Natural Building

At New Life, we remain in harmony with our environment through natural building. Instead of manufactured building products, we use traditional techniques to make our own. Volunteers are now making adobe (sun-dried) bricks from our own soil, water and rice husks. Currently we are building a meditation hall, and once we have amassed enough of bricks, we will build a second meditation hall and several small residences, some of which may be used by visitors on meditation retreats.

With natural building, we drastically decrease our carbon footprint and eliminate industrial products that consume a disproportionate share of the earth’s energy. Adobe houses, because they respond naturally to the climate, require less energy for heating and cooling. And they are architecturally very beautiful.

Our brand new Meditation Hall is almost complete

Phil Mitchell has been a volunteer at New Life since January 2012. He has a background in construction, and is responsible for the earthen building project. Phil came to the New Life Foundation to learn about Thai gardening. Little did he know that his extensive knowledge of construction would be called on within one week of his arrival at the Foundation.

“I had no idea that when I arrived I’d be asked to start a new construction for the Foundation. About one week into my arrival, I was presented with a set of drawings for construction of a new meditation hall, and assorted accommodation units. New Life wanted to make the project as eco-friendly as possible, and eventually we decided on the earthen building method, used by Jon Jandai, Thailand’s earthen building guru. The earthen building method uses mud, rice husks, and water to make the bricks for the building.” Phil tells us. “The wood used is teak from the Foundation’s own land, and the labour is provided by the volunteers, and residents.” Phil says that soon we will see the building complete.

The Dimensions of the Meditation Hall:

• 16 meters diameter
• 18 windows
• 3 doors
• 1 utility room

For more photos of our earthen meditation hall in construction, please click here.

Inauguration of our Mediation Hall coming up soon

To celebrate the completion of the brand new earthen meditation hall built by our very own hardworking residents and volunteers, New Life Foundation will be holding a very special meditation retreat this August. Please join us on this proud and happy occasion!

Find out more about the event here.