Matteo helps us mix and build cob the proper way. All cob begins with coarse sand, clay, and straw. Seventy percent to thirty percent to "enough that you can really see it" respectively. Add a bit of water to start the mix and find a rhythm with your partner. Once the mud reaches an even consistency you may begin the process of integration and discover the reality of cobber's thumb.

Nic teaches intermediate wood joinery. He connects two shorter pieces of lumber stripped from discarded pallets with a simplified scarf joint. Using a shop fabricated circular saw jig, he miters the pieces with the same angle and cuts a dado in each to hold a key, which allows the boards to be lined up when gluing and screwing.

|workshop photos by Melis Schildkraut and Michael Raspuzzi|

This is one element of my undergraduate thesis. Special thank you to my advisors Luben Dimcheff and Lily Chi.