Wholewoods

Grand Designs 2012

wholewoods — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 22:37:21 +0000

See us on Channel 4 this summer working with Kevin McCloud on his new project and at Grand Designs Live in London May 5th.

Round wood framing

Roundwood Timber Framing – Stroud

wholewoods — Tue, 15 Nov 2011 18:17:19 +0000

I am working with Waldorf College students to build their outdoor classroom three days a week. We harvesting timber from the adjacent woodland to build this round wood timber frame which stands higher than the original cow byre, which would only have been high enough to house livestock. The budget here has been very tight so we have re-used old materials where possible and what local timber we have been able to harvest. This has of course meant that we have used species that I would never usually recommend for outdoor structures. However like pioneers we have used the materials available to us as best as possible. Successive years students will add to the structure completing one bay per year and after it is finished students on subsequent courses will be involved in it’s maintenance and repairs. Using some ‘perishable’ timbers brings opportunities if the building can be considered a learning opportunity rather than a finished product. Other than providing shelter the greatest benefit the structure offers is for the involvement of the students learning to build it. It follows therefore that it’s limited life span offers repeated opportunity for future students to get involved in maintenance and re-building. Quite a topsy turvy approach to building!

In progress - The roundwood timber frame in Stroud

Roundwood timber framing course 2011

wholewoods — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 20:11:05 +0000

This was a double first for us. First 5day course and first time running a course at our new wood yard. Both worked very well I thought and definitely to be repeated next year. The course was over subscribed but we thought we’d keep the numbers low to see how it all worked, sorry to anyone who missed out. The course will probably be 3rd week of Sept 2012. My goodness it feels funny typing that date! There will be more space next year as we’ll be extending the barn, and the kitchen is being re-built. My thanks to everyone that came and made the week so wonderful. The star of the show was most definitely Kath the chef and we all bow to the awesome power of the haybox. The haybox is king. Anyone who is interested in the course do contact me via the main website. Cheers

roundwood timber framing course

roundwood timber framing course

Clay rendering a strawbale classroom

wholewoods — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 19:38:27 +0000

I’ve just finished teaching my usual slot on the London permaculture course. This course is mainly based Hawkwood run by Organiclea a community food growing coop. The 12 acre site is host to a bounty of amazing activities including this rather wonderful course. For the last two years the practical session of my green building slot on this course has been clay rendering of the strawbale classroom. We are using an experimental technique fixing split wood lathe to the stud frame and daubing this as if it were a wattle and daub wall. The daub is neat fresh dug clay mixed only with straw.

This technique though not commonly used fitted the brief of entertaining 20 people for 1hr only on each annual course, allowing them to experience a ‘whole’ process of digging clay from the site and rendering the wall. So far the process seems to be working and this second year we returned to plug the gaps and apply a second layer. It remains to be seen whether plugging smaller and smaller gaps on successive visits finally results in a smooth finish, and if the final man/hrs spent is much different that if we have mixed all the clay with sand first.

clay rendering wattle and daub

Outdoor classroom in Watford

wholewoods — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 17:39:05 +0000

Wow, what an exciting and heart-warming day I have just had! I‘ve just returned to Queens School in Watford to do a safety inspection of an outdoor classroom I built there with the children. I always re-visit building projects 6 months in to check that it has settled in and is safe to sign off. So much has happened since I was last there. The staff and students have really made this space their own. Wood chip paths have been laid through the spinney and logs have been installed for seating. Rustic seating also adorns the classroom and it is obvious that the students and staff are really enjoying the space. I’m really pleased with the way the structure has seasoned and settled in. During building we had worried that in the unexpected scorching sun the poles would season too quickly. Amazingly a small bird, yet un-seen has taken to using the structure as a place to hunt.

Our wonderful rustic outdoor classroom

Wholewoods at Grand Designs 2011 Birmingham

wholewoods — Thu, 29 Sep 2011 16:55:32 +0000

We will be at Grand Designs again this year in NEC Birmingham. Working with partners LILI running the ‘Sustainable Building Techniques’ programme of talks, workshops and hands-on demonstrations. I will be doing a talk on Saturday at 12.00 on ‘Self Build Eco Projects’. Here’s a link to the Lili website and the other partners. http://www.lowimpact.org/Grand_Designs_Images/Work/partnering-companies.html

Adrian explaining roofing shingles

Pole barn – Tetbury

wholewoods — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 21:54:16 +0000

We will be adding another bay on the pole barn at our woodyard this year. This is our main work/teaching site on Duchy Home Farm. This build is a little un-usual for us as it is designed by an architect with very little input from us and so it not exactly what we would choose to build. However it is from local larch and is keeping us warm and dry which we love! It has also been attracting the local larch wasps one of which tried to lay eggs in Brian’s foot!

Pole barn - Tetbury - Gloucestershire

Roundwood Timber Framing – Stroud

wholewoods — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:56:10 +0000

The cow byre needing a little love!

We are finally re-building the old 16th century cow byre at Hawkwood College Stroud. This project runs for Waldorf College as part of the ‘Bridging The Gap’ course, a BTEC in life skills. Our students will be involved in the process from start to finish, harvesting all the timber from the woodland and assembling the timber frame. The cow byre has been re-built several times over the years but has been short of love for a long time now. We are very excited to be breathing new life back into the structure which will now be used as an outdoor classroom.