Natural Building Workshop – 08/2023
Powell River, Canada

From July 31st to September 3rd we will start another 35-Day Natural Building Workshop near Powell River, Canada. This workshop will provide you an opportunity to get hands-on experience in Natural Building, all the skills and especially the confidence you need to build a little cabin for yourself.
The highlights of this workshop are passive solar heating, a natural rock foundation, a wooden frame and roof, strawbale walls, earthen floors, earthen plasters, a tiled roof and even cob sculpting.
The location for this workshop is Jessica & Shane’s land in an idyllic forest near Powell River, Canada. Their dream is to live on this land in a conscious and sustainable way. Gardening, permaculture and working with natural and local materials are part of their every day life.

Natural Rock Stemwall

Natural Rock Stemwall

built with lime mortar, the best trade-off between longevity and embodied carbon

Round Pole Timber Frame

Round Pole Timber Frame

most beautiful to look at, special treatment and techniques required

Community Building

Community Building

“a building is as strong as the weakest relation between its builders” (probably Confucius)

be prepared to work on yourself as well

Strawbale Walls

Strawbale Walls

well-insulating and an ideal choice for dry, cold, and hot climate zones

Earthen Plaster & Floors

Earthen Plaster & Floors

giving artistic freedom and allowing you and your walls to breathe

Welcome to our permaskills Natural Building Workshop in Powell River near Vancouver, Canada. This course is a unique opportunity to learn natural building techniques and practices while building a small straw bale house from the foundation to the roof. You will gain hands-on experience in natural building techniques such as natural stone stem walls, earthen floors, strawbale walls, cob walls, lime plaster, and more.

Our course is designed for beginners and those with some experience in natural building. Over the three-week course, you will gain the skills to build your own natural homes and structures, while learning how to work with natural and sustainable materials. The course is led by experienced instructor Robert Brendler, who has been teaching natural building for over 20 years.

In addition to the hands-on building experience, you will have the opportunity to explore the beautiful natural surroundings of Powell River, including forests, beaches, and mountains. On weekends, we offer various group activities and excursions such as hiking, swimming, and canoeing.

Our course includes three to five weeks of instruction and building, covering the foundation, earthen floor, timber frame, and strawbale walls. By the end of the course, you will have a basic understanding of natural building techniques and a beautiful small straw bale house that you helped build. Join us for a unique and enriching experience that will give you the skills and knowledge to build your own natural structures.

Welcome to our permaskills Natural Building Workshop in Powell River near Vancouver, Canada. This course is a unique opportunity to learn natural building techniques and practices while building a small straw bale house from the foundation to the roof. You will gain hands-on experience in natural building techniques such as natural stone stem walls, earthen floors, strawbale walls, cob walls, lime plaster, and more.

Our course is designed for beginners and those with some experience in natural building. Over the three-week course, you will gain the skills to build your own natural homes and structures, while learning how to work with natural and sustainable materials. The course is led by experienced instructor Robert Brendler, who has been teaching natural building for over 20 years.

In addition to the hands-on building experience, you will have the opportunity to explore the beautiful natural surroundings of Powell River, including forests, beaches, and mountains. On weekends, we offer various group activities and excursions such as hiking, swimming, and canoeing.

Our course includes three to five weeks of instruction and building, covering the foundation, earthen floor, timber frame, and strawbale walls. By the end of the course, you will have a basic understanding of natural building techniques and a beautiful small straw bale house that you helped build. Join us for a unique and enriching experience that will give you the skills and knowledge to build your own natural structures.

Natural Building Workshop
Certification permaskills Natural Building Certificate
Instruction language English
Certification Levels 5 weeks: Master
3 weeks: Intermediate
Date Jul 31 – Sep 4, 2023
Location Powell River, Canada
Building Style PermaHome / Strawbale
Instructor Robert Brendler
Hosts Jessica and Shane

Project

In this year’s permaskills Natural Building Workshop we will build a Cabin / PermaHome for Jessica and Shane in Powell River, Canada. They would love to have a comfortable, passively heated guest room. The highlights of this workshop are a winter-proof building with passive heat management and well-insulated strawbale walls from foundation to roof, earthen floors, earthen plasters, and even cob sculpting.

