Harrison Gardner: Build your Own

Making, maintaining and mending our own homes is part of what makes us human. Join Harrison Gardner in conversation on his new book Build Your Own which explores the principles of construction and outlines a multitude of practices and methods that enable you to build a home with the materials available to you.  

Whether you plan to build your own structure, are curious about the idea, or are dealing with construction workers, Build Your Own is an essential tool that shows that anyone can learn to build - and perhaps everyone should.

Practical techniques, such as plastering, moving earth, basic demolition, installing insulation, building internal walls and attaching cladding, are demystified and made easy. Harrison is a man on a mission to help us rediscover the lost art of building our own while leaving a more harmonious mark on the environment.

Plus Harrison will join fellow Common Knowledge teachers, Erin McClure and Shantanu Starick for a workshop that will explore the ideas, concepts and preconceptions of what home means to us as individuals. Participants will explore design concepts and leave with a clear picture of their priorities when it comes to how their home can serve them. Tickets purchased for the workshop will include a ticket to this event. 

'A revolutionary book...within it is the knowledge to empower you to shape and craft your own living space.' Manchan Magan

Harrison Gardner is an Australian eco-builder and sustainability designer based in the West of Ireland. He has 11 years broad-range experience designing and managing the construction of conventional and passive buildings throughout Europe, Africa, Asia, USA, Canada and South America. His current focus is in constructing community spaces whilst teaching and sharing core construction principals and techniques, with an aim to build more efficient, sustainable structures.