With Rumford Fireplace
with Rumford Fireplace was built
during the 2005 House Alive
apprenticeship at House Alive. It was
built as an attachment to a previously
existing cob cottage. The concept is
to build a barrier between the parking
lot and living space in front of the
cottage. This created a secluded
courtyard that added a new sense of
privacy to an already exposed area.
The new wall provides a sense of
security and a more comfortable place
for people to congregate. The addition
of a built in fireplace adds an extra
sense of comfort at the same time
creates a visual and physical focal
point.
The cob wall was built in an "urbanite"
foundation. "Urbanite" is basically
broken up pieces of concrete. It is a
great material to use because it is
strong, readily available, inexpensive
and
promotes urban recycling.
As the cob is layer on, cut logs are
places into the cob. With each new
layer, more logs are set into the wall,
creating a visual pattern. This
technique is called "cord wood" building
and has been used to build entire
houses. It adds beauty and strength
to the structure at the same time
acts as a filler, reducing the actual
quantity of cob needed.
Once complete, the wall is finished
with an earthen plaster and the ends
of the logs will be sealed with linseed
oil. To provide protection from the
rain, the top on the wall has been
plastered and sealed with linseed oil.
As you can see, the wall not only
blocks off the space but creates a
visual movement and grace to the
environment.
