Building with The Earth: A Beginner’s Workshop to Earth-Building

Have you always been curious to learn about earth-building but haven't known where to start? Join us for a one-day workshop at the beautiful Okuti Garden. This event is perfect for curious beginners looking for their gateway to exploring the magical world of building with natural materials.

WHAT WE’LL BE LEARNING:

• Theory Meets Practice: This workshop is 80% theoretical and 20% hands-on experience. We’ll be going over the fundamentals of earth-building while also getting a chance to feel the clay in your hands.
• Wondering what earth-building even is and what the benefits are? We'll explore the historical context of earth-building and it’s place in the modern day with plenty of chance for casual, q&a throughout.
• Clay Foraging: We’ll walk around the land to locate typical places you might find wild clays, and simple hand tests to determine their usability within earth-building.
• Mixing: We’ll briefly explore how to make earth-building mixes for building using locally-sourced, sustainable materials.
• Craft Your Own Creation: There’s an opportunity to craft your very own small earthen item to take home such as a decorative bowl, dorodango, incense holder, or whatever you decide. Let your imagination run wild as you mold and shape your small sustainable masterpiece:-)

ABOUT THE TEACHER:

My name is Iza Lakapati. I first experienced the joy of earth-building at 18 while spending six months living in a traditionally crafted mud house in a rural Malawian village. This is where I found my love for living in community and living in harmony with nature. Upon returning to Aotearoa, I completed a Bachelor of Architectural Studies at Victoria University of Wellington with electives in Biology Conservation and Design for Sustainability. Since graduating, I have trained under seven different teachers including internationally- acclaimed earth-builders Athena Steen and Verena Maeder. I have contributed to over 10 natural-construction projects ranging from simple clay-painting existing walls to the more recent completion of a co-designed and co-constructed 28m2 strawbale roundhouse. I have co-hosted or facilitated teaching six educational workshops from four days to two-month building immersive workshops.

Beyond the undeniable environmental and health benefits, there is also a deeper cultural shift that I believe natural building contributes to. It invites us to engage with deeper understandings of our belonging in the natural world, responsible stewardship of the land, decolonisation of the construction industry, and reconnection to our community. 

I am now fundraising to study a Master’s of Sustainable Architecture at the Centre of Alternative Technology, a Welsh institute with over 50 years of experience in sustainable practice. I view these studies as a necessary bridge between my current efforts on small-scale projects and my aspirations to contribute to the wider industry by deepening my understanding of global challenges and collaborating with like-minded people. I am hosting these workshops to share this knowledge before I depart the country and also to fundraise for the costs of living and studying abroad.
Check out my fundraiser here: https://givealittle.co.nz/cause/help-fund-my-sustainable-architecture-masters

You can see more of my work here: https://instagram.com/wanderin...
 

COST:

The workshop fees will contribute to helping make this dream happen, however, I do not want money to be a barrier to anyone coming so the cost ranges from $50-100, depending on what you can afford for this wee-last minute event.

Bring your own food.

If money is a barrier for you or you're looking for something different, consider one of the other earth-building events this week:
Evening seminar at Windrose House: https://events.humanitix.com/lets-talk-about-mud
Weekend Workshop at Ōtākaro Orchard: https://events.humanitix.com/m...