Past: The Dragon's Den - Cobbed Bench and Rehabilitation of an Earthen Floor - Trinidad
The Project
Where:
Freeport, Trinidad
When:
August 2024
Methods:
Cob
Plastering
Upcycling and Recycling
The Dragon’s Den at Wa Samaki, Freeport, Trinidad, underwent an earthen floor rehabilitation following rain damage from a leaking roof. An earthen bench was also installed to help enclose the space, creating a more intimate and interactive environment while restoring function and comfort using natural building techniques.
Meet The Team
Project Details
The Dragon’s Den at Wa Samaki, Trinidad, is an ongoing natural building project that began in 2013 and continues to evolve through the hands of many builders, artists, students, and volunteers. Over the years, the structure has grown organically, with each phase adding new life, form, and story to the space.
The structure is protected by a reciprocal bamboo roof, built from bamboo harvested on site, and covered with roofing made from upcycled and recycled banners. Over its lifetime, the roof has undergone three major re-bannering repairs, reflecting both the experimental nature of the materials and the commitment to maintaining and adapting the space.
Seating throughout the Dragon’s Den is made from recycled tires collected from nearby dump sites and repurposed into earthen benches. These were filled with recycled plastic bottles as infill, then shaped and finished with multiple layers of cob. This process transformed discarded materials into durable, sculptural seating that helps enclose and define the space.
The earthen floor has experienced damage over time due to roof leaks and has been repaired twice. During the 2024 Service Learning Program, students built a new bench using recycled tires and bottles, compacted and shaped with a cob mix of clay, sand, and rice straw. Existing benches received additional preparation coats in anticipation of final plaster, and the floor was fully rehabilitated by recycling portions of the existing floor and creating multiple batches of fresh cob to form a new, even earthen surface.
Following the August 2025 Earth Building Immersion, another addition was made during the final project day. One group designed and built shelving and a shoe stand using recycled tires and adobe blocks, covered in cob and finished with lime plaster. Located at the open entrance of the structure, this feature helps protect stored items from rain and backwash while adding functional design to the space.
Over more than a decade, the Dragon’s Den has been shaped by countless hands and creative voices. It remains a living, evolving structure—continually transforming, growing, and reflecting the collective spirit, skills, and stories of the mud folk who have contributed to its ongoing narrative.
The Dragon's Den can be viewed by the public at Wa Samaki Permaculture, Freeport, Trinidad.
Procedural Documentation