You will get the opportunity to build a complete building from foundation through floors and walls to the roof with your own hands. We are trying to use only natural materials, so you know exactly what you are working and surround yourself with.

Skill Requirements

There are no skill requirements for this Natural Building Workshop! You will learn everything you need to build a PermaHome from foundation to roof. That said, it certainly won’t hurt if you know some things and put it to good use or share it with others. Nobody is perfect and we are always curious to learn other ways of doing things.

Construction Site for this Natural Building Workshop near Powell River, BC, Canada

possible building site for the PermaHome

Course

This course will provide you with plenty of opportunities to get hands-on experience in Natural Building, all the skills, and especially the confidence you need to build a PermaHome for yourself.

This course consists of theoretical instruction (in English) with lectures & graphics as well as hands-on construction for 7 – 8 hours a day. The successful completion of these Workshops gives you a Natural Building Certificate. You will receive the permaskills Natural Builder Certificate, all the teaching materials by email and the permaskills – Natural Builder’s Handbook, which is a summary of the workshop building steps, upon graduation.

Extras

Passive heat management – In Canada the winters are long and cold, therefore we need good insulation for the house and an internal heat storage that will be charged by sunlight and release the heat at night.

workshop students building a cob cottage during a Natural Building Workshop in Portugal

workshop students building a cob cottage in Portugal

Fees & Sign-Up

The fees for the permaskills Natural Building Workshops (including Tuition, Camping and Meals) are:

INTERMEDIATE (3 weeks)

$900EARLY BIRD discount until June 1, 2023
  • Ground assessment
  • Drainage
  • Foundation
  • Natural Rock Stemwall
  • Window & Door Frames
  • Floor Insulation
  • Earthen Floor
  • Round Pole Timber Frame
  • Hand and Power Tool Instruction

MASTER (5 weeks)

$1500EARLY BIRD discount until June 1, 2023
  • Everything from the Intermediate Course plus:
  • Strawbale Walls
  • Cob Walls
  • Roof Structure
  • Roof Insulation
  • Roof Tiling
  • Earthen Plaster
  • Electrical Wiring

By paying the workshop fee you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions. For simple payments we are using PayPal as our provider, but have to add ~3% of transaction fees for that. If this is too expensive for you, please check our alternative payment methods.

Schedule

Timeframe Focus on
Arrival Sunday, 4 pm Opening Circle / Welcome Dinner / Introduction
1st week Foundation / Drainage / 1st Floor
2nd & 3rd week Round Pole Timber Frame and Roof Structure
4th week Walls / Windows / 1st Plaster
5th week Roof Tiling / 2nd Plaster / 2nd Floor
Morning Yoga Session at a Natural Building Workshop in Portugal

voluntary morning yoga session

There is often someone who leads yoga or some other movement practice in the morning and/or the afternoon. We like to have one evening a week to show slides, videos or have workshop related debates. The rest of the time you can spend on your own, join a jam session or contribute something to share with the group.

Hosts

Jessica & Shane

Shane and Jessica are the gracious stewards of Singing Cedars, a breathtaking 5-acre parcel nestled in the lush greenery of Powell River, BC. Shane is a passionate permaculture designer, audio engineer, music producer, and performer. Jessica has a degree in sustainable agriculture and is currently managing a large project bringing greenhouses to remote communities for food security.

Singing Cedars is more than just a plot of land, it’s a sanctuary for those seeking to reconnect with nature, rewild themselves, and replenish their souls. The property has a small-scale farm, a sacred space that hosts ancestral ceremonies, and ample untamed forested areas. The vision of Singing Cedars is to live close to the land and provide a place where people can learn, evolve, and deepen their connection to their humanity through various workshops, retreats, gatherings, and sacred ceremonies.

