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Watts Towers

Posted by Michael Blaha, February 21st , 2010.

I got to tour  the Watts Towers this week in south central Los Angeles.  Simon or “Sam” Rodia called the sculpture in his backyard Nuestro Pueblo, or “our town.”  Spires of ferro-cement, tile, shells, found objects, broken glass mosaics.  Crafted meticulously over the course of 33 years (1921–1954).  I’m inspired and in awe of what one man can do.  A drop in a the bucket adds up to something big in time and that’s what Simon intended to do – make something BIG.  You can’t help but wonder about the man behind the art while wandering the space.  It would take months to even observe all of the details etched into the intricate monument.  A video called I Build Tower documents the story of Simon and his work ( preview on IMDB ).  I like where he says “You gotta do someting, thata they never got ‘em in the world”.

View photos »

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1400339/
Filed under: Natural Building, Web

The Last Straw Online

Posted by Michael Blaha, September 13th , 2009.

The Last Straw

Since 1993, the quarterly journal The Last Straw has been sharing news and developments from around the world about straw-bale construction and natural building.  You can now find selected articles available online!  How great is that?

The Last Straw Blog »

Filed under: Natural Building, Web

Water Woman Festival

Posted by Michael Blaha, September 7th , 2009.

Water Woman Festival

What are you doing October 1 – 4, 2009?
Why not come to the Water Woman Festival in Joshua Tree, California…
Water Woman Festival - Cob Bench DesignThe Water Woman Festival is an interactive ART and Ecological Experience featuring Eco-Artists, Green-Architects, Top Natural Builders, Permaculture Designers, Inspirational Eco-Leaders, Soulful Musicians and Sustainable Lifestyle Visionaries.
Water Woman Festival »

Filed under: Events, Web

Gobcobatron

Posted by Michael Blaha, August 23rd , 2009.

Ziggy's Gobcobatron

It’s been super fun to watch the process of Ziggy and friends building his cob house, dubbed Gobcobatron, over the last year or so. It’s a new installation on the land of Dancing Rabbit Ecovillage, a ecological and socially minded intentional community in northeastern Missouri. Ziggy has been busy working on a spiral designed cob house with a reciprocating living roof, a rocket stove, earthen floors and interior finishes. Now it seems that he’s ready to move in!

I’m gracious to Ziggy for documenting the process as he works step by step through building a cob house. Sharing insights and taking the time to document his experience, which is no small feat in it’s self. Congratulations!

Visit The Year of Mud »

Filed under: Natural Building, Web one response

Natural Building and a New Sense of the Earth

Posted by Michael Blaha, August 16th , 2009.


I found Natural Building and a New Sense of the Earth this week. It’s a great human story about the cob pioneers in Oregon. Inspiring!

Explore the world of natural building and meet some of its pioneers who are creating beautiful and inexpensive houses out of earth and straw, houses that you can make, too. This is a way of building that can transform how you see the earth and yourself.

Filed under: Natural Building, Web
 
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