Campus Tours:Cob Stairway
From HUG Wiki
The apartment staircase is made almost entirely of cob and is an excellent example of the versatility, strength and durability of this natural product.
Legs
The columns of the staircase play an instrumental role in the stability of the structure and are the only part that needs to contain a material other than cob. 1x2 inch steel mesh fence from the garden was wrapped around itself in three layers to create a small rolled column which was then filled with crushed rock. The rock can’t be compressed and the steel mesh doesn’t allow the rock to expand, so it is stable. The columns are then coated in cob to lock it all into a firm structure.
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Curves
A great deal of the strength of this structure can be attributed to the curves or compound arches (best seen from underneath). The arches keep everything under compression making the mud extremely strong and able to bear considerable weight.
