Cob ClubHouse in Costa Rica
Intensive Cob Workshop
20th of November to 6th of December
Rainbow Village | San Ramon, Costa Rica
One more
time we are going back to Costa Rica, this time to the mountains of San Ramon
to the intentional community Rainbow Village.
Join us for
this beautiful cob building experience in this 2-week intensive certified cob
workshop. In this theoretical and hands-on course, we are going to build a
children's cob club house from foundation to the top of the walls!
During the
first weekend, we will start with the stone foundations and earthen floors, to
continue during the week with all about cob, bringing the structure to life:
building walls, integrating windows and doors, sculpting niches and shelves and
many other creative possibilities of this earthen building technique.
In the second week we will focus on the finishes: sculpting the walls, bringing
the building to life, and plastering the walls with earthen and lime based
plasters.
Through this immersive process, you'll gain the knowledge and practical skills to build your own cob structure - from the ground up. The workshop is designed with a balance of 70% hands-on practice and 30% theory, covering essential topics such as cob wall techniques, stone foundation principles, the benefits of earthen building, soil testing, how to prepare and apply earthen and lime plasters, how to sculpt with cob, and much more, as well as living and creating a community of enthusiast people from around the world for the duration of the course, crossing paths and sharing good quality times!
Whether you're dreaming of building your own cabin or natural structure, this workshop will give you the confidence and tools to get started, and connect with like-minded people! This workshop is family friendly, so you can bring your kids to play in the mud!
Join us for this intensive experience and become part of the TIERRAMIGO community, gaining access to the community chat to connect with others and learn about additional trainings with special discounts.
THE PLACE
Rainbow Village is an all-age, family and queer friendly community in central Costa Rica, coming together to make life simpler and more enriched. It was officially born in August 2025 when the founders acquired 6.5 hectares on the edge of the cloud forest. The village is equipped with 7 cabinas, an outdoor kitchen and dining space, and hiking trails around the land. The main goal is to be a safe space for all, seeking for self-sufficienty and offering people a simple life.
The community is located near the city of San Ramon, about 10 minutes by car and with public transportation right at the entrance. It is located about 1 hour away from the airport, from San José and from the beach! Right in the middle of city and nature.
I met Cha, one of the founders, in 2019 when she attended a Cob Workshop in Chile. We got along very well and a friendship started, but we did not see each other until 2021 when she joined once again a Light Straw Clay Workshop in the Azores Islands. It was so nice to meet again! But then, recently in 2025 I was leading a Cob Workshop in Puerto Viejo, and I knew that Cha was kind of living in Costa Rica, so I called her and we arrange a way to meet. She came all the way from San Ramon to Puerto Viejo, with her friend Mel and Dani (and her lovely daughter Georgia). Thats when I another big part of the founders!
They invited me to stop by the community on my way back. I stayed with them for a while and we came up with so many creative ideas. The objective was clear: organize a workshop to bring people together and learn about earthen building techniques! It took us some meetings and a recent visit in April this year to finally come up with this beautiful idea: lets build a Children Cob Club House!
COURSE DETAILS
Building a space for children has always been one of my fantasies. Creating spaces for them, to explore, to play, to imagine, to have no limits, to have fun. Cob has been such a creative technique for me, and the way we build with cob is very intuitive, organic and extremely inclusive. We can shape walls freely, explore curves, sculpt a house! And thats what we are going to do: sculpt a little cob house for children!
In this workshop, we will dive into this technique to build a unique Cob Club House for Rainbow Village.
It is going to be an organic-shaped building, and we will start off with the stone foundations, lay an earthen floor, rise the walls and play with them: shapes, arches, niches, windows, bottles and explore all the possibilities. There will be a loft structure to make it 2 floors, and we will leave everything ready to lay the roof. Once the building is ready, we will sculpt it to make it unique, and plaster it all the way up with some beautiful earthen and lime plasters!
The 2-week intensive workshop will be divided in 3 modules, starting the 19th of November with a welcome dinner and the workshop introduction. There are some days off in between, to make sure you have time to rest, connect and explore!
Note: during the workshop we will prepare some steps for the roof, but the actual roof will not be built during the workshop. It will happen after the workshop, organized by the hosts and open for volunteers!
