Permaculture · Living Systems · Regenerative Design

Building with the land,
not against it.

"The land told us where things should go."
— Asdrubal, Co-founder
Philosophy

Most buildings are designed on paper first. At Casa Arkaana, we walked the land. We watched where the water flowed, where the wind blew, where the oldest trees stood. Then we built — or rather, we let the land show us where to build.

Every structure at Casa Arkaana is a response to the land it sits on. Not imposed upon it. The pool follows a natural depression that existed before we arrived. The houses align with the dominant winds — no air conditioning needed, always cooler inside than out. The food forest was planted on the youngest trees, leaving the old growth completely untouched.

"Everything feels like part of the ecosystem — because it was designed to be."

This is what permaculture means at Casa Arkaana: not a set of techniques, but a relationship with the land. A commitment to giving back more than we take. A recognition that the most regenerative thing we can do is listen — to the soil, the water, the wind, the ancient trees.

The jungle is not a backdrop. It is the teacher.

The builders

Two permaculturalists.
One shared vision.

Maja and Asdrubal each came to permaculture independently — before they met, before Casa Arkaana existed. When they found each other, they found the land.

Asdrubal
Asdrubal
Co-founder · Builder · Permaculture Designer
Certified in permaculture design at Kukui Farm in Bali — under the son of the Green School founder — in 2015. Trained in bamboo construction, cob building, animal-plant systems, and property design from zero. Seven years of off-grid living in California shaped his deep understanding of solar systems, water management, and natural building. At Casa Arkaana, he designed and built everything with his hands.
Kukui Farm, Bali Natural building 7yr off-grid CA Water systems
Maja
Maja
Co-founder · Facilitator · Community Builder
Completed a Permaculture Design Course in India — independently, before meeting Asdrubal. She has lived in permaculture farms and communities across multiple continents, carrying the principles not just as design knowledge but as a way of life. At Casa Arkaana, she holds the human ecosystem: the community, the retreats, the relationships, the vision.
PDC India Community living Retreat facilitation Holistic hosting
How Casa Arkaana was built

The land chose
everything.

No architectural plans came first. Asdrubal and Maja walked the property for weeks before a single structure appeared. They identified the natural depression for the pool. They tracked the wind patterns before placing the casitas. They found the youngest trees for the food forest, leaving the ancient ones completely untouched.

The result is a property that feels not built but grown — as if Casa Arkaana has always been here, exactly as it is.

Casa Arkaana from above
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Pool on natural depression
The pool sits exactly where the land dips naturally. No excavation forced — it follows the earth's own contours and fills with cenote water from below.
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Houses aligned to the wind
Every structure is oriented to the dominant wind direction. Windows open on both sides. It is always cooler inside than outside — no air conditioning, ever.
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Old forest untouched
The food forest was planted only among the youngest trees. The old-growth Mayan jungle stands completely as it was — ancient, alive, untouched by construction.
Living systems

Off-grid. Self-sustaining.
Regenerative.

☀️
100% Solar
Completely powered by the sun. No generators. No noise. Clean, silent energy from the moment you arrive.
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Own Well
Water from the cenote system beneath the property. Unlimited, clean, and deeply connected to the sacred Mayan water table.
🌧️
Rainwater Harvesting
Every roof collects rainwater. Greywater and blackwater treatment systems return clean water to the soil.
🌱
Composting & Soil
Everything organic returns to the land. Composting systems, soil regeneration, and zero-waste kitchen practices.
Living Farm-acy
Living Farm-acy

The garden that
feeds your retreat

The living farm-acy is Casa Arkaana's edible garden — a permaculture food forest designed to nourish every guest who passes through. Herbs, fruits, vegetables, and medicinal plants grow in relationship with each other, the soil, and the wider jungle ecosystem.

What grows here goes directly to your plate. The kitchen team harvests each morning. Nothing travels further than 100 metres from soil to table.

"The food heals before the ceremony begins."
"The land told us where things should go."
— Asdrubal
"With nature and not against it. Everything feels like part of the ecosystem."
— Maja & Asdrubal
"Part of the healing comes through the fresh air — the jungle air. No AC. Windows open. The jungle comes in."
— On the design of Casa Arkaana