The Retreat at Blue Mountain Farms in Costa Rica is adding more cordwood buildings to its accommodations. Cordwood Construction Resources has been providing consultation for the project. Utilizing the native tree (Pachote) the local masons (led by Christopher Olson of Minnesota) are working to develop an eco-friendly mortar that will both stand the test of time and not tax the planet. Here is the second installment of their cordwood building projects.
Be forewarned, as you scroll through the pictures you may be distracted by the incredible scenery!
How much fun would it be to swing in that bed?
This retreat is located in one of the world’s Blue Zones. “Blue Zones are identified areas where people live long, productive, and happy lives. Five places in the world – dubbed Blue Zones – where people live the longest and are healthiest: Okinawa, Japan; Sardinia, Italy; Nicoya, Costa Rica; Ikaria, Greece, and Loma Linda, California.”
The main lobby and swimming pool show how swimming with the stars could be a wonder worth beholding.
Rather than a space heater (it rarely gets cold) the building design allows for the appropriate movement of air to cool and refresh.
Since this is a tropical climate the cordwood walls are 8 inches and the mortar runs the full length of the wall.
Below is the link to the Air BnB site.
Retreat at Blue Mountain Farms Costa Rica
Should you wish to learn how to build a cordwood cottage, cabin, or home, please visit www.cordwoodconstruction.org While you are there, click on the pictures, read the brief articles, check out the latest workshops and newsletter and if you are interested click on the Online Bookstore to see all the cordwood literature available in print and ebook format.
If you have questions that aren’t answered on the website you can email me at richardflatau@gmail.com
Readers have requested a brief bio, so here goes:
“Richard & Becky Flatau built their mortgage-free cordwood home in 1979 in Merrill, Wisconsin. Since then, they have written books, conducted workshops, facilitated the 2005, 2011 and 2015 Cordwood Conferences and provided consultation for cordwood builders. Cordwood Construction: Best Practices DVD 2019, Cordwood Construction Best Practices 2020 (print), Cordwood Conference Papers 2015 and Cordwood House Plans 2021 ($15) with 16 different floor plans, are the newest publications available from their online cordwood bookstore.” www.cordwoodconstruction.org
To learn how to build your own Mortgage-Free cordwood home visit https://cordwoodconstruction.org/
