Educational resources

Here is a list I have compiled of schools, courses and websites teaching various aspects of natural building

Here’s a documentary series of natural building on the West Coast which we were features in: groundwork

  1. ​The Canelo Project, founded by Bill and Athena Steen, is an initiative that focuses on natural building techniques, arts, music, and regional foods. It is located in the tiny town of Canelo, southeastern Arizona, and offers a variety of activities such as workshops, tours, intern programs, and cross-cultural gatherings. The project is renowned for its unique straw bale and clay wall system, finished with clay and lime plasters, sculptural wall carvings, earthen floors, and clay ovens. They have also been involved in museum art projects across the U.S. and in Mexico. For more information, you can visit their website Canelo Project.

  2. Yestermorrow Design/Build School: They offer a Natural Building Certificate program where students can explore various natural elements to create structures. The program includes hands-on exploration of materials like straw, wood, clay, and more. It's designed for both owner-builders and aspiring professional natural builders ​yestermorrow

  3. EDGE Online School of Natural Building: This school emphasizes building in harmony with local biomes and offers courses like "Building With The Chaparral", focusing on natural building in arid climates. The courses are tailored to specific environmental conditions of the students' locations​ https://edgeonline.org/

  4. Cob Hill Natural Building School: This school teaches the skills needed to build earthen natural homes. They cover foundations, drainage, roof systems, and wood harvesting and milling, offering a comprehensive insight into natural building https://www.cobhillnaturalbuilding.com/natural-building-school​

  5. Wild Abundance: They offer a range of courses including a 4-Month Carpentry Program, Tiny House Building Workshop, Gardening and Permaculture Apprenticeship, and Timber Framing Class. These programs provide hands-on experience and are suitable for various skill levels​ https://www.wildabundance.net/natural-building-school/

  6. Quail Springs Permaculture: They have an online natural building course with video content, live Q&A sessions, and hands-on project components. This course is suitable even for beginners https://www.quailsprings.org/courses/online-natural-building-course/

  7. Endeavour Centre: This center offers a one-month natural building intensive, covering both theory and practical aspects. It's well-suited for both experienced builders and motivated do-it-yourselfers​ https://endeavourcentre.org/

  8. San Diego Sustainable Living Institute: Their Natural Building Training + Certificate program is ideal for those new to construction or looking to transition to sustainable construction. It combines on-the-job training with classroom learning ​https://www.sdsustainable.org/natural-building-training

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