An Intentional Community in the Heart of Portugal

An Intentional Community in the Heart of Portugal

In the rolling hills of Alentejo, Portugal, where cork oaks whisper ancient secrets and the sun paints golden hues across the land, Traditional Dream Factory (TDF) emerges as an oasis of regenerative living. Here, the concept of an intentional community transcends the concept of living together in a mix of shared dreams, ecological stewardship, and innovative governance.

TDF it's an intentional community where the boundaries between life, work, and nature blur into harmonious existence. Since 2020, what was once an old poultry factory has grown into a vibrant 25-hectare community, a place where people from all walks of life come together to dream, build, and live in the land.

What Is an Intentional Community?

At its heart, an intentional community is a group of people who choose to live together guided by shared values, rather than by mere geography. It is a living commitment to cooperation, sustainability, and mutual support, a deliberate act of designing life collectively where there is space for privacy and personal growth at the same time as people take care of each other and the land.

Intentional communities vary in form and purpose, but they all embody the same spirit: a reimagining of how we inhabit space, relate to one another, and tend to the land that holds us. In a world increasingly shaped by fragmentation, intentional communities bring together connection, purpose, and belonging into daily life.

Regeneration at the Core: Building a Thriving Intentional Community

TDF’s intentional community thrives on principles of regeneration and collaboration.

From the beginning, TDF has embraced a systems-based approach, integrating permaculture practices, renewable energy, and sustainable architecture. Over 5,000 trees have been planted, the food forest is flourishing, and solar panels harness the abundant Portuguese sun, powering shared spaces and co-working hubs.

Land here is not seen as a resource to be extracted from but as a living, breathing ally.

Our permaculture garden nurtures the soil’s fertility, rainwater is honored and harvested with a meticulous network of water retention systems, and every design decisions are made considering the cycles of life.

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An Intentional Community Looking for Members

We are an intentional community looking for members and we acknowledge that finding an intentional community that aligns with your values, lifestyle, and vision of shared living can be