This two-day short course offers a practical introduction to earth buildings and using earth as a building material.

Whether you want to build your own earth structure or just learn more about earth as a building material, this course is a great place to get started.

Key Information

• Duration: two days
• Start and finish times: starts at 9.30am and ends at 5pm on the last day
• Course cost: £300– includes lunch, tuition and all materials
• Full board accommodation is available for this course: £97 for a single person bedroom. (This option will become available once you click “Available” or “Book Now” below)
• What to bring:
  • Safety boots/Steel toe-capped boots are required
  • Waterproof clothing that you are happy to get muddy in is advised
  • A towel or similar for drying/wiping hands
  • Pad and pen
• Terms and Conditions:
  • you must be 18 years or over to attend our courses.
  • For full list of terms and conditions click here

What you will learn

This course will equip you with the skills and confidence to source, design and build projects that use earth as a material.

CAT graduate and Architect Maria Sierra Sánchez will guide you through an inspiring two days where you’ll explore:

• Earth: clay and other elements
• How to source earth for building
• How to test your materials and what to look out for
• Earths symbiosis with other materials
• Earth Building mixes using other natural materials
• An overview of Earth Building techniques
• The preparation and creation of a small design

This course offers hands-on experience, allowing you to try various techniques while understanding the raw materials, selecting the right building methods, and mastering the perfect mixes for each application.

Tutor Details

Maria Sierra Sanchez

Maria Sierra Sánchez is an architect specialised in Green Building. She worked in conventional architecture for about 6 years before redirecting her career to sustainable construction by studying on our MSc in Green Building.

Her journey has taken her across Wales, England, France, Colombia, Mexico, and Spain, where she has immersed herself in high-quality training and volunteering programmes using earth and straw, timber and bamboo.

Maria has have run workshops and courses, from 1 hour to 3 days on earth and fibres in the UK, Spain, Mexico and Colombia.  Additionally, she has researched adult education and experiential learning, creating a teaching methodology that incorporates diverse learning modes and has been shown to increase participants’ confidence.

Maria teach on Earth Building UK and Ireland’s (EBUKI) “training for trainers” course and has coordinated the successful earth building event Clayfest 2024.

Maria also gets involved at CAT with the MSc and MArch during the practical module about natural materials and other events.

Currently, Maria blends her roles as designer, maker, and workshop facilitator in a building project with Hackney Community Sauna and works as an architect for the workers’ co-ops Ty Pren, Ecomotive and SNUG Homes.