The Essential Earthen Crafts Module is an immersive apprenticeship and project-based learning program that cultivates a deep, practice-led understanding of traditional craft and building knowledge. Designed for artists, designers, builders, and cultural practitioners, the module introduces participants to an integrated spectrum of natural materials including earth, wood, bamboo, stone, lime, and natural pigments.

Rooted in the rural landscapes of Kangra, Himachal Pradesh, the program emphasizes learning through direct, embodied experience. Participants work alongside master craftspeople who hold generational wisdom in earthen and natural-material construction, carving, joinery, surface treatment, and contextual craft application. Through guided making, field observation, and collaborative projects, learners explore how materials are sourced, prepared, shaped, combined, and finished—understanding their ecological behaviour, structural potential, and aesthetic possibilities.

The module aims to cultivate not just technical skill, but also material sensitivity: an appreciation for slow processes, vernacular knowledge systems, and place-responsive design. By the end of the program, participants develop a grounded craft vocabulary that can be applied to both contemporary and traditional artistic, architectural, and community-based projects.