Bamboo Building Immersion

Program.

In the lectures and hands-on workshops you will learn:

* Bamboo varieties, harvesting, processing, treatment, and curing methods

*Bamboo Design and Model Making

* Bamboo splitting, bending, drilling, pegging, lashing, fish mouths and other joinery techniques

* Bamboo finishing methods, and maintenance strategies

* Bamboo & hardwood pin, and binder stick making

*Bamboo Furniture Techniques

* Bamboo wattle and split panels

* Bamboo Dome Assembly

* Specialty tools for Bamboo Construction

During this week-long course, we will construct a small bamboo structure, completing the entire framing process from start to finish. 

Daily Flow

6:30 a.m. - Yoga

8 a.m. - Breakfast

9 a.m. - 12 p.m. - Classroom Lectures/ Hands-on Workshops

12 p.m. - Lunch

12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. - Siesta

1:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. - Hands-On Workshops/Build

6 p.m. - Dinner

7 p.m. - Slideshows/ Videos

                                   All food served at the course is 100% organic and vegan.                                                                                                                                                                                                    Fresh coconuts and fruits are available throughout the day. 

             Additional information and travel instructions will be emailed upon registration. 

Instructors

Rodolfo Saenz

Rodolfo Saenz began his career as a craftsman, furniture maker, and builder over 30 years ago. He first learned to work with wood and later received training in a variety of techniques with bamboo from a Taiwanese Master, which led him into bamboo furniture design combined with hardwoods and various other materials.

Originally trained in conventional construction, he switched gears to natural building methods and design with a concentration on bamboo, cob, and earthen plasters. Rodolfo is passionate about sharing his skills and knowledge by teaching sustainable building and design and has over a dozen years of experience teaching courses. Learn more at ConstruccionEnBarro.com.

Trey Abernethy

After 12 years of conventional construction in the US witnessing wasteful, toxic, and unsustainable methods, he knew there was a better way to build. While living in Florida, he began taking courses and workshops on cob, adobe, and earthen plasters. In 2013, he moved to Costa Rica and continued learning about natural building, permaculture, community, and holistic living.

After completing his Permaculture Design Course shortly after arriving in Costa Rica he attended a week-long course on building with bamboo, cob, adobe, and plasters with Rodolfo Saenz.

Soon thereafter he joined the build crew for the Envision festival, learning from a range of experts on bamboo design and building. Trey continues to work on large-scale bamboo design and builds at Envision festival each year.

In 2015, he attended a 2-week earthen building course at Rancho Mastatal, focusing on cob, clay and lime plasters, natural pigments and paints, and tadelakt, a waterproof limestone plaster technique from Morocco.

After participating in and leading many natural building projects in Costa Rica, Trey confidently teaches to build with natural materials and empowering others to be in harmony with nature.