MODULE 1 - Stone Foundations
20th to 22th of November
In the first module, we will start with the basis of an earthen building: some good stone foundations! We will dive deep into the principles behind dry stone foundation, and will apply the knowledge in practice by building. From tracing the design into the ground, digging the trench, setting the drainage and piling up stones. Once finished, we will be pouring an earthen floor. Once our floor is in, door frames will be placed, so we can start with the cob walls!
MODULE 2 - Cob Walls!
23rd to 30th of November
In the second module, we'll bring the structure to life by preparing and building with cob!
Alongside the hands-on work, we'll dive into the core principles of earthen building. You'll be introduced to different natural building techniques and explore clay soil as the essential ingredient of cob building. We will also talk about site selection and the importance of a good design while building with earthen techniques. Through practical exercises, you'll learn how to test and analyze soils, developing the ability to understand, select, and work with materials from your own land. We will start the practice of Cob by building the walls. During this process, lots of wall insertions will happen: windows, niches, shelves, and more... making this building unique!
The walls will grow as we build, day by day. A mezzanine will be installed halfway, alongside some playful add-ons and creative ways of doing things with cob! Once getting to the end of the wall, we will place all the necessary structural pieces for a roof structure.
The intention of this module is to give you a strong foundation in earthen building: understanding its benefits, learning how to read and stabilize clay soils, preparing the cob mix, and how to build with confidence: step by step, layer by layer.
Note: during this workshop we will not be building a roof.
MODULE 3 - Art&Mud: Sculpting and Plastering!
1st to 6th of December
To finalize, we will make this building unique, by sculpting and customizing it. Lets get creative and playful with all the possibilities of cob!
You'll learn how to design, test, and apply both earthen and lime plasters: understanding their composition, additives, and techniques. Using local soils and aggregates, we'll create our own plaster recipes and apply them to the walls, bringing the structure to its final form with rich textures and natural earthen colors.
We will have the graduation on Saturday 5th, and finish the workshop on Sunday 6th with a farewell lunch.
During your stay, you'll be immersed in the beautiful atmosphere of the hills of San Ramon!
We'll be sharing delicious meals and there will be plenty of opportunities to connect, exchange ideas, and build meaningful relationships. Bring your ideas and projects so we have time to explore them and help. If you are working on a project or intend to build something, we will be here to help and guide you in your next moves!
Note: some of these photos are from workshops organized by CruzinCobGlobal and taught by Tierramigo.
CONTENT
- Understanding clay and its properties
- How to test and assess clay soil for building
- Introduction to other natural building techniques
- Benefits of earth as a building material
- Stone foundation principles
- Earthen floors
- Cob: how to mix and build
- Wall insertions: windows, doors, niches, shelves and more!
- Earthen plasters: how to test, stabilize and apply fine plasters
- Lime plasters and lime cycle
- Sculpting with cob
Feel free to ask questions throughout - we are here to help!
All course materials will
be provided digitally after the workshop.
DAILY SCHEDULE
The daily schedule may be subject to weather conditions or slight modifications.
08:00 to 09:00 - Breakfast
09:00 to 13:00 - Morning Session
13:00 to 14:30 - Lunch
14:30 to 17:30 - Afternoon Session
18:30 to 19:30 - Dinner
19:30 to 20:30 - Evening Lectures and Activities
Some afternoons we will have lectures related to the topics we are working on. On certain evenings, we will also have video nights, presentations or activities connected to the workshop themes, serving as a complement to the learning experience,
IMPORTANT INFORMATION
Be prepared for physical work, so please bring suitable clothing, closed-toe shoes, flip flops and rubber gloves. Don't forget a hat, water bottle, and a notebook - anything you need to feel comfortable!
We also encourage you to bring a sample of your own soil for testing and analysis during the course.
This workshop will be taught in English, with real-time translation into Spanish when needed.
During the workshop, a videographer will be documenting the experience through photos and video. Some of this content may be used for promotional purposes, including print and online materials, to support Tierramigo in building community and sharing future courses and events. If you prefer not to appear in any media, please let us know.
