Rammed Earth Workshop – Traditional Construction Techniques

Vila Nova da Baronia - Alentejo 

from 18 to 20 October and from 8 to 10 November, 2024

​

​

TRAINING 

​

​Discover the potential of earthen construction, focusing on the taipa technique. This theoretical and practical workshop provides an initial scientific and practical contact with earthen construction, covering applications, architectural details, and raw material characterization.

 

​​​

 
TECHNICAL-SCIENTIFIC COORDINATION
 

Miguel Ferreira Mendes

 

​​Architect; Master’s Degree in Ecological Architecture; Post-Master in Earthen Architectures. Associate Researcher in the CRAterre-AE&CC-ENSAG-UGA laboratory team. Independent architect, with a bioclimatic and humanistic approach to architecture, based on valuing Local Constructive Cultures. Advocate and promoter of participatory processes. Has been working with earth since 1995, as a designer, trainer, consultant, and project manager, in Portugal and in about 20 countries across 4 continents.

​​

​

​​

SCHEDULE

​​

Friday and Saturday: 9:30 AM - 1:00 PM and 2:30 PM - 6:00 PM; 

Sunday: 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM. 

(18 hours of sessions per weekend) 

​

​

​

INFORMATION

​​

 

• The training is structured into two independent and non-consecutive sessions, each with a total duration of 18 hours.

• It includes a communal dinner at a traditional tavern with Alentejo singing and a nighttime visit to cultural heritage sites.

• Accommodation is provided in a shared house.

• Free participation for residents of Alvito.

• Does not include transportation or meals.

​

​​

​

REGISTRATION​

​​

• Residents of Alvito: free.

• Offer: Accommodation in a shared house for the first 4 paid registrations (excluding Alvito residents).

​​​

 

​

CURRICULUM PLAN

​

 [SESSIONS]

 SESSION #1  Taipa – CONSTRUCTION   SOLD OUT 
Friday, October 18 - Sunday, October 20
[Total: 18 hours] 
In-Person Training 

Practical sessions + theoretical sessions + presentations/debates 

 

[CONTENT] 

• Earth: Matter and Material
  Characteristics and properties; soil types; identification and characterization tests. 
   

• Earth Construction Techniques 
  Overview, diversity, and contextualization; relationship between different soil types and different construction techniques. 
   

• Taipa - Production 
  Methods for soil adaptation and correction; mechanical, physical, and chemical stabilization; principles and best practices; tools and equipment; taipa execution. 

​

​

 SESSION #2  Taipa – REHABILITATION   SOLD OUT 
Friday, November 8 - Sunday, November 10 
[Total: 18 hours] 
In-Person Training 

Practical sessions + theoretical sessions + presentations/debates 

 

[CONTENT] 

• Pathologies
  Analysis and identification of pathologies; principles and strategies for prevention (design), mitigation (construction), and maintenance (rehabilitation). 
   

• Sustainability and Environmental Impact
  Concepts of life cycle analysis; impacts of construction with bio/geo-origin and conventional/industrial materials; taipa sustainability: environmental, economic, social, cultural. 
   

• Rehabilitation of Taipa Buildings
  Principles and best practices for taipa rehabilitation; execution of rehabilitation work.