Slapping a Building Together

Literally.

These high-school aged students are working with a graduate student at PUC-Rio to build a "traditional" structure from "non-conventional" materials. They've already erected the load supporting bamboo and woven bamboo strips in the places where they will place a wall.

Today we helped them (or rather, they taught us) to mix a clay-sand-sisal fiber mixture with their feet (wine-making style) and slap it onto the walls. The mixture hardens and shrinks a bit, so on a previously constructed wall, we also helped fill in cracks with a clay-sand mixture (heavier on the sand than the original material). Once the walls are in place and dried, they'll apply a white-wash coat of quick lime to seal the walls from rain.

The students were clearly enjoying themselves and have learned so much about construction and alternative materials. These materials, with the exception of quick lime allow students to get literal hands-on building experience and appreciate some of the traditional building knowledge. It was very cool to participate in and allowed the IRES students to interact one-on-one with some "locals" whose English was exceptional.