The Earth Circle Project

Community Built in 2005 - Online Brochure

Vassar College - Poughkeepsie, NY
Atop the hill above the orchard between Walker Field House and the New Observatory

 Acknowledgements

 Buildings & Grounds People and Roof Permit Assisters

Jeff Horst, Allen O’Meara, Dan Fritzsche, Steve Bathrick, Mike Jobs, Mike Battina, Jim, JR, Herb W. Griffith Sr., Vincent Grega, Bob Phillips, Steve Parrella, Patti Jo Renaud, Timothy Sickles with the Poughkeepsie Building Department, Michael Spath, John McEnrue

Cob Dancers and Baby Seal Makers

Peter, Heida, Karsten, Helen, Jake, Becca, Sam H., Brennan, Ed, Kathy, Dan, Megan, Eleanore, Nina, Ben, Hannah, Jessica, Landon, Ferry House Volunteers, Jules, Chris, Janine, James, Joana, Christine, Jina, Paul, Susan and Dominick, Johanna, Liz, Roger, Gail, Cat, Julia, Sarah, Lila, Padrick, Mark, Kate, Emily, Kate, Emily AM, Anne

Contributing Businesses

Stu at Blacktop Maintenance Corporation on Commerce Rd. in Poughkeepsie William R. Reim, P.E. Senior Engineer from The Chazen Companies on 21 Fox St. in Poughkeepsie, Danny from Meadowbrook Farm on 29 Old Myers Corners Rd in Wappingers Falls, Shibazz and Josephine at Greenway Environmental at PO Box 989 in Newburgh

Vassar Fiscal Donors

Buildings and Grounds, Vassar Greens, President’s Office, Office of Religious and Spiritual Life, Environmental Studies Program, and Asian Students Alliance

Advising and Volunteer Craftsmen (outside B&G)

Dan Guenther, Jesse Selman, Charlie Blumstein, Tim Reith, Mark Krawczyk, Roger Lee, Jeff Walker, Richard Cowart, Bob Torin, Ed Lynch, Paul Kane, Ross and Troy Keogh

Academic Advisors

Lucy Johnson (TA), Paul Kane (2ndR), Peter Stillman, Catherine Meyer

Cargo Vehicle Loaners  

Daria Van Tyne, Eleanore Neumann

Web Support

Ben Van Vliet

Thanks for Emotional and In-Crisis Support

Many of the people already listed- but especially Carolina Lukac, Helen Cowart, Chris Freimuth., Karsten Frey, Dan Guenther, Jesse Selman, Bob Torin, Ed Lynch & Roger Lee.

What is the Earth Circle Project?

The purpose of the Earth Circle Project is to provide a comfortable, intriguing, and deliberate outdoor gathering and contemplative space on campus for small groups (10-20) and individuals for at least 30 years to come.

It is a ¾ circle sitting structure made of a material consisting of sand, clay, straw, and water, called Cob, that is plastered with a lime/sand plaster and protected by a freestanding post and beam roof of local chem free wood.  Its high cob walls protect visitors from the elements.  Also, for warmth, Cob acts as a thermal battery, storing heat during the day and releasing it in the cooler evenings radiantly.

Completed, the project hopes to encourage visitors to slow down, observe, experience, and appreciate natural beauty and their existence with it, and thus, heal, strengthen, nourish and inspire their connection with the earth, ecological concerns, inspiration & passion, interconnectedness, and contemplation.  

In the process of the project, many people were exposed to better options apart from unsustainable conventional building.  There was a cob/natural building workshop led by an outside instructor April 9-10, a natural building lecture the 9th, and approximately 50-60 people were involved in actual cob construction.  In total over 100 people were involved in this project, making this project one that truly built and strengthened community. 

Thus, in turn it is hoped that these effects on people will be a small yet significant step in creating a better society.

(Below) Mark Krawczyk (instructor) from Burlington, VT , teaches at April workshop

The Importance of Time Outside

 Contemplating our place in, the make up of, and the beauty in, non-human nature is a vital part of keeping our hearts, souls, minds, spirits, and society healthy and happy- for everyone.

