nōd = nature oriented dwelling
An auxiliary building born of its place.
Designed and built specific for you and your site, these structures are framed with locally-harvested or FSC-certified wood. The walls are insulated with Light Straw Clay (LSC) and finished with natural plaster, locally-milled cladding, and salvaged lumber.
In the niche between shed and residence, the nо̄d can function as office, studio, workshop, guest room, sauna, garden station, simple sanctuary, and more! These are unique buildings that showcase the natural materials available to us here in the Pacific Northwest and endeavor to blaze the trail toward a new paradigm in construction.
We invite you to branch out, get a different perspective; make a functional space apart from the house. Every yard has a nook for a nо̄d - where will you site yours?
Walls that breathe!
Our primary innovation is casting Light Straw Clay (LSC) into insulation blocks that are dried in a controlled environment before installation into the building frame. LSC is a combination of clean straw and clay slip compressed by hand and foot to yield a non-toxic, carbon-storing insulation material that performs at roughly R-1.6 per inch and naturally regulates humidity.
Benefits of nо̄ds
Insulated with Light Straw Clay (LSC)
Fast, durable, natural construction
Made of safe, healthy, beautiful materials
Locally sourced, processed, built
Add value and delight to your home
Designed custom for you and your site
Innovative products and techniques
Challenge the status quo
Benefits of Light Straw Clay (LSC)
Plant-based
Straw stores carbon!
Naturally regulates humidity
Stable, durable, long-lasting
Low embodied-energy
Natural, non-toxic
Non-flammable
Not irritating to touch
Mold and mildew resistant (Borax)
Excellent substrate for plaster
The Process
Every nо̄d begins with a design phase to assess your site and hear all your ideas. Once we decide on size, orientation, and deliver your drawings, we can begin foundation work. Meanwhile, we’ll be making your batch of insulation and working on your building’s components at our shop space. Once the foundation and insulation are ready, we deliver the materials to your site and aim to construct the envelope in just one week!
why nо̄d?
Work With Us
These are prototypes for the type of buildings we want to see embraced as housing in our community and beyond. We welcome your interest, ideas, and investment. Contact us to learn more about what we’re doing to push the envelope, and how you can get involved.
Pricing and Availability
This offering is still in development. Please connect with us to share your ideas and questions.
We are working to create a catalogue of options and a tiered pricing structure that can meet most any budget.
An 8x8 nо̄d starts at $28,000 - price varies widely based on size, function, features and finishes.
Book a consultation and start nо̄d noodling now!
