Vila Pinheiro is a living classroom, a regenerative homestead in Central Portugal where permaculture is not just practised, it’s lived. Here, permaculture designs are shaping a living tapestry of people, plants, animals, and purpose. Each design, rooted in a genuine need, evolves through careful observation, ethical intention, and hands-on care.

We invite you to walk this path with us, whether you’re new to permaculture or returning to your roots. Begin your journey, visit our land, or simply stay connected. The door is open.

Permaculture at Vila Pinheiro: Regenerative Design in Action

Rooted in Wisdom. Growing Regeneration.

What is Permaculture?

Permaculture is a way of designing our lives and landscapes in harmony with nature. It draws from ecology, traditional wisdom, and practical common sense — helping us meet our needs for food, water, shelter, energy, and connection in a sustainable and regenerative way.

At the core of permaculture lie three ethics:

  • Earth Care – Replenishing and protecting the land and all life

  • People Care – Supporting human wellbeing through just, joyful systems.

  • Fair Share – Redistributing surplus and respecting natural limits

At Vila Pinheiro, we have deepened this foundation through ten designs exploring food forests, kitchen gardens, animal systems, water and energy planning, and a personal pathway of learning. Along the way, we’ve woven in insights from Ayurveda, Vrikshayurveda, regenerative silviculture, and adaptive technologies, creating a uniquely rooted and expansive approach.

Here, tradition meets innovation. Our land, once a neglected plot, is now alive with food forests, animals, and community energy. We cultivate Ayurvedic herbs, coppice Montado trees, and develop systems that care for both people and the planet. Every element is intentional, every decision a design.

What makes us unique?

  • We blend Eastern traditions with Western frameworks.

  • We apply zone and sector planning across households, forests, and communities.

  • We treat the land as a learning lab, open-source and ever-evolving

  • We share everything through designs, workshops, and digital stories.

  • We see regeneration as a spiritual, ecological, and technological journey.

Why Vila Pinheiro?

A Living Design Portfolio

Interwoven Pathways to Regeneration at Vila Pinheiro

This portfolio brings together ten original permaculture designs developed during my Diploma journey. Each one explores a distinct facet of regenerative living, grounded in ethics, ecology, and personal experience. Together, they form a living system of learning, action, and reflection. Below, you’ll find them grouped into four themes that reveal the patterns behind the process.

1. Roots & Reach

Philosophy, Teaching & Meta-Design

These designs establish the ethical, cultural, and pedagogical foundations of my work – shaping how I live, teach, and evolve as a designer.

  • Design 1: The Mă-Kè Bonsai Way
    Regenerative bonsai practice as an ecological, contemplative art form grounded in permaculture ethics.

  • Design 2: Growing Bonsai Sustainably (Workshop)
    A low-input, high-value educational workshop model fostering community learning and sustainable enterprise.

  • Design 10: Meta-Design & Action Learning Pathway
    A reflective synthesis of all ten designs, using Looby McNamara’s Design Web to track learning and transformation.

2. Structure & Flow

Infrastructure, Water, Energy & Site Planning

Here, design meets utility. These systems form the backbone of Vila Pinheiro, ensuring resilience in water, energy, and land use.

  • Design 3: Vila Pinheiro Masterplan
    The foundational site design guiding access, zones, infrastructure, and long-term land stewardship.

  • Design 4: Energy Self-Sufficiency
    Integrating off-grid solar, passive heating, and appropriate tech to reduce dependency and increase resilience.

  • Design 5: Water Self-Sufficiency
    Rainwater harvesting, greywater reuse, and drought-responsive strategies tailored to Mediterranean climates.

3. Planting Resilience

Food Forests, Polycultures & Forest Systems

These designs regenerate the landscape with perennial crops, Ayurvedic guilds, and forest-based productivity, linking food, medicine, and ecology.

  • Design 6: Food Self-Sufficiency
    A self-reliant food system using seasonal polycultures, Ayurvedic herbs, and companion planting.

  • Design 7: Ayurvedic Food Forest
    A healing ecosystem blending Vrikshayurveda with Mediterranean plant guilds to restore soil, soul, and system.

  • Design 8: Regenerative Silviculture
    Forest planning using the GODREAMET framework, combining coppicing, goats, and fungal allies for long-term yield.

4. Animals as Allies

Integrated Animal Ecosystems

Animals are not just livestock here; they are ecosystem partners. This design reimagines animal husbandry as a circular, ethical, and land-based practice.

  • Design 9: Animal Ecosystem Integration
    The GRAZER framework guides the integration of multispecies systems (including goats, chickens, ducks, and fish) into a resilient silvopasture model rooted in Ayurvedic principles.

Ways to get Involved

  • Attend a Workshop – From bonsai to food forests, learn by doing

  • Explore Our Designs – View our permaculture diploma projects and frameworks

  • Visit the Land – Experience Vila Pinheiro and its seasonal rhythms

  • Volunteer or Collaborate – Help shape the future of regeneration

  • Stay Connected – Receive updates, insights, and opportunities to join in