Roundhouse Roots

At the end of every Practical Sustainability Course (July), the students participate in a 10-day, low-impact, hands-on, roundhouse build. This forms part of their 'green building' modular thread, and is a final example of all that they can achieve and manifest as a community.

These builds have taken place in a variety of locations across and just outside of Bristol. You can spot them at Boiling Wells with St Werburghs City Farm, Grow Wilder with Avon Wildlife Trust, Leigh Woods with the National Trust, Cadbury Alpaca Farm, Natural Academy at Ham Green, Strode Valley Organics, and others.

(Picture credit unknown, but taken from this Youtube video, where Tony talks about alternative living - an interview filmed as an extra on the DVD for the feature film Lammas - The UK’s first planned ecovillage)

These builds first began on the first ever 2010-2011 PSC, led and taught at the time by the magnificent Tony (Tone) Wrench. Over 20 years ago in Pembrokeshire, Tony built and has since lived in, his own roundhouse home with is partner Faith (after winning many battles with planners and regulatory bodies).

Tony is a fountain of witty and practical knowledge in how to build these beautiful structures through the power of community, and his work and methodology continues to be celebrated and used widely throughout eco-building, low-impact, and permaculture communities. His guidance can be found in youtube videos and within his book.

• That Roundhouse - Tony's webpage
• Having a £3k eco-home is more about attitude than building codes or regulations: interview with Tony Wrench
• Building a Low Impact Round House – 4th edition
• Take a Tour of 'That Roundhouse' built by Tony Wrench & Faith

Roundhouse Evolution

In 2011 previous PSC student Simon Crook became an apprentice of Tony's, and helped to co-facilitate the future PSC builds, and develop his own woodworking & building enterprise. In 2017 another previous student Charles Soares, Shift Bristol Director Bryher Bloor, and natural builder and potter Jo Forsyth, banded together to take on the teaching of the roundhouse on the PSC, which now saves Tone the less desirable long trip and stint over here in Bristol! They became 'Sheltercraft', and helped enormously to develop and roundhouse process, ensuring a smooth build for all involved.

Roundhouse Partnership & Collaboration

Between Shift Bristol, Sheltercraft, and our site partner.

Shift Bristol & Sheltercraft aim to collaborate with site partners who wish to use the roundhouse for community or ecological benefit in the future.

We also wish to collaborate with site partners who understand and are empathetic to the nuanced nature of the collaboration - that this is not a straightforward contractual exchange between a site partner and a team of builders, but a dynamic system also involving a large and wonderful bunch of novice PSC students.

We prioritise sites within an hour of Bristol, as this eases the commute for the students.

What does the process involve for the site holder?

• A recruitment process (see below for more details)
• Signing an agreement to align expectations for the specifications of the build
• Site preparation to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for all
• A 10 day build with up to 35 people on site (30 students, 4 members of Sheltercraft, 1 Shift Bristol facilitator)
• Build days are Tues, Wed & Thurs, over 4 weeks
• Site tidy up and closure of the process

Here is a video of a previous Shift Bristol roundhouse build, which showcases what a nourishing, educational experience it can be for our students.

Roundhouse Financial Arrangement

Between Shift Bristol, Sheltercraft, and our site partner.

• Shift Bristol pays for the Sheltercraft team to project manage the roundhouse build, including; the site client relationship, communication between all, the organisation and logistics of the build - inc purchasing & sourcing of materials, the teaching of students, and the facilitation of student wellbeing throughout the build. Shift Bristol also makes a partial payment towards the time Sheltercraft spends on setting up / packing down the build site.
• The site client pays for; the materials, and a partial payment towards the time Sheltercraft spends on setting up / packing down the build site, and any additional features for the roundhouse not included in the Shift Bristol build (to be agreed separately with Sheltercraft).

Future Builds - Recruitment for future build sites

This year, in 2025, we are changing the recruitment process to find potential build partners for each year's roundhouse build, with Shift Bristol now taking on the initial inquiry stage before passing onto the Sheltercraft team further down the line.

If you are interested in having a Roundhouse built on your site, please take a few moments to checkout and complete this form.

In the form you will find links to a video and photographs, to give you more of an idea of what can be achieved through this collaboration.

***********************************************************************************************

We look forward to hearing from you, and maybe building with you in the future!

Shift Bristol