Material Matter[s] Mini Series: Straw

Name: Material Matter[s] Mini Series: Straw
Start: 2024-11-01T10:00:00+00:00
End: 2024-11-01T16:00:00+00:00
Location: James Cond (University College Birmingham)

Schedule

Fri Nov 01 2024 at 10:00 am to 04:00 pm

UTC+00:00

Location

James Cond (University College Birmingham) | Birmingham, EN

The final of four workshops focused on reimagining our relationship to natural materials + how we can use them to shape the world around us
About this Event
Event Photos

Join us Friday 1st November at James Cond for a straw workshop with Material Cultures in the final material workshop of this Material Matter[s] mini series, in collaboration between CIVIC SQUARE and Material Cultures.
This session will include an introductory workshop to load bearing straw bale construction using regionally sourced material. We will also discuss straw as a material to retrofit and insulate an existing building. The straw bale demonstrator we create together will highlight the properties and capabilities of straw as a construction material and show its myriad applications.
Techniques like these matter because working with natural materials in our region such as straw can offer an alternative to the globally sourced, carbon-intensive, socially destructive materials commonly used in the construction industry (such as concrete, steel or other polymer- and fossil-based materials). These practices are therefore tangible ways to work together to create safer and more just realities for all life within the built fabric of our homes, streets and neighbourhoods, that have positive impacts globally. Learn more
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IS THIS FOR ME?
If you haven't done anything like this before, but are interested to participate, this is warmly welcomed. No previous experience is required to take part; just an interest in working with those around you to shape your homes, streets and neighbourhoods together in ways that support those who live there to thrive in balance with the natural world around them.
We particularly welcome those who are:
- based in Ladywood and interested to co-design and co-build the Neighbourhood Public Square
- involved in the co-design and building of civic spaces in their own neighbourhoods
- interested in retrofit at the street and neighbourhood scale
If you have previously attended similar workshops, please consider whether this opportunity is best suited to yourself, or may have greater co-benefits for other community members.
We advise that these workshops are not suitable for children under 10 years of age, and that young people aged 16 or under must be accompanied by an adult for the full duration of the activity. For safety, this will need to be one adult in attendance per young person on site.
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PRACTICAL INFO
Site
This session will take place at James Cond, Holland Street, Birmingham B3 1QH. A campus map can be found here. The rooms we are using on site are on the ground floor and are wheelchair accessible. As the location for this session is a construction college, there is large machiery and there may be moving vehicles, so please be advised to take care at all times.
What To Wear
Due to the nature of the materials we are working with, these workshops will be practical and can be messy, so please wear clothing that you are able to move and work in, and are happy to wear whilst interacting with straw and other earth materials. Please also bring enough layers to keep yourself warm and comfortable on site, and wear sturdy, closed footwear.
Children + Young People
As above, we advise that these workshops are not suitable for children under 10 years of age, and that young people aged 16 or under must be accompanied by an adult for the full duration of the activity. For safety, this will need to be one adult in attendance per young person on site.
Commitment
Unlike some of our other regularly hosted spaces, such as Neighbourhood Trade School and Neighbourhood Supper Club, these sessions are also not a drop in or open participatory space only, but designed as intentional learning courses to share skills to put into action in our homes, streets and neighbourhoods. Places are limited to a maximise class size of 12 learners at a time due to the nature of the materials, the site we are working on, and to increase the possibility for focused training with the lead practitioner.
With this in mind, please do notify us if you can no longer attend so we can make this opportunity available to others, as there has been a huge demand on previous occasions.
Food
Lunch is provided, giving a chance for those at each session to connect and exchange ideas with other participants. A range of tasty vegetarian, vegan and gluten free options will be available, but please specify any dietary requirements when booking your place.
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ABOUT MATERIAL CULTURES
Material Cultures are a not-for-profit architecture practice which brings together design, research and action towards a post-carbon built environment. The practice works at the intersection of architectural design, engineering, systems thinking, digital technologies and material science.
Through MC Make, they foreground practical and accessible construction skills and run education programmes and courses that tackle the significant skills gap in the UK in order to address the lack of the technical knowledge and skills required to transition to a low carbon construction economy.
Find out more at materialcultures.org

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ABOUT MATERIAL MATTER[S]
Material Matter[s] is a hands-on, practical collective learning journey to fundamentally reimagine our relationship with materials and the systems that govern their production, distribution and end-of-life through a lens of material justice.
Hosted as a partnership between CIVIC SQUARE and Material Cultures, 27 peers, including artists, architects, makers and community organisers, have been taking part in this learning journey over the past 6 months, aimed at developing practical skills in working with natural materials to be put into practice in homes, streets and neighbourhoods in different contexts across Birmingham and the UK.
Find out more about Material Matter[s]
As we work towards the co-building of the Neighbourhood Public Square, we invite peers and neighbours to continue to join us in exploring using bio-based materials for building and retrofit, considering the site as a classroom, with this process of learning, making and sharing together just the very beginning of a much longer journey together ahead, including through developing a neighbourhood microfactory together on site.
If this interests you, join us on Tuesdays in the polytunnel on site to rehearse Skills For Transition together in the here and now, share your existing knowledge, as well as ideas for the future.
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