OCTOBER 10TH-17TH 2026
DaysDays
HrsHours
MinsMinutes
SecsSeconds

Nature Aligned Architecture is a methodology that combines geomancy, geometry, regenerative design and embodied perception to help people read the land, trust their perception and create meaningful relationships with place and nature.



Is an original methodology developed by Rocío Araujo, integrating geomancy, sacred geometry, embodied perception, permaculture, regenerative design, bioconstruction, and many other disciplines into one coherent methodology. It teaches a practical process for perceiving, diagnosing, and harmonizing spaces.
Architecture was once understood as a relationship rather than an object.
Buildings were created in dialogue with the living earth, the rhythms of the sun and cosmos, and the people who inhabited them. From this relationship emerged places that supported vitality, harmony and a deeper connection with nature.
Today, much of this awareness has been lost. Many spaces are designed without understanding the relationship between land and human wellbeing, often contributing to stress, disconnection and ecological degradation.
Every place carries its own qualities long before construction begins. Some environments naturally support life. Others generate tensions that people perceive without always understanding why.
Whether you already have a home or dream of building one, this program invites you to develop a deeper relationship with place, trust your perception, and rediscover how architecture can once again become a symbiosis between humans and nature.

CYCLE 1 Reading Territory as a Living System

OCTOBER 2026 October 10–17, 2026
DECEMBER 2026 December 12–19, 2026
MARCH 2026 March 13–20, 2027
APRIL 2026 April 24 – May 1, 2027
Duration: 8 Days / 7 Nights
Capacity: 13 Apprentices
To reserve your place, a $200 USD /Q1,540 non-refundable deposit
Early Bird Tuition — $600 USD /Q4,500 Total
ENDS 1ST SEPTEMBER 2026
Standard Tuition — $1000 USD / Q7,500 Total
Shared Accommodation 7 nights per person — $350 USD
Private Accommodation 7 nights per person — $525 USD
Includes:
An intensive introduction to the Nature Aligned Architecture methodology through embodied perception, geomancy, geometry and bio-building. Learning takes place through hands-on construction, land-based practices and community living within the Puertecita habitat.

Availability: Year-Round
Duration: 1 Month
Price: $2,200 USD
Capacity: 1 Apprentices
Includes:
A residential apprenticeship to the Nature Aligned Architecture methodology, integrated into the daily life of Geotitlan, through architecture, geomancy, bio-building, land stewardship and participation in real projects. Apprentices learn through direct experience, observation and meaningful contribution to ongoing projects. Accomodation.
Accommodation is offered separately from tuition, allowing participants to choose the level of privacy and comfort that best suits their needs.
All accommodations are located within Puertecita habitat and have been personally designed by Rocío Araujo through the principles of Nature Aligned Architecture. Participants stay in spaces that embody the very concepts explored throughout the apprenticeship, offering a unique opportunity to experience the methodology firsthand.
Guests may choose between shared, semi-private or private accommodations distributed between Puertecita habitat with access to gardens, lakeside spaces, gathering areas and the natural beauty of Lake Atitlán.
Shared Accommodation 7 nights per person — $350 USD
Private Accommodation 7 nights per person — $525 USD
While we highly recommend staying within Puertecita Habitat to fully experience the Nature Aligned Architecture through the embodied perception of harmonized spaces, accommodation at Puertecita is not required.
Participants are welcome to arrange their own accommodation elsewhere around Lake Atitlán if they prefer. All daily activities begin and end at Puertecita Habitat, making it easy to participate regardless of where you stay.
Meals are not included in the apprenticeship tuition.
Participants are welcome to prepare their own meals using the shared kitchen facilities available in most accommodations or enjoy breakfast and lunch at Panina, our artisan sourdough bakery and garden café.
Depending on the size of the group, participants may also choose to organize community-style lunches by hiring a local cook to prepare fresh homemade meals for everyone. This has proven to be an enjoyable and affordable way to share meals, support the local community, and spend more time learning together.

The program develops the ability to observe what is often overlooked within conventional design processes: landscape relationships, natural patterns and the qualities that shape the experience of a place long before construction begins. It also invites participants to slow down from the pace of daily life, creating space for deeper attention, presence and connection with the environment.

Participants learn to trust their perception through direct experience, cultivating a deeper awareness of space, orientation, atmosphere and the subtle qualities that shape the character of a place. Through practical exercises and guided exploration, they develop greater sensitivity to how landscapes, buildings and environmental conditions influence human wellbeing, emotional states and the overall experience of inhabiting a space.

Develop the ability to understand how ecological, cultural, climatic, social and spatial systems interact. Rather than viewing elements in isolation, learn to recognize relationships, patterns and feedback loops, gaining a deeper understanding of the dynamics that shape living environments. This systemic perspective supports more informed design decisions within complex ecosystems.

Explore how proportions, geometry, orientation and intention can guide the design process while learning to read the land through geomancy. Through site assessment, body dowsing, earth acupuncture and the observation of both visible and invisible qualities of place, participants develop a deeper understanding of how spatial relationships influence harmony, functionality and human experience.

Develop hands-on experience in designing and building with your own hands, turning ideas into real structures in the landscape. Through practical workshops, on-site experimentation, and collaborative construction projects, participants learn natural building techniques, work directly with ecological materials, and actively participate in creating regenerative, life-supporting spaces from the ground up.

¨Rocio bridges embodiment and architecture in a way I’ve never encountered before. I love how she invites you to feel and listen to your body while exploring the land and effects design. I’ve stayed in one of her spaces before I even knew her philosophy, and it remains one of the most rejuvenating places I’ve experienced in 16 years of living and traveling worldwide.
When I learned how she creates, and she showed me how to feel the signals in my body, it took me right back to the ancient temples I’ve traveled to all around the world. Her attentiveness to embodiment is woven into every prompt she offers, helping you tune into the subtleties your body is already communicating.
Walking the land and experiencing the solar geometry she teaches blew my mind open to capacities and information I’ve never heard people explain the way she has. She makes me eager to want to learn so much more!¨
MARIA
Angela


For many years, I felt that something essential was missing from the way architecture was being taught and practiced. Buildings were discussed through aesthetics, structure and function, yet little attention was given to how places are actually experienced, how territory influences wellbeing, or how our relationship with nature shapes the spaces we inhabit.
My search led me through heritage conservation, natural building, ecovillage design, permaculture, geomancy and ancient geometry. Along the way, I discovered that architecture is not only about constructing buildings, but also about learning to read the land, trust our perception and cultivate a deeper relationship with place.
Living around Lake Atitlán further transformed my understanding. Through direct experience, Indigenous knowledge and years of observation, I began to see the land not as a neutral site, but as a living system with its own intelligence and patterns.
Nature Aligned Architecture emerged from this ongoing exploration. More than a design methodology, it is an invitation to develop awareness, embodied perception and a more conscious relationship with the places we create and inhabit.
Geotitlan
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.