A cob, straw bale and natural edge wood home in County Sligo, Ireland.

 
   
     
 
 
 


Colin (a carpenter) and Féile (an architect) built this beautiful cob, straw bale and natural edge wood home in Skreen, County Sligo, Ireland. After attending a 10 day cob workshop the following year they designed their home and started building once they were given planning permission. In the video (right) they talk about how their slow approach to building resulted in a home that surpassed their expectations.

 
 
 
       

There is a long tradition of earthen buildings (cob) in Ireland. Most of them are at least 100 years old and some up to 300 years old. Sadly many of these durable and sustainable homes were bulldozed and others renovated with cement, the kiss of death to a cob building. Saving the vernacular earthen tradition is dear to Féile's heart who is a director of Earth Building UK.

Colin and Féile now run Mud and Wood offering natural building workshops and conservation architecture giving advise on the repair of centuries old mud-walled buildings. Mud and Wood is listed on the Irish Georgian Society’s Traditional Building Skills Register. You will find more inspirational videos like the one above on the Mud and Wood YouTube channel including an introduction to natural edge wood.