The project began during a joint course on Ecological Design and Natural Building held in February 2026, in which participants learned to build the primary structure and apply the initial plasters.

The wall’s wattle structure is made from half wood and half bamboo to demonstrate the versatility of framing techniques. The infill was made from a mix of clay-rich soil, sand, coconut coir, and lemongrass. Once dry, this mix creates a hard, durable wall.

The wall was then encased and sealed in different natural plasters that protect and beautify the structure. On the exterior, we created a semi-polished lime-sand plaster that is water-resistant and very hard (quite similar to tadelakt). Relief sculpting was done to create petal artwork that was pigmented with soil. The entire exterior wall was treated in layers of soap and a final layer of linseed oil. The result is a polished surface that easily repels water and sheds it quickly.

The interior plaster is a mix of clay-based, textured plasters and polished lime reliefs pigmented with clay. Simple relief sculpting techniques were used to depict a central core from which patterns radiate differently on either side.

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--PLASTER RECIPES--

SEMI-POLISHED LIME PLASTER (Exterior)

* Lime, sand, and cactus juice applied in layers; finished with coats of soapy water and moderately polished using trowels.
* Petals received a clay pigment sealed in linseed oil.
* The entire wall was sealed in linseed oil.


SEMI-POLISHED LIME WITH PIGMENT (Interior)

* Hydrated lime (from limestone rock), sand, and cactus were mixed and applied in layers, then compressed tightly.
* Finished with coats of soapy water and polished moderately, followed by clay (as pigment) and soap.


THIN EARTHEN PLASTER (Interior)

* One coat of sieved clay-rich soil, fine sand, coconut coir, toilet paper (as fiber), wood ash, and cactus juice (nopal / prickly pear / tuna cactus), applied in a thin layer over pre-existing natural plaster.
* The dried plaster was then sealed in linseed oil.


STANDARD EARTHEN PLASTER (Interior)

* Clay-rich soil, sand, and coconut coir in similar proportions to those used for the build.


LIME-CLAY PLASTER (Interior)

* One coat of sieved soil containing clay, fine sand, lime, coconut coir, toilet paper, wood ash, and cactus slime applied in a thin layer.


ROUGH LIME-SAND PLASTER WITH PIGMENT (Interior)

* Lime and large-grain sand applied, with clay applied thinly as pigment using a paintbrush.

This final structure brings together craftsmanship and material understanding, completing the wall as both a functional structure and a piece of living, earth-based art. It will also function as a catalog of recipes that can be replicated for larger-scale projects, highlighting the integration of traditional techniques and local materials, and demonstrating the beauty and functionality of natural building systems.