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, and earth plaster.
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 14 – 17 July 2026)
Location: Earth Home, Chiang Mai Thailand
Limited to 8 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
- Earth plastering
- 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 8 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)
- earth painting and mud sculptures
- Preparing the mix and making adobe (earth bricks)
Day 2 — Building with adobe bricks
- Laying the bricks by hand, and by using tools. Leveling the wall
- Introduction to mixing machines and power tools
Day 3 — Bio-climatic design / Field trip and earth plastering
Bio-climatic design (see definition below)
- insulation, thermal mass, passive cooling and heating in several climates
- Comments on the design of earth buildings at Earth Home
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). Practise earth plastering in their land.
Day 4 — Building details /
Wattle-and-Daub technique
- Concrete foundations and alternative foundations
- Natural roof options
- wattle-and-daub technique
- Before departure… feedback and group photo
Day 3: Field trip (and earth plastering)
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 and use solar energy for their few electric items. We will practise earth plastering on one of their buildings wall.
What is bio-climatic design?
Bio-climatic design is based on the local climate and several factors (sun orientation, wind direction, presence of trees, pond, vegetation on the land etc). It helps to achieve thermal comfort by saving energy to cool down or heat the building. In many cases, an optimised design will allow to lower the construction cost of the building (e.g. earthen walls can be less thick if your building is shaded by trees !)
- information about insulation, thermal mass, passive cooling and heating in several climates
- Comments on the design of earth buildings at Earth Home
General Information
Location: Earth Home, 1 hour from Chiang Mai city, Thailand
Language: English
Group Size: Maximum 8 participants
Schedule: 8:30 AM – 5:30 PM (with lunch break)
Check-in: First day at 9 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 | 11,600 THB | Most popular, private bathroom, nature feel. Room shared with another participant |
| Earth Room | 14,000 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 