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Bernhard Masterson               Natural Building

Natural Builder, Educator, Artist

Building with earth encourages one to fully reevaluate how a living space should feel.  Our senses delight in the beauty of a wall covered with clay plaster, alive with subtle variations of texture, color, and light.  Cob and straw-bale walls impart solidity and shelter in a profound way.  Structures and surfaces built by hand convey that they were built by people, for people, thus creating a nurturing experience for the sheltered.  


cob, workshop, natural building, adobe
The principles and techniques of natural building offer meaningful and sustainable alternatives to conventional construction. 
  • Materials such as sand, clay soil, and stone, are minimally processed, locally sourced, non-toxic, and easily recycled.
  • Construction processes are simple and easily learned.
  • Structures are beautiful, healthful, and extremely durable.
  • Collaborative construction brings people and communities together.
As a sculptor and natural builder I work with individuals and organizations to support their visions of more healthful, more beautiful, and low carbon construction. I am happy to help with design, consulting, permitting, construction, and workshop facilitation. Since 2002 I have been building and facilitating;
  • Cob cottages
  • Straw-bale studios
  • Light-straw-clay tiny houses
  • Earth-bag root cellar
  • Wood fired bread and pizza ovens
  • Rocket mass heaters
  • Sculptural cob benches
  • Rocket mass heaters
  • Clay and lime plasters
  • ​Earthen floors
  • Natural building retrofits
  • Building science for natural homes
  • Round-wood timber framing
  • Green roofs
  • Gray water systems
  • Composting toilets
Do you have a dream of an outdoor fireplace, a meditation space, or natural home? I'd like to help you realize your vision. 

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  • Home
  • Workshops & Volunteers
  • Portfolio
  • Background
  • Resources
  • Blog
  • Contact