Straw Bale Studio.....anyone have experienced?

Hi, so initially was going to build a simple timber construction, then found that cost wise would not be much more to go for a dense block structure, then insulate with rockwool and build a de-coupled timber frame inside. This was pretty much my decision from advise on this site, until that is a (farmer) friend if mine mentioned a straw bale build. At first I took it as a ridiculous idea, a fire hazard, rodents, and probably not that great for my sound isolation needs. But on further reading actually if compacted and rendered with clay\lime is was surptised to find its not a fire risk at all, and that rodents\pests is not really an issue either. My farmer friend then took me to his straw bale stack where we made a very quick make shift straw bale wall, and I was shocked at how good it was at sound proofing, possibly even better than my initial block and rockwool, on further reading its a great insulator, I can get loads of it fairly cheaply, though im unsure of the renderering. Suddenly it seems a nice idea! Especially as my project is situated high up a steep garden with no road access, and being in a very countryside plot seems a nice idea to use a more simplistic natural build, I can even to the roof with the bales, though would probably still keep a timber frame. I wondered if anyone had any advise or if im missing something here? I know there is a studio in Bristol called Strawdio that is built this way, but its more acoustic based, am hoping to start the build in march so really need to start making decisions on my materials! option one timber framed ply sheets rockwool and plasterboard (as my previous post option two block work (as dense as money can stretch) rockwool and decoupled second leaf (plasterboard) or the new possible unknown crazy farmer idea Straw bales and clay render, probably the cheapest option of all Have my solid concrete slab now complete ready for whichever I decide, as always appreciate the advise on here Rich

I have heard of straw bale construction, and there have been a couple of other people on the forum who have asked about it over the years, but I'm not aware of any research on the acoustic / isolation properties of straw, so you'd be pretty much on your own as to how to design it and build it. For example, what is the TL curve for straw, and how does that change when you render it with mud/mortar/concrete/whatever on both sides? That would be my concern (in addition to fire, rodents, insects, and suchlike). - Stuart -