Another old form of construction using organic materials, we wanted to revisit traditional hay bale construction as a sustainable design method.
We experimented with creating a little outdoor counter for a garden kitchen.
To do this, we took hay bales and cut them them to fit a piece marble we’d be using for the countertop. We put two bales on top of rebar stakes set into a concrete foundation. To seal them, we created a plaster with sand and lime and added 3 coats. With each coat, we changed the ratio of sand and lime until we got a smooth surface. For the final coat, we soaked nopales cactus to extract the gel and use it to create a viscous mix, which we added to help make that layer more elastic and water tight.
The end result: a beautiful white pedestal made from all organic material.