Starting the masonry on CEB course’s second week

Another week has passed at the Design and Build with CEB course in Portugal. It was the time to take out the foundation’s formwork and see the result of the previous week of work. It seamed like a desirable pool, that was quickly filled with gravel. A layer of juta fabric and a regularization bastard mortar (cement and lime) helped prepare the surface for the upcoming masonry. Studying the masonry bound-pattern according to the building new dimensions was the next step. The participants studied it in model and drawing, prototyping 1:1 with the bricks, the possible bound-patterns for a 45 cm structural wall. When the pattern was decided it was the time to jump to the building site and start bricklaying. To get the notions of the joint spaces regarding the brick pattern, there was the need to build a “model” in place. After what we layed the corner bricks to have the reference line and height. To pay attention to levels, aluminium rulers and mason lines becomes familiar slowly slowly, while the body memory incorporates the rhythm and the gestures. After the second week three layers have grown steady.