Build with your hands. Design a better home
Join us at Baan Din Doi for a comprehensive earth building training in Thailand, where you’ll learn several elements of design while practising adobe, wattle-and-daub, earth plaster, and installing electrical items, doors, and windows.
Whether you’re planning to build your own natural home in a tropical country or anywhere else or you’re simply curious about alternative construction, this course will guide you step-by-step.
Level: Beginner–Intermediate
Duration: 4 Days (Chiang-Mai 26 – 29 January 2026; Chiang-Rai: to be announced on 1st January)
Location: Earth Home, Chiang Mai Thailand
Limited to 10 participants only
What Is Earth Building?
Earth building is a natural method of creating homes using clay, sand, straw, and water. It is one of the oldest and most sustainable construction methods in the world, known for its strength, comfort, and connection to nature.
Earth homes stay naturally cool in hot weather and warm in cooler seasons, which makes them perfect for Northern Thailand’s climate.
They regulate humidity, feel comfortable to live in, and are completely free from chemicals.
Earth walls are strong and long-lasting. The building process is hands-on, creative, and accessible even for complete beginners. Anyone can learn to build with earth, even with zero experience.
What You Will Learn
During the workshop, you’ll learn two earth-building techniques:
- Adobe brick making and laying
- Wattle-and-daub technique, finishing the wood frame and weaving the bamboo structure
- Earth decoration
- Soil testing (bricks, mortar, plaster)
- House waterproofing, wall reinforcement
- Natural roof options, alternative foundations to concrete
- Bio-climatic design (for earth houses in Thailand or in other climates)
These techniques provide you with the essential skills necessary to start planning your own earth home or a smaller project (meditation/yoga/music room, outdoor kitchen).
Who This Workshop Is For
This course is perfect if you:
- Want to build your own earth home, eco-cabin, guest room, or meditation/yoga hut
- Are curious about alternative, natural, sustainable, and healthy construction
- Have some experience and want to develop more autonomy and gain design skills
- Enjoy learning in nature, in a supportive and inspiring environment
You don’t need any prior building experience — just a willingness to learn and enjoy the process.
Why Join Us?
- Learn step-by-step with personal guidance
- Develop practical skills and learn several design skills often not covered in a basic-level course
- Eat delicious Thai meals every day
- Relax and learn in nature
- Experience a unique creative community
- Small group: maximum 10 participants
- Receive a 15% discount on future workshops
This workshop blends learning, practising, and experiencing a natural and calm environment in the countryside. Try to step out of your comfort zone for a few days!
Day-By-Day Program
Day 1 — Getting Started
- Soil testing (four methods to know if the soil is good enough for building)
- Preparing the mix and making adobe (earth bricks)
Day 2 — Building with adobe bricks and bio-climatic design
- Laying the bricks by hand, and by using tools. Leveling the wall
- Introduction to mixing machines and power tools
- Introduction to bio-climatic design (Design to achieve thermal comfort without using too much energy):
- Information about insulation, thermal mass, passive cooling and heating in several climates
- Comments on the design of earth buildings at BaanDinDoi
Day 3 — Earth decoration and field trip
- Decoration: natural painting, small sculptures
- Field trip
Field trip. Meet a couple who live off-grid in a simple earth home and developed a resilient lifestyle by growing their own food and limiting their needs and expenses (photos below)
Day 4 — Building details /
Wattle-and-Daub technique
- Concrete foundations and alternative foundations
- Natural roof options
- Wattle-and-daub: Finishing the frame with bamboo and wood. Filling the frame with an earth and straw mix
- wrap-up session
Day 3: Field trip
We will visit Naam and Philippe, living outside the village and growing their own vegetables and fruits. Living off-grid since 8 years, they built a simple earth house with a compost toilet, make their own compost, biochar and organic pesticides. Using solar energy for their few electric items, they filter their water (grave/sand/biocher tanks) to make it drinkable.
General Information
Location: Earth Home, 1 hour from Chiang Mai city, Thailand
Language: English
Group Size: Maximum 10 participants
Schedule: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (with lunch break)
Check-in: First day at 10 AM
Check-out: Final day at 4 PM
Trainer: Alain Madec, natural builder & founder of Baan Din Doi
Food
Three Thai meals each day
Vegetarian and non-vegetarian options. Vegan option also available !!
Fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients
Food: vegan, vegetarian or non-vegetarian
Accommodation Options
Earth Room — cozy and comfortable room, private bathroom (shared room or private room)
Accomodation in a room made from earth Details here.
Your stay at Earth Home
Earth Home is located in the heart of a small village and surrounded by rice fields. It is a home stay designed with sustainability and environmental awareness at its heart. It has nine hand-built earth brick houses for guests to stay, a large dining area, and a coffee shop with WiFi. You will enjoy many relaxing spots for sleeping in a hammock, reading in the shade, or doing your morning yoga or meditation routine.
Prices & Discounts
Includes:
- Accommodation (3 nights)
- All meals
- Instruction, printed training manual and all building materials
Access to one of the most complete earth building courses in Southeast Asia
| Accommodation | Price | Description |
| Earth Room | 10,800 THB | Most popular, private bathroom, nature feel. Room shared with another participant |
| Earth Room | 13,200 THB | Premium. Stay alone in the room (same room than above). Limited number. |
Discount options:
Early Bird 10% (Four spots only; first come, first served)
How to Register
- Email baandindoi@gmail.com or WhatsApp +66 856 173 480 to check availability or ask questions
- Secure your spot with a 25% deposit and send payment confirmation. Click here to know the payment options and the deposit and cancellation policy
Only 10 participants per session! early registration is recommended.
Baan Din Doi Natural Building 