This workshop offers an in-depth introduction to the world of tadelakt.
Tadelakt is a rare and highly specialized natural plaster, requiring both technical control and material intuition. Traditionally used in Moroccan hammams, it produces a seamless, waterproof surface with a distinctive depth and mirror-like sheen.
Tadelakt is a craft learned through doing—experiencing pressure, timing, and giving close attention to the behavior of the material itself.
What you’ll learn / do
During this six-hour course, you will:
Understand the foundation of lime
Explore the material properties of lime and the principles of the lime cycle.
Create your own Tadelakt objects
Make up to 3 small spheres and/or tiles, working through each stage of the process—from initial application to the final polished surface. You will engage with both continuous curvature (sphere) and edge conditions (tile), developing a tactile understanding of the material.
You receive:
- 6 hours hands-on training
- Includes materials + guidance
- Includes a vegetarian lunch, coffee and tea
Who this workshop is for
This workshop is suitable for:
- DIY builders
- Artists
- Plasterers
You can be experienced or not experienced. Having curiosity and patience to learn are the most important values to show up with.
Practical information
Date: Saturday October 24 2026
Time: 10 AM – 5 PM
Duration: 7 hours (1h lunch included)
Location: Forniçô
Language: English (translation into Portuguese is possible upon request)
Price: 95 EUR
What’s included
- All necessary materials and tools
- Guidance and supervision throughout the workshop
- You will take home your Tadelakt object
What to bring
- Comfortable clothes you don’t mind getting dirty
- Notebook and pen
About the facilitator
Gregory Crawford has nearly two decades of experience in Permaculture Design, having taught and consulted on a variety of projects across four continents. He co-manages The Panya Project, a permaculture education center in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and has worked as a design lead with Surplus Permaculture and Locus. He is also the co-founder of Win/Win Reactor, an urban permaculture project based in Detroit, USA. His specialties include methodology, urban permaculture, seed saving, and natural building.
Gregory began studying Tadelakt in 2015 under Ryan Chivers, one of the first to introduce the technique to the United States after learning it in Morocco. Since that formative workshop, he has steadily expanded his practice as a natural plasterer, developing a particular interest in exploring the material beyond its traditional applications.
His work includes the construction of four Tadelakt showers, as well as a period of study in Japan to deepen his understanding of traditional craft techniques. He later established an atelier in Siena, Italy, where he produced over fifty lime and clay spheres and tiles, along with lampshades and a range of experimental Tadelakt objects. These explorations extended the material into unconventional forms, including glass bottles and chairs
Registration
Places are limited.
Advance registration is required via email: cursos@escolaregenerativa.pt
