Sixteen years ago, Boris and Rosa began transforming a 7,000-square-meter abandoned plot into a home designed to rely on the land and reduce dependence on outside resources. They were 20 when they set out to reclaim the property, beginning a long-term experiment in natural building and rural self-reliance.
Their first shelter, known as the Casa de la Seta, was built almost entirely from materials found on site or salvaged elsewhere. Earth from the property and straw went into the structure alongside glass bottles and an old truck tarp used for waterproofing. Boris recalls that the initial build required virtually no money, just time, effort and ingenuity. The approach reflects wider principles of permaculture and bioconstruction, which often pair local materials and reuse with plant-based insulation and designs suited to their surroundings.
From Ruin to Ability to recover
Over the years, the couple expanded the project. The basic house now has thick earthen and thermo-clay walls, open living spaces and a green roof, along with areas for growing food and keeping animals. Solar panels provide electricity, while water comes from an existing well. Elevated garden beds supply much of the family’s produce, and chickens provide eggs. Together, these systems support a way of life that draws food, water and energy from the property, though each resource comes with its own practical and regulatory requirements.
What began as a personal experiment has grown into Permacultura por la Tierra, an initiative combining natural building with ecological farming, resource management and environmental education. Boris and Rosa live on the property with their son, Riu, and bring permaculture principles into daily life, from construction and food production to health and their child’s education.
Permaculture as a Way of Life
For the family, permaculture extends beyond organic gardening. It shapes how they build and eat, how they use water and energy, and how they raise their child. Riu grows up immersed in the rhythms of nature, learning directly from the land. The family documents their progress on social media and hosts workshops on natural building and ecological agriculture, sharing practical experience with people interested in alternatives to conventional living.
Off-grid systems can make remote properties more practical, but “self-sufficient” can mean different things: generating electricity, accessing water, producing food or making a broader effort to reduce reliance on outside services. Solar panels alone do not establish complete energy independence. That also depends on system capacity, battery storage, seasonal output, backup arrangements and household demand. In Spain, electricity self-consumption is principally governed by Real Decreto 244/2019, alongside the low-voltage electrical regulations approved under Real Decreto 842/2002.
Water access has its own rules. Depending on the basin, extraction volume and intended use, drilling or using a private well may require authorization or registration with the relevant Confederación Hidrográfica. An existing well can so form part of a household water system, but it does not by itself define the legal status or capacity of that supply.
Natural or reclaimed building materials do not remove the need to address safety and construction performance. Earthen walls, straw insulation, bottles and green roofs require appropriate design for foundations and moisture protection, as well as drainage, fire safety, structural loads and local wind or seismic conditions. A green roof, for example, needs waterproofing and drainage, load calculations and ongoing maintenance.
The Legal Field
Land classification matters in Spain. Article 21 of the Ley de Suelo y Rehabilitación Urbana describes rural land in terms that include protection from change through urbanization. Whether a dwelling can be built or occupied depends on the applicable autonomous-community planning rules and municipal requirements. Owning or cultivating rural land does not, by itself, confer a right to build a permanent home. Some regional frameworks allow housing linked to agricultural or rural activity, subject to specific conditions.
The Ley de Ordenación de la Edificación and the Código Técnico de la Edificación set requirements relevant to building projects, including structural safety and fire protection, as well as sanitation, accessibility and energy performance. Municipal planning permission and the land’s status also matter. Rules can differ depending on whether a structure is a temporary shelter, an agricultural building, a workshop or a permanent residence. Low-impact construction methods are not automatically exempt from building controls.
The experience of Boris and Rosa shows both the possibilities and demands of building outside the conventional system. Reclaimed materials and food-growing areas, together with solar power and a well, can contribute to a more independent household, while rural planning, water rights and technical building standards shape what can be built and how it can be used. Their project brings those ambitions together in a home developed over sixteen years.
