Book Review: The Hand-Sculpted House

To get the resources discussion started it’s worth doing a mini-review of the North American-based but still highly valuable “The Hand Sculpted House”, (2002).  This is more than just a book I often refer to newcomers in the natural building field because it is not only a useful guide to the many considerations of building with earth, but gives a good understanding of ‘why’ it is important that we start to look at building our homes this way, even if cob isn’t your chosen material or style of building.

To start with, the Hand-Sculpted House is far more than a ‘manual’ for natural building.  The first section discusses the sometimes problematic role of architects in designing homes, the relative health benefits of building with earth (including psycho-social benefits of stimulating the senses through texture, aesthetic, shape and smell) and a brief history of why natural buildings have seen a resurgence in recent years. It gives a great overview of the tradition and heritage of building with earth, going into specifics in Chapter 2 of the origins of Oregon cob, where the authors have begun their journey.

Looking at the first two introductory chapters alone, we can deduce that this industry is not really like many others.  To have a section that discusses ‘financial empowerment’ alongside a section on ‘Thoreau on Shelter’ tells us a whole lot more about where natural builders place themselves on the spectrum of professional vs Owner Builder than many equivalent texts written by architects about design styles, or by builders discussing technique, safety and specs.

It also tells us that those who go into this business are often doing it for many more reasons than simply providing shelter.  There is even a section on ‘Cheap Housing For Those Who Need It Most’ that discusses the bigger picture issues of homelessness and how it relates to the desires of the middle-class, positing natural building as a potential solution to housing crisis (the likes of which we feel far more acutely than in 2002).

Beyond the theoretical and philosophical, the Hand-Sculpted House is an excellent practical resource. It considers siting, design, and provides an excellent outline of materials and tools that discusses both the natural and man-made (including ideas for scavenging to make your build a little cheaper).

Going through step-by-step the process of preparing the site, laying drainage and putting in foundations, how to mix the best cob (straw, sand, water, clay) to including a section on natural floors, putting in windows and doors, and plasters and finishes, this really is a great beginners guide to natural building that can be broadly applicable to other styles such as mud-brick, strawbale and even tyre-wall homes.

If you are looking to get some good winter reading resources, this is the book to begin and there are a few places online where you can order it including our own book retailers.

“The Hand-Sculpted House: A Practical and Philosophical Guide to Building a Cob Cottage”, by Ianto Evans, Michael G Smith, Linda Smiley, Chelsea Green Publishing, Vermont. USA. 2002. $66.95