Bamboo Mud and Straw Workshop; Obregon Sonora, Mexico (1999)

This workshop was done at the site of the Straw Bale office building designed and built by Bill and Athena Steen (more info on the “Welcome Page”), and is another “quincha” style project.  Bamboo is used to create a framework onto which a cob like mix of mud and straw is applied.  The bamboo was harvested from several high quality construction grade species of bamboo that I planted as small divisions on the Save The Children Foundation’s property about 6 years prior to this workshop.  The foundation is made of recycled burnt adobe block and regular adobe block that was made from on site adobe soil.  The straw in the cob like mix came from nearby wheat fields. Highly efficient use of materials being the main thrust. Cost; about $150.  This workshop took place in early summer and another was planned for the fall to do exterior plaster and finish the inside.  Mother nature had other plans.  Shortly after these photos were taken, remnants of a hurricane came through thoroughly drenching the unprotected cob making it so heavy that the structure collapsed.  Plastic had been prepared to cover the building, but was never put in place.  Like wet cement, quincha is not strong until the mud sets up.