The workshop in Ukiah went wonderfully yesterday. It was a long day, but the members of the PPN did a great job in the co-design, and we came out with some wonderful ideas and a great direction for the home.

After introductions and a site walk-through in the morning, Yael Perez (along with help from Dave Rhoades and BT Nguyen) gave a presentation on alternative materials to be considered for the site.

The team gave introductory information on straw bale, adobe, SIP, and aerated concrete construction: after discussion between members of the PPN and Cares4Pomo, it was decided that the structure would be primarily made from straw bales. Adobe would be used as a supplementary material, to be used as a plaster, and also to create an experimental outbuilding, possibly to be used as a workshop, and for the storage of treasured Pomo regalia.

After a delicious lunch, we then began on layout of the home. After some input from Deborah and Monica from the PPN, Hector (the future resident) arrived, and helped pin down the first iteration of the layout. With the exterior walls in the shape of a seed, and the interior featuring a large, centralized living space with skylight, Hector, Cares4Pomo, and the rest of the PPN were very excited about this plan.

In the final part of the workshop, Tobias presented on the Sustainable Water and Energy Systems which could be used in the home. It was decided that the home would include composting toilets and grey water irrigation, which would reduce water consumption by 50%, while not requiring the installation of a septic tank. A geothermal heat pump was decided as the best option for heating and cooling the structure, though it will depend on its total cost.

All-in-all, the Team went home feeling very positive about the work done. The PPN members were passionate about the home design, and happy that the design of this home is finally coming to fruition.

Check back soon to see a photo gallery of the workshop.