Beauty heals and nourishes.  Natural beauty is both a free and easily accessible beauty but also is greatly a universally appreciated beauty.  For example, relatively few think, e.g. a sunset or moonlit ocean, isn’t somewhat beautiful.

Three things time outside can help heal:

1.  Ignorance of interconnectedness between humans and other beings and components of nature and thus problems with consumption, exploitation, and other sustainability issues. 

2.  Depression, lack of inspiration and passion in part derived from a lack of experiencing beauty. 

3.  Inequality, conflict, and division among humans in major part derived from a lack of collective identity as a species.

Valuing Lessons in Application at Vassar

The Earth Circle Project, an Environmental Studies Thesis, is an example of learning that teaches the student how to turn knowledge and beliefs into desired material realities.   That is, how to make a project requiring extensive resources, perseverance through bureaucracy, networking, organization, etc. actually happen.

In areas of study at Vassar that consist of students interested in, and material inextricably linked with current movements and problems, lessons in application, e.g. how to write a grant or build an affordable green structure must be valued as compliments of academic enterprise.

Green/Natural/Sustainable Building Characteristics

 Rubble Trench Foundation -  (photo above right during its construction) Conceptualized by Frank Lloyd Wright..  This type of foundation consists 1-3’’ pieces of rubble tamped and filled in the place of cement, with sloped drainage piping to shuttle water away to “daylight” or dry well.  It uses no concrete, is structural, & requires less capital.

Stem wall - Dry stacked recycled curb stone

Cob Sitting Structure - Cob is a structural composite of clay, sand, straw and water that is built with while still pliable.  Cob is used to build enclosed buildings, e.g. homes.  On a foundation, under a roof, and plastered it lasts 100s of years.  It is a building option that is low-cost, of local materials, non-polluting, zero waste, heat storing/insulating, simple to learn, and easy to sculpt into beautiful and imaginative forms.

Roof - The wood used in the roof came from Ghentwood Wood Products, a local logging and sawmill company.  The wood is Black Locust and Hemlock, two naturally durable woods (Locust by code can replace Pressure Treated) that was logged and milled right here in NY State.

Metal Roof –  Although a material that has a high embodied energy, its use requires far less wood (no plywood) for sheathing, is durable, and can ultimately be recycled.

Commemorative Plaque – Designed by a Maine artist, carved by a small business, and made of granite from Massachusetts.

 
Ideas for Enjoying the Earth Circle

1.  Go up an hour before sunset with dinner, see sunset, stay after sunset until it gets dark and watch

2.  Bring a thermos of hot cocoa and some blankets

3.  Take naps or have sleep outs- esp. in the wide part!

4.  Hold meetings or seminars

5.  Sit on the flat parts above the narrow bench sections.

6.  Play Music!

7.  Have potlucks and picnics!

8.  Paint, draw, do art!

9.  Read, write, do your work outside

10.  Have big registered parties!

11.  Install solar panels on the roof for a light!

12.  Sit & think, maybe about joy and your life.

 
Stewardship and Upkeep

Please help out!  There is a permanent VSA account with a few hundred dollars (2005) in it to pay for expenses in the next few years.  It is #8569 and is named, “Earth Circle.”  The Greens are VSA stewards of the space, but the Sustainability Com., Jeff Horst, Allen O’Meara, and Jim in the mason shop are equally important contacts.  Every 1-5 years, as needed, lime/sand plaster maintenance will be needed.  See Serious Straw Bale by Lacinski & Bergeron (Available thru Vassar Library with Connect NY) for full instructions.  Information will be left with B&G and on this website.

 
Originator/Builder/Designer

 George Lee - Class of 2005

 Georgerlee@gmail.com

 Cell - 617-312-1875

I want you to contact me!  I want to hear about the circle, whether good or bad news.  The stories from others help me be closer to a structure I really miss and love.

I want to offer help whenever I can.
Warm wishes, George

 
Books and Links

The Hand Sculpted House - Evans, Smith, and Smiley, Earth Circle Project: Reflections and Essays – George Lee (available at the Environmental Studies Office), The New Ecological Home – Daniel D. Chiras, The Art of Natural Building – Joseph F. Kennedy (ed.), Sustainable Living Resource Center - ww.sustainhv.org, The Cob Cottage Company - Cobcottage.com