A Taste of Natural Building: Our Half-Day Adobe Brick Workshop

Before diving into our full November workshop series, we wanted to give people a little taste of what’s to come. This August, we hosted a half-day adobe brick workshop at Ark Eden — and what a day it was!

We had a really lovely mix of people join us: a family of four with children aged 4 and 9, plus two architects curious to learn more about natural building methods. The group perfectly captured what we love about these workshops — that earth building is truly for everyone, no matter your age or background.

Building, Playing, and Creating

The morning began with muddy feet and happy hands as everyone got involved in the brick-making process — stomping, mixing, moulding, and laughing along the way.

Together, we also made a very special bee brick 🐝. By pressing copper pipes into the adobe, we created small tunnels inside the brick — perfect nesting spots for solitary bees. Unlike honeybees, solitary bees don’t live in hives; they lay their eggs in tiny holes and sealed chambers. Bee bricks provide safe shelter for these incredible pollinators, who play a vital role in keeping our gardens, farms, and ecosystems healthy.

The children quickly found their own rhythm and creativity. With leftover clay, they sculpted an Olaf snowman and a very cute duck — which have now become our unofficial workshop mascots! It was such a joy to see how much kids thrive when they’re outdoors, free to explore and create with natural materials.

For the adults, the workshop offered something equally valuable. Getting hands-on with clay and soil brought a sense of calm and focus — a welcome break from the busy pace of everyday life. Earth building is not only sustainable but also deeply grounding; it reconnects us to the simple act of making with our hands, and to the landscapes that provide our materials.

A Feast from the Garden

By lunchtime, everyone was happily muddy and ready for a good meal. We washed up and sat down together to enjoy an incredible vegetarian feast prepared by Dhan, using produce grown right here on Ark Eden’s land:

• Jackfruit curry

• Banana flower curry

• Bok choy with garlic

• A little pasta for extra comfort

• Freshly made herbal tea

Sharing food after a morning of building felt like the perfect way to close the day — nourishing body and soul at once.

Looking Ahead

It was a wonderful workshop, and we were so pleased to hear that our guests enjoyed it as much as we did. In fact, several have already signed up to return for our autumn series!

We can’t wait to welcome them back to the Jungle for the next stage of our journey.

Next up: Taking the bamboo out of the bath!