Barging on with new slow architecture initiative

A barge floating through the country this month on the Grand Canal is heralding a new movement in architecture – Slow Architecture – based on the same principles of the Slow Food Movement.

It is an alternative to the “slap ’em up quick and flashy” school of building once popular in the boom decade. The movement, which is gathering pace in Ireland and abroad, is “dedicated to simplicity, fitting buildings with nature and with people and the quest to produce buildings which evolve,” said Sandra O’Connell, editor of Architecture Ireland.
The Boghill Centre in Kilfenora is already ahead of the game in Clare with its sustainable buildings project, a model of slow architecture involving a series of cob structures, with the first cob hut well on its way to completion.
This initiative is part of an eco project being carried out at the residential workshop centre. The Boghill MIST project focuses on sustainable and harmonious living, forging a deeper connection to the natural environment and includes sustainable building techniques and the creation of paths and recreational areas.
As well as the cob building, the other project activities currently underway are a reed labyrinth and a nature trail.
Work began on the first cob structure in spring of this year, with two weekend building workshops.
Throughout the summer a series of eco experience holiday participants worked on the structure while learning sustainable building skills.
More recently, 45 of Ennistymon’s Scoil Mhuire, Convent of Mercy School TY students tried out the cob-stomping techniques while experiencing a series of interactive taster workshops.
So far, almost 100 people have worked on the structure, all the windows have now been added and soon it will be time to build on the turf roof.
This weekend, a two-day workshop has been organised to finish the cob and cordwood walls and start a new structure by building a stone stem wall. Liam Carroll, a local experienced cob builder from Kinvara, will lead the workshop.
“Cob building is an ancient building technique which uses clay, straw, sand or other aggregate and water. These constituents are mixed together into a lump called a cob and then trodden onto the wall in a process called cobbing. The wall sets into a firm durable mass, which can be as hard as cement.
This ancient building material has been used all over the world, including Ireland, since prehistoric times.
“Cob structures can have long life spans, even in rainy climates, if there is a tall foundation and an overhanging roof to shelter the walls from driving rain.
“It is an environmentally friendly way of construction with no pollutants, it is non-toxic, non-allergenic, low-energy consumption and uses locally sourced materials. It can even incorporate recycled materials. The Boghill building uses recycled glass as aggregate. Cob has other benefits like good humidity regulation and insulation.
“What’s more, the thick walls (usually around 24cm), have a high thermal mass. This gives it the ability to store heat within the wall and release it very slowly.
“This makes cob buildings easy to keep warm in winter and cool in summer,” explained one of the organisers.
As well as the cob experience, there will be ceramics workshops using the natural clay from the site, yoga to start the day off and traditional Irish music sessions in the local pub in the evenings.