Learn to read landscapes, design sites, and build with natural materials. This course brings together core Permaculture Design methods and practical Natural Building skills to give hands-on experience to site design and construction using local soils, sand, fiber, wood, bamboo and other materials.

Over five days, we’ll map and observe, explore placement science, design water flows, and then step into foundational building methods like earthbag, adobe (earthen bricks), and wattle & daub. We’ll also mix and apply durable natural plasters and finishes designed to protect and beautify structures using safe, earth-based ingredients.

What we’ll cover

• Permaculture design methods for real sites

• How to read landscapes and layout sites intelligently

• How to direct and harvest rainwater and treating wastewater naturally

• Natural building methods for different conditions and locations

• Hands-on material work with clay, sand, lime, fibers, and more

• How to make natural finishes that protect and beautify structures

• How to live and design in closer harmony with natural patterns and cycles

Topics in detail

1) Permaculture design methods

You’ll learn the core concepts that help you design with clarity and confidence:

• Core Permaculture Design principles and systems thinking

• Site design and layout: zones, sectors, access, microclimates, and how elements work as a system

• Mapping for real projects: how to observe, measure, sketch, and create useful site maps and overlays (even if you’re new to it)

2) Water design and earthworking

Water is one of the fastest ways to change the health of a landscape. We’ll cover:

• Managing water as a resource on the land

• Rainwater harvesting basics: calculations, storage, runoff control

• Natural wastewater treatment

• Shaping land intelligently (swales, roads, and practical earthworking logic)

3) Natural building

We'll explore multiple natural building techniques and the material logic behind each one. Hands-on work includes:

• Practical building with local soils, sand, lime, fiber, and more

• Building an earthen wall and making earthen bricks by hand

• Joining an active build on an earthbag house

• Making natural plasters and finishes that handle weather while staying breathable

• Simple earthen artistry techniques for beautiful textures and earth-based art

Who this is for?

This course is for people who want to design and build in closer relationship with nature, especially homesteaders, farmers, builders, contractors, and anyone with an interest in design.

The experience

Expect a strong balance of short, clear teaching sessions and hands-on practice. You’ll work as a group and build real skill through repetition and feedback—mixing materials, testing them, building small elements, and finishing them with plasters and paints.

Outcomes you can expect

By the end of five days, participants typically leave with:

• A clearer ecological designer’s mind—how to see relationships, not just features

• A practical approach to site mapping that supports real decisions

• Hands-on confidence with earthen materials: mixing, testing, and working across multiple techniques

• A functional understanding of water planning (harvesting logic, basic projections, and design pathways)

• A grounded sense of what you can build