A straw bale meditation room inspired by the Navaho Hogan

 
   
       
 
 

The Hogan at Cae Mabon in Wales, built in 1999 by Eric Maddern and Martin Start, was inspired by the Navaho tribes of Utah and Arizona. Hogan are octagonal structures with log walls and a corbelled roof with a smoke hole. This Hogan however has straw bale walls rendered with lime plaster and a reciprocal roof. Cae Mabon's Hogan is hidden away in the woods giving it a special stillness. It is used as a meditation room and a place to sleep for four people.

   
       

The roof consists of eight principle rafters resting on lintels each supporting the other leaving a hole in the middle for the window. The straw bale walls are rendered with lime. The reciprocal roof was patented in the UK [No.GB2235479B] by Graham Brown in 1989 when it was commercially protected until 1995.