Material Cultures
Material Cultures

Straw Bale Building with Francesca Leibowitz & Introduction by Barbara Jones, 2025

▦ DATE: 28th – 29th June 2025

▥ LOCATION: Makespace Oxford

▨ WITH: Francesca Leibowitz & Barbara Jones

Material Cultures

This workshop, led by Francesca Leibowitz with an introduction by Barbara Jones with the Material Cultures team and Oxfordshire Community Land Trust, explored the use of local clay to construct housing. The first day consisted of guided visits to local sites where clay was extracted and processed, focusing on how it could be produced regeneratively in local landscapes. On the second day, participants learned about the experimental use of, mixing, and applying clay plaster. This included the underpinning principles of working with clay: preparation, mixing, and techniques to apply the plaster. We worked with clay dug from the site, similar to that which could be found readily across the country. These workshops welcomed people of all building abilities, beginners as well as experienced practitioners. All materials and equipment were provided. 

 

Barbara Jones is a pioneering natural builder and educator, passionate about creating affordable, healthy homes using natural materials. With a background in mainstream construction and years of experience in strawbale building, Barbara has been at the forefront of the movement since 1995. Through the School of Natural Building (SNaB), she mentors self-builders and teaches across the UK. She is the author of the acclaimed manual Building with Straw Bales, and has received multiple awards for her groundbreaking work, including the CIOB’s "World’s Best Woman Builder." As a designer of innovative, cement-free foundations and an advocate for EcoCocon straw panels, Barbara continues to innovate how we think about sustainable building.

 

Francesca Leibowitz is a designer, maker and architect whose work varies in media and scale, but has a common focus on details, materiality and sustainability. Understanding manufacturing and building processes in order to influence design lies at the centre of her work. Francesca has often worked with Material Cultures, a London-based architecture, design and research studio, having taught architectural design and construction with them at the ETH in Zurich and Central Saint Martins in London. Francesca often works alongside Material Cultures, facilitating workshops and teaching architectural design and construction with them around the UK, at the ETH in Zurich and Central Saint Martins in London.

 

Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT): is a non-profit organisation that brings land into community ownership across Oxfordshire for the benefit of local people. Its main focus at the moment is creating genuinely and permanently affordable, community-led housing. Rooted in the values of sustainability, cooperation, and local empowerment, OCLT partners with individuals, groups, and organisations to build homes and places that meet real community needs.

Straw Bale Building with Francesca Leibowitz & Introduction by Barbara Jones, 2025

▦ DATE: 28th – 29th June 2025

▥ LOCATION: Makespace Oxford

▨ WITH: Francesca Leibowitz & Barbara Jones

Material Cultures

This workshop, led by Francesca Leibowitz with an introduction by Barbara Jones with the Material Cultures team and Oxfordshire Community Land Trust, explored the use of local clay to construct housing. The first day consisted of guided visits to local sites where clay was extracted and processed, focusing on how it could be produced regeneratively in local landscapes. On the second day, participants learned about the experimental use of, mixing, and applying clay plaster. This included the underpinning principles of working with clay: preparation, mixing, and techniques to apply the plaster. We worked with clay dug from the site, similar to that which could be found readily across the country. These workshops welcomed people of all building abilities, beginners as well as experienced practitioners. All materials and equipment were provided. 

 

Barbara Jones is a pioneering natural builder and educator, passionate about creating affordable, healthy homes using natural materials. With a background in mainstream construction and years of experience in strawbale building, Barbara has been at the forefront of the movement since 1995. Through the School of Natural Building (SNaB), she mentors self-builders and teaches across the UK. She is the author of the acclaimed manual Building with Straw Bales, and has received multiple awards for her groundbreaking work, including the CIOB’s "World’s Best Woman Builder." As a designer of innovative, cement-free foundations and an advocate for EcoCocon straw panels, Barbara continues to innovate how we think about sustainable building.

 

Francesca Leibowitz is a designer, maker and architect whose work varies in media and scale, but has a common focus on details, materiality and sustainability. Understanding manufacturing and building processes in order to influence design lies at the centre of her work. Francesca has often worked with Material Cultures, a London-based architecture, design and research studio, having taught architectural design and construction with them at the ETH in Zurich and Central Saint Martins in London. Francesca often works alongside Material Cultures, facilitating workshops and teaching architectural design and construction with them around the UK, at the ETH in Zurich and Central Saint Martins in London.

 

Oxfordshire Community Land Trust (OCLT): is a non-profit organisation that brings land into community ownership across Oxfordshire for the benefit of local people. Its main focus at the moment is creating genuinely and permanently affordable, community-led housing. Rooted in the values of sustainability, cooperation, and local empowerment, OCLT partners with individuals, groups, and organisations to build homes and places that meet real community needs.