top of page
_DSC5012.JPG

Dome
Apprentice

April 16 - May 4, 2024

Dome Apprentice

The Mojave Center Apprenticeship Program is a 3 - week program that provides an unique experience for motivated individuals looking for tangible skills to build and design sustainable human settlements using the Superadobe dome building method.

​

Overview

IN depth​

Currently, The Mojave Center offers a variety of specific building courses throughout a season in an abbreviated length to fit the needs of our students in the regional southwest. In order to create expert natural builders ready to take on their own builds or design for others, a longer intensive, experience is necessary to cover as many topics as possible. The MC is proud to offer an in-depth opportunity to learn from a variety of natural building masters throughout a 3-week experience.

​

Mentors:

We never claim to have created or own the material we teach. Over the years we've gathered a ton of knowledge from our own personal experiences and from our mentors:

 CalEarth

Canelo Project

Nito Project

Pun Pun Thailand

Watershed Management Group

Natural Building Works

Quail Springs Permaculture

Simple Construct

Cob Cottage

All of our teachers have a variety of experience in natural buildings, permaculture design, rainwater harvesting, agroforestry, wilderness medicine, and professional facilitation of group experiences.

 

The Apprentice Program is truly designed to engage students on a deeper level with the main goal of fostering their personal development. Not only will an apprentice have a holistic experience while at The MC, they will also have the opportunity to learn from a group of dedicated individuals determined to sway the global consciousness towards a more sustainable lifestyle.

_DSC4839.jpg
_DSC4740.jpg
_DSC4839.jpg
_DSC0717.jpg
_DSC5313.jpg

Curriculum

Building Components

  • Construction of one, 9 ft Superadobe Dome with an apse - Foundations, Compass Installation + Usage, Bag Laying Techniques, Barb-Wire, Soil Analysis, Material Mixtures, Windows + Door Installations, Rainwater Catchments

  • Exterior Base and Finishes Plasters - Mixture Recipes, Application Techniques, Color Schemes

  • Earthen Floors - Types of Floors, Mixture Recipes, Application Techniques, Color Schemes

  • Interior Base and Finish Plasters - Clay + Lime Recipes, Wet + Dry Locations, Tadelakt Burnishing.

  • Plaster Carvings & Sculpting

  • Installation of windows and doors into Domes - construct and install custom doors and windows.

  • Electrical Layout Preparation - Design and Implementation of a small-scale solar electrical system for off-grid installations

 

​

Off Grid Systems

  • Rainwater Harvesting - Rain Basin + Infiltration Designs, Water Storage Techniques, Greywater and Blackwater Systems

  • Composting Toilets - Portable Batch Compost System and Permanent Batch Compost System

 

 

Final Apprentice Project

  • Complete a dome from start to finish

​

Daily Schedule:

8:30am - 10:00pm - Lecture/ Theory

10:00 - 12:00 - Hands On Building

12:00pm - 1:00pm - Lunch/Meetings

1:00pm - 3pm - Continuation of Hands On Building

4pm - Rest Free Time

​

Practical Hours

7 Hours/5 days a week

Weekends off

25 Day Apprenticeship

​

Outcome

We are confident that upon acceptance into the Apprentice Program, an apprentice will leave their 3-week tenure feeling confident, skillful, and inspired to continue implementing natural building into their life.

Schedule

_DSC4964 2.JPG
_DSC8087.jpg

Location:

  • Flamingo Heights, CA

  • North of Joshua Tree

  • Exact Address will be send upon Sign up!

​

Logistics :​

  • Water & power is available

  • Service is LTE and widely available

  • Bring plenty of work clothes/closed-toed shoes/2x working gloves

  • 6 positions available

 

Food:

  • Food is only included in your program during the "dome building days" April 16-23. Food will be on your own after that. 

  • We will do group dinner/potlucks/game nights every sunday evening as family nights

  • Access to coolers, camp kitchen and stoves

 

Accomodations:​

  • Camping onsite only

  • Personal Airbnb stay is an option

  • Indoor classroom

Logistics

Lodging

​

BYO Lodging 

-van/rv/car camping are ok

-no RV hook ups

- You can tent camp onsite

​

Nearby Rentals

Flamingo Heights

Yucca Valley

Joshua Tree

Prerequisites

Student Disposition:

They should be organized within their own personal life to be able to focus on the learning environment. Projects at The MC can be dynamic in nature and willingness to wake up early and finish late. 

 

Participants  should have;

- high energy

-love to work with building materials

- work well in groups

-be able to stay positive in challenging environments

-have a happy outlook on life,

-be energetic during long work days.

​

Physical:

There is quite a bit of labor involved in order to make plaster mixes and build structures.

 

Daily tasks consist of:

-Lifting 5 gallon buckets full of material

-Moving full wheelbarrows

-Climbing on ladders & domes

-Shoveling & working with garden tools

 

Substances:

This experience should not be seen as your burning man retreat :) even though it looks very much like the scenery! We do have tons of fun, play lots of games & dance quite often. But please don't take this experience as a place to intake leisure psychedelic substances. Alcohol & Marijuana consumption should be done at appropriate times outside of working hours and kept to levels of control out of respect to your peers. Thank you :) 

_DSC1623.jpg

Apprentice

$1200

with own lodging

3 Weeks

April 16 - May 4, 2024

  • $500 deposit to acquire spot

  • Remaining payments can be made in a custom payment schedule

  • Deposit made via website, remainder can be paid via ; Venmo (mojavecenter), Paypal (mojavecenter@gmail.com) or CASH PREFERRED! :) 

bottom of page