Wattle and Daub Workshop

(A wattle and daub wall made at our Seed Bank)

The technology of Wattle and Daub is close to our hearts as this technique is not only local to the village where our office is located but also the starting-point of our explorations in natural building. A long ongoing process of perfecting the wattle and daub technique is at the core of Design Jatra’s technical enquiries and experimentation.

(Making an embossed wattle and daub panel)

Workshops held in the wattle and daub technique are aimed at investigating various ways through which we can implement it. Participants of the workshop can learn about handling different kinds of wattle material, different daub mixes and the many ways of weaving the wattle and of embossing it to create patterns. They can engage in the different thicknesses of wattle by creating double or more layers of the same while also incorporating various shapes into the wattle and daub.

(Mixing a thick wattle and daub panel)

Participants work with tribal bamboo masons to slice and weave the wattle, with tribal plaster masons to make and spread the daub and with tribal timber masons to learn more about the traditional framework of wattle and daub construction. Students also often work in the homes of the villagers to help them make their own wattle and daub walls.
of the community practice.

The wattle and daub technique is very versatile in its application. We have had amazing results using the dynamic methods of wattle and daub application, as seen in our Veti Murbad office. All of these results were achieved through the numerous workshops that took place in the village. Thus, we expect the participants to respond to our workshop by appreciating the simplicity, the versatility and the sustainability of this practice. Through the awareness we spread via these workshops, we hope that wattle and daub becomes a robust part of the palette of contemporary construction techniques.