Eduardo Terzidis
Course Overview
Did you know that it is possible to build shelters and infrastructures using just what the land provides us with? Turning nature's gifts into our home is one of the most empowering and connecting things we could do as humans, and during this course you will understand how!
The course is open to everyone who has an interest in natural building. You will spend time on a traditional Portuguese farm, meet new people and learn from the land how to transform soil, water, and plants into what you need!
During this course you will get your hands dirty and learn how to build with local and natural resources. During the course of the week, you and your fellow students will build two structures (a wood fired oven and a bench) using different types of building techniques. This course will be mainly practical, to allow you to learn while doing with your own hands. Nevertheless we will begin with a few theoretical lessons to build a solid understanding of the basic principles and approaches of natural building.
The program
What will you learn?
During our week together, you will gain practical skills in the following building techniques:
- Soil testing and sample bricks
- Introduction to adobe
- Building with cob
- Earthbags
- Basic woodworking skills
- Dry stone building
- Clay plasters
If you have never built something before, don't panic, you are here to learn and we don't expect you to be a proficient builder!
Schedule
Day 1: Arrival, Farm tour, visit of the pre-existing natural building infrastructure and theory lesson
Day 2: Study materials and how to extract and test building materials from the land - Building the foundation of a wood-fired oven using stones, sand and clay from the land
Day 3: Study of different clay bricks and their function - Insulating the base of the oven with glass bottles - Building the cooking base and cupola of the oven using fire bricks, sand, clay and straw
Day 4: Plastering the outside of the oven with a layer of fine clay plaster - Building the foundation of an outdoor bench using rocks
Day 5: Creating the base shape of the bench using earthbags, covering with a cob mix and beginning of plastering with a fine clay plaster
Day 6: Cutting out the door of the oven and beginning of the drying process - Finishing plaster of the bench
Day 7: Finishing touches - Painting with natural pigments and oil impregnation - Decoration - Q&A session - Departure
The location
Olho Branco is a family-owned traditional Portuguese Farm located at the natural park of the Costa Vicentina. It is 2.5ha of terraced land w/beautiful pond to swim and relax. The family grows organic veggies and you are welcome to come and give a hand in the garden if you feel or just help yourself and harvest your fresh lettuce and tomatoes for lunch!
We welcome you to come and discover the wild beauty of the SW of Portugal. The area is beautiful… dozens of amazing beaches, countryside and mountain, the South West corner of Portugal its the perfect place for a relaxing healthy vacations in contact with Nature.
The Facilitators
Jan Prażuch, originally from Poland, has traveled for many years around the world gathering inspiration and knowledge about different ways of living with Nature. Since 2014 he has been co-creating a Natural Builders collective known as Diggers&Dreamers. In 2019 he settled in Alentejo and has been working actively as a carpenter as well as teaching his skills to others.
Eduardo Terzidis is a yoga teacher, a permaculture teacher and consultant, a writer and a facilitator for healing and regenerative spaces. As an engineer, he wanted to help the world, yet he felt the need to “be out there”, learning and sharing with the very people who seek the same change he envisioned. He spent many years gathering knowledge in several regenerative projects and he is today dedicating his life to sharing practices and knowledge to live closer to nature.
Cost
EARLY BIRD SPECIAL (for the first 7 students)
500 EUR for own tent camping
Full price:
650 EUR for own tent camping
For private accommodation, reach out to me!
We ask for a 250 EUR non-refundable deposit to hold your space, with final payments are due in cash on the first day of the live part of the course.
Scholarships available, please email for info.
Includes:
All course content, classes, activities and materials, lodging in your own tents and all meals.
Not Included:
Flights and ground transportation
Location:
Aljezur, Portugal