 

Who can join this program:

We like to train builders- people who are looking at natural building for their occupation, or to add natural building to their construction skills. Other participants could be folks who intend to build their own home or designers/ engineers who seek to gain practice on the ground.

 

Our projects may offer possibilities to extend your time with us after completing the course. This will be made available through a separate application process during the program.

 

                     

 

 

 

 

·        The program begins with a “permaculturalization” or team building and integration. This helps to establish the Learning Community ethics in connection with everyone on the land. This will also include hands-on activities. Please note: O.U.R. building projects will determine the practice. The more people we have involved over the season the more progress is made. What can’t be covered in practice, we discuss in theory.

·        Expect to spend 8 hrs daily on the Skillbuilder learning project site. We will rotate weekly work schedules as various facilitators come in to work with different modules in the training.

·        Design exercises will be related to further development of the “9 home Eco-Home cluster” at O.U.R. ECOVILLAGE.

·        This course is designed to provide a real life forum for the challenges and rigor involved in bringing together natural building and conventional building in a Learning Community setting.

·        Functioning as a team player, accountability to your own goals/team goals, and a clear motivation towards learning is the key to the learning journey.

 
 

Elke Cole – Architectural Designer and lead design teacher

Kris Dick – Lead Engineer,

Randy Churchill – Assisting Engineer

Chad Babcock – Building Site Coordinator, Natural Builder, former O.U.R. Intern

Cindy Walker – Plaster Artist Extraordinaire and Natural Builder

Natural Building Network of North America www.naturalbuildingnetwork.org

DryStone Wall Association of Canada http://www.jboyweb.com/drystonewall/

Represented by Bill Child (former stone craft teacher for Vancouver Island University)
Others TBA

 

Spending 6 weeks at O.U.R. ECOVILLAGE gives you an opportunity to participate in a diverse offering of activities. Garden, greenhouses, forest and open spaces offer walks, quiet time, change in pace and other learning. O.U.R. connection with the Cowichan First Nations Community brings cultural awareness and integration of practices in our daily lives. Community life is an important element of the learning and activities which participants partake in.

 

  

 

O.U.R. ECOVILLAGE program participants live in personal tents in O.U.R. camp area. We have outdoor solar showers and a washing station as well as several compost toilets.
O.U.R. outdoor kitchen serves vegetarian food with daily input from the garden. A cob oven is also available for bread baking and pizza.
Meals are provided – breakfast is self serve, lunch and dinner are prepared by our cook.
Previous years Skillbuilders built the “Chillage,” O.U.R. hang-out space for participants adjacent to the kitchen area with a Rumford fireplace and storage spaces for personal items.
The big yurt on the property is used for gatherings, council, celebrations and presentations….and O.U.R. library.
The Healing Sanctuary will be available according to summer schedules.
Find out more about O.U.R. site on our website: www.ourecovillage.org

 

O.U.R. ECOVILLAGE is situated near Shawnigan Lake on Vancouver Island. The immediate area invites hiking, boating, cycling, and swimming (good to consider bringing a bike for local trips). Weekend trips can reach Strathcona Park, the west coast of the island, the Gulf islands, Victoria and Vancouver.
The closest communities for shopping and services are Mill Bay, Shawnigan Lake, Cobble Hill and the town of Duncan. Public transport reaches as close as Shawnigan Lake, appr.30 Minutes walking distance from O.U.R.ECOVILLAGE.
Our climate has a dry season from June to October. Temperatures reach upper 20s Celsius but cool down at night.

 

·        This cost is to cover all camp, meals, cook, general site costs (upkeep and maintenance of common space used by Interns), and program insurance.

·        Tuition, all on-site workshops, teachers , special guest presenters and field trips are covered by the Internship.

Please send us

(Canadian cheque or international money order in Canadian funds payable to O.U.R. Community Association)