Instructor: Pablo Grossi
Duration: 8 weeks, one 90-minute live session per week
Total Time Commitment: ~6–8 hours per week (session + lab + challenge)
Format: Guided cohort (participants study and build together under instructor facilitation)
Capstone: Design, cost, and build plan for a participant-defined structure; technical defense + community presentation
Termite mounds are among the most durable structures on Earth. Built by millions of insects following simple local rules, they exhibit hierarchical branching, temperature regulation, and material economy — all without a central plan. The Krenac and Maxakali peoples of Brazil understood this for millennia, building with earth and creating structures that outlast concrete.
This course integrates indigenous knowledge, material science, structural design, and community building. You will learn to test earth-building materials, design load-bearing structures, mobilize volunteers, and defend your project to engineers and neighbors. Upon completion, you hold the knowledge and skill to teach others.
Upon completion, participants will be able to:
Guided Cohort: Each week, the cohort meets for a 90-minute live session led by the instructor. The session combines: short lecture (20 min), lab work or discussion (40 min), and peer review (30 min). The instructor facilitates pace, surfaces key concepts, and ensures quality control on builds. Between sessions, participants work independently on challenges and preparation.
Learning by Doing: Theory is introduced, then immediately applied. Week 1: learn GTCT, then map a termite mound. Week 2: learn material science, then test samples. Weeks 5–6: join a community build. Week 7: design and cost your own project. Week 8: defend it.
Community as Co-Teacher: Neighbors and volunteers are not just laborers — they are learners. The build is a teaching moment. Knowledge propagates.
| Week | Topic | Lesson | Challenge |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Foundations: Indigenous Knowledge & Geometry | Read → | Do → |
| 2 | Material Science: Earth Transformation | Read → | Do → |
| 3 | Geometry & Load: Structural Design | Read → | Do → |
| 4 | Climate & Durability: Building for Your Region | Read → | Do → |
| 5 | Community Build: Prototyping Week 1 | Read → | Do → |
| 6 | Community Build: Week 2 & Specialization | Read → | Do → |
| 7 | Design & Planning: Your Individual Structure | Read → | Do → |
| 8 | Defense & Sustainability: Project Presentation | Read → | Do → |
Checkpoints (Weeks 1–8): Each week concludes with a deliverable checkpoint: a report, design document, test results, or presentation draft. These are not graded pass/fail; they are committed artifacts that build toward the capstone.
Challenge Deliverables (Weeks 1–8): Weekly challenges produce tangible work: soil reports, material matrices, structural designs, build logs, budgets. Quality is self-assessed against rubric; instructor provides feedback.
Capstone (Week 8): You defend your project in two contexts: (1) technical defense (to engineers/architects, demonstrating structural and material integrity), and (2) community pitch (to neighbors and volunteers, demonstrating feasibility and social value). You also complete a capstone review exercise (10 questions synthesizing all 8 weeks) and a reflection essay.
Certification: Upon completion of all checkpoints, challenges, and capstone defense, you receive a certificate stating you have completed AXLE · Biosynthetic Building and are qualified to design and lead community builds using earth architecture.
No formal prerequisites. The course is designed for anyone: builders with no formal training, architects, community organizers, landowners, students. Age 16+. Willingness to work outdoors, collaborate, and learn by doing.
Physical accessibility: Building involves heavy work. Participants should be able to lift ~20 kg and stand for 2+ hours. Modifications available for those with injuries or disabilities (discuss with instructor).
Language: Course materials are bilingual Portuguese/English. Live sessions conducted in Portuguese (or English, or both, depending on cohort). Participants choose language of written work.
Tools provided or sourced locally: shovels, tampers, mixing tub, levels, tape measures, scale (for materials), soil testing kit (jar, water), compaction hammer.
Materials: Earth (on-site), water (local source), straw/fiber (local), wood for roof/doors (sourced locally), lime (if chosen), testing samples (clay, sand, additives).
Capstone deliverables: design drawings (hand-drawn or CAD), materials list, budget, build schedule, presentation slides. All digital files will be preserved; physical models optional.
Pablo Grossi has designed and taught AXLE courses on research, synthesis, and community projects. He brings expertise in multi-disciplinary synthesis (Principia Orthogona series), indigenous knowledge integration, and facilitation of cohort-based learning.
This course is grounded in: