2023 Dates: 4 – 8 May; 19 – 23 October
This course is especially suitable for those who:
- seek an overall introduction to earth building and discover it by practise
- have a plan/a dream to build an earth home (or any small-sized building such as a guest room, meditation/yoga/music room, outdoor kitchen etc)
We organise the same workshop in Chiang Mai at different dates and with different prices. The differences are:
Chiang Mai: Stay in a room made from earth bricks
Chiang Rai: Stay in a tent or a nearby resort.
Main points:
- Experiencing the satisfaction, effort and time involved in building by yourself. This will help you to find the right strategy for your future project (using machines, getting help from friends or volunteers, hiring workers or a contractor etc…)
- Learning two building techniques: Adobe bricks and Wattle-and-Daub
- Opportunity to practise many building details: installing windows, electricity, shelves etc
- Sharing a great time with like-minded people in a peaceful remote place
Pre-work (self-reading)
Before the course, the trainees will be sent the necessary information to start the hands-on sessions with confidence. Two evening classroom session will be focused on questions and answers.
- Composition of the soil, soil testing
- Technical words
- Concrete and alternative foundations
Curriculum
| Check-in 10.00 AM | DAY 1 / 11.00 AM – 6.00 PM |
| Soil testing | testing the soil to figure out if it is suitable for earth building testing several ratio of earth,sand and fiber to obtain a strong adobe brick |
| DAY 2 / 8.30 AM – 5.30 PM | |
| Adobe technique | Preparing the mix and making bricks Laying the bricks by hand, and by using tools. Leveling the wall Classroom session: calculate the number of bricks; estimate the volume of soil/sand/fibers to complete a building Evening session: Q&A |
| DAY 3 / 8.30 AM – 5.30 PM | |
| Earth plastering | Plastering by hand and with tools. Learning how to find the right ratio. Simple elements of decoration (earth paint, simple sculptures). |
| DAY 4 / 8.30 AM – 5.30 PM | |
| Building details | Installing window/door frames, electric conduits, plugs and sockets, shelves Evening session: Foundations |
| DAY 5 / 8.30 AM – 5.00 PM Check-out 6 PM | |
| Wattle-and-Daub technique Foundation | Making the frame with bamboo and wood. Filling the frame with a earth/straw mix Connecting a earth wall with the foundation |
After the course
- You will be given the digital version of the training materials related to Adobe and Wattle-and-Daub technique including additional documents (PDF files, Videos) and useful links if you wish to learn further
- You will have the possibility to ask questions related to the course for free
- You will be invited to participate in other workshops, at a discounted price (15 %).
- You will be invited to participate in our building projects (maintenance, extensions or new buildings) on our land (Chiang Rai), for a reasonable fee (600 – 800 bahts per day). This will allow you to get more practise and learn other skills
General information
Course in English. The course will be held at ‘Baan Din Doi’, 30 minutes from Chiang Rai city and will have a maximum of 6 participants.
Trainer: Alain Madec, natural builder and founder of ‘Baan Din Doi’.
Course schedule: 8.30 to 17.30 with several breaks; Lunch break: 12.00 to 13.30
Living situation
Participants will stay in a tent (one or two people). We propose this simple accommodation to help making the workshop price more affordable to people. We plan to have rooms for guests in the near future and we hope you will enjoy simplicity for now ! You can also choose to stay in a nearby resort if you wish more comfort.
We can provide either vegetarian or non-vegetarian food. Wifi available.
Price and discounts
Stay at BaanDinDoi: 8,200 baht/person, including instruction, accommodation in a tent for four nights, all meals during the course. Extra night the last day including diner and breakfast: 300 bahts/person
Stay in a nearby resort/home stay: 7,200 baht/person, including instruction and lunches during the course. Price for additional meal, breakfast or diner: 100 baht/person.
| Accommodation options | BaanDinDoi | Resort |
| Five day workshop – price for one person | 8,200 | 7,200 |
| Discount for more than one person (per person) (a) | 400 | 400 |
| Early bird discount (per person) (b) | 800 | 800 |
| Discount for student (college/university/vocational training etc) (c) | 10 % | 10 % |
(b) for registration until 2 months before the start date
Discounts (a) (b) and (c) cannot be added.
Registration process:
- Deposit: To reserve a spot for the workshop, you will be asked to pay a 25% deposit. Contact us to know more about the cancellation/refund/deposit policy.
- Questionnaire: You will receive a brief questionnaire to know more about you: your expectations&objectives, possible food allergies etc
More information or registration, contact us at baandindoi@gmail.com or WhatsApp +66 856173480
Baan Din Doi Natural Building 