To further this vision, we aim to construct an earth dwelling that will serve as a warm, welcoming sanctuary for Elders and teachers as they visit Singing Cedars to lead ceremonies and workshops.

We are excited to welcome like-minded individuals to join us in co-creating this vision. Surrounded by majestic forests, diverse wildlife, and scenic hiking trails, Singing Cedars offers a glimpse into the unparalleled beauty of Powell River. We look forward to sharing this haven with you.

Location

Cranberry Lake

Cranberry Lake, photo by David Stanley

Powell River

Powell River is a small coastal city located in British Columbia, Canada. Surrounded by the picturesque Coast Mountains and the pristine waters of the Salish Sea, it offers a wealth of opportunities for nature lovers.

The city is situated on the traditional territory of the Tla’amin Nation and offers numerous hiking trails, parks, and beaches. The Powell River Sea Walk is a popular spot for walkers and cyclists, offering scenic views of the ocean and nearby islands. Willingdon Beach is a great spot for swimming and picnicking, while the Sunshine Coast Trail offers a more challenging hike for experienced adventurers.

In addition to its natural attractions, Powell River is also home to the Powell River Historical Museum and Archives, which showcases the area’s rich history and culture. Visitors can also explore the vibrant arts and culture scene, including the Powell River Film Festival and the Powell River Farmers Market.

Overall, Powell River is a great destination for nature lovers who want to experience the beauty of the Canadian wilderness while also enjoying the amenities of a modern city.

Getting there

Instructor

Robert 'Cob-Rob' Brendler

Robert ‘Cob-Rob’ Brendler

Rob has been doing construction work since the age of 12 when he accompanied his grandpa on construction sites during his summer vacation. He’s a Jack of all trades, experienced in Masonry, Carpentry, Plumbing, Electrical Wiring, Home Automation, Cob Building & Sculpting, Green-Roofs, Non Violent Communication, Teaching and Team-Building and is bringing it all together to give you a complete experience from foundation to roof. Robert loves the Natural Building Community and bringing together the kind of people that are interested in it. He loves teaching and the look on faces when people succeed in doing things they never imagined they could do.

Rob teaching a theory lesson at a Natural Building Workshop in Portugal

Theory lesson with Rob

Fees & Sign-Up

The fees for the permaskills Natural Building Workshops (including Tuition, Camping and Meals) are:

INTERMEDIATE

$900EARLY BIRD discount until June 1, 2023
  • Ground assessment
  • Drainage
  • Foundation
  • Natural Rock Stemwall
  • Window & Door Frames
  • Floor Insulation
  • Earthen Floor
  • Round Pole Timber Frame
  • Hand and Power Tool Instruction

MASTER

$1500EARLY BIRD discount until June 1, 2023
  • Everything from the Intermediate Course plus:
  • Strawbale Walls
  • Cob Walls
  • Roof Structure
  • Roof Insulation
  • Roof Tiling
  • Earthen Plaster
  • Electrical Wiring

By paying the workshop fee you are agreeing to our Terms & Conditions. For simple payments we are using PayPal as our provider, but have to add ~3% of transaction fees for that. If this is too expensive for you, please check our alternative payment methods.

Discounts

Cob dancing with Aliona and Rob at a Natural Building Workshop in Chile

Cob dancing, best enjoyed with your muddy buddy!

Work Trade

We offer 4 work trade discounts, 2 in the kitchen making breakfast in the morning and 2 on-site in the morning before breakfast or in the afternoon between class and dinner. An ideal learning opportunity to get a glimpse on every detail of the build. Each work trade is $50 off the tuition fees per week for one hour of help a day. These positions are naturally in high demand, but reserved to those that need financial support.

Muddy Buddy Deal

Register friends later, get the same discount. When the discount offer is ending soon, but your best friend isn’t sure yet. No problem, register now and secure the discount for the both of you.

Please contact robert.brendler@permaskills.org for more information.
Optional via Whatsapp +4915158593588.

WE LOOK FORWARD TO MEETING YOU!!!!

Natural Building Workshop Graduates