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, cob, earth decoration, 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: 5 Days (Chiang-Rai 9 – 13 February 2026)
Location: BaanDinDoi, Chiang Rai Thailand
Limited to 6 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
- Cob technique
- 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).
Techniques used for the walls (photos below)): adobe bricks dried in the sun, traditional cob
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 6 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
- Laying the bricks by hand, and by using tools. Leveling the wall
- Theory (load-bearing and non-load-bearing walls, connexion with the foundation and the roof)
- Introduction to mixing machines and power tools
Day 3 — Earth plastering and decoration
- Decoration: natural painting, small sculptures
- Earth plastering
Day 4 — Building details /
Cob technique
- Concrete foundations and alternative foundations
- Natural roof options
- Building waterproofing, walls reinforcement
- Cob technique
Day 5 — Bio-climatic design
- See details below
- Wrap-up session
Day 5 : bio-climatic design
On day 5, we propose people to learn design skills and make a draft design of their home. We will not focus on the architectural design, but on the bio-climatic design. 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 !)
Day 5 schedule
- information about insulation, thermal mass, passive cooling and heating in several climates
- Comments on the design of earth buildings at Earth Home
- Thinking of your own project design or work on a case-study in the land. Feedback/discussion from the instructor and the group
General Information
Location: Earth Home, 35 minutes from Chiang Rai city, Thailand
Language: English
Group Size: Maximum 6 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.
Fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients
Food: vegetarian or non-vegetarian
Accommodation Options
Large Tent — nature setting, shared bathroom
Earth Room — most popular, private bathroom
Air-Con Room — premium comfort
Accomodation options: (air-con room, earth room or tent). Details here.
Prices & Discounts
Includes:
- Accommodation (4 nights)
- All meals
- Instruction, printed training manual and all building materials
| Accommodation | Price | Description |
| Large tent | 9,200 THB | Affordable, nature feel |
| Earth Room | 11,200 THB | Best value, private bathroom |
| Air-con room | 12,000 THB | Premium comfort |
Discount options:
Early Bird 10% (Three 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 6 participants per session! early registration is recommended.
Baan Din Doi Natural Building 