Please note: we have a clear plan and schedule for building a specific structure during the workshop. However, building is inherently influenced by factors such as weather conditions, material availability, and other unexpected events. If necessary, we may adjust the programme, and the final structure may differ from the original plan.
ACCOMMODATION AND MEALS
Camping is included in the price, but if you would like to stay in a shared room in one of the Cabinas, you can upgrade for an additional US$ 150. You can also upgrade to a private room for additional US$ 300.
All Cabinas have a similar layout: two bedrooms, one bathroom, a full kitchen and a living room. They have hot water and internet access. They are very simple but comfortable! Linen will be provided but please bring your own towel.
All meals are included during the workshop: breakfast, snack, lunch, and dinner. Meals will be balanced and nutritious to keep you energized and healthy. If you have any dietary restrictions, please let us know and we will try our best to accommodate your needs.
During the day offs, the kitchen will be available with ingredients to prepare a general brunch and dinner for everyone, but without someone preparing it for us, so we can arrange a way to collaborate and help to prepare it. You can also explore the surrounding areas on days off, making the most of your stay in Costa Rica. But remember, resting is very important because it is going to be intense!
TRANSPORTATION
To arrive in San Ramon you can take a bus from San José, and also directly from SJO Airport. Once in San Ramon, the host will arrange to pick you up!
There is also private shuttles available from the airport to the workshop place, for a price of US$ 50. In case you would like to arrange a shuttle, you can get in contact with us.
If you are planning to come with a car, and have space for other people, we will create a WhatsApp Group so we can arrange pick ups for those who might need it.
If you have any doubts, please contact us!
REGISTRATION AND FEES
The price includes the whole workshop, camping, three hearty meals per day, and access to the Tierramigo Community.
2-week Full Cob Workshop - Modules 1, 2, and 3!
US$ 990 VERY Early Bird until September 1st !
US$ 1130 Early Bird until October 1st !
US$ 1280 Regular Rate
There are shared rooms available in the Cabinas for an additional US$ 150, or a private room for US$ 300.
In case you want to attend to a specific module, please get in contact with us. Available spots will be reserved for those who take the full workshop.
The workshop is limited to a maximum of 14 participants. To register, fill out the form or contact Nico at tierramigo@gmail.com or via WhatsApp at +569 9089 7292.
To save your spot you need to make a $500 deposit and pay the rest by October 20th.
Payments can be made via bank transfer, Wise, Revolut or credit card with an additional fee.
If you need to arrange to pay in installments to accommodate your financial situation, please contact us, we can find a way!
There are 2 work-trade positions available. Each work-trade offers a $100 discount in exchange for 1 hour of work per day for kitchen help. Feel free to ask about or propose another type of exchange if you wish to participate in this experience!
Ticos and Ticas students will have access to a discount of 40% on the regular price of the program.
Families are welcome. Children under 12 years old will receive a 40% discount.
Members of the TIERRAMIGO community receive a 10% discount.
THE INSTRUCTOR
Nico Pimentel is a Chilean architect and earthen builder, founder of Tierramigo.
He is also the co-founder of PIWA, an architecture and design studio based in Chile, focused on housing and hospitality projects in rural areas, with a strong sensitivity to the landscape, the use of natural materials, and passive solar design techniques.
Since 2017, Nico has explored earthen building techniques and facilitated international workshops in various formats: from full builds to mid- and short-term trainings, working throughout Latin America and Europe.
He co-founded Jungla Peumayen, a wildlife and ecosystem conservation reserve in southern Chile, and Kalina, a creative hub and workspace located in the forests of northern Patagonia, where he is developing a Summer School and Fellowship program.
CANCELLATION POLICY
If you need to cancel after registering for any reason, your payment will be subject to the following cancellation policy:
Cancellations notice given more than 30 days before the start of the course will receive a 95% refund of the total program price you choose. The 5% retention covers administrative fees and inconveniences.
Cancellations notice given between 14 - 30 days of the start of the course will receive a 50% refund of the total program price you choose. The retained amount will be kept as credit for a future workshop with Tierramigo.
Cancellations notice given less than 14 days before the start of the course are non-refundable.
The retained amount will be kept as credit for a future workshop with Tierramigo.
If the workshop is cancelled by the organizers, you will receive a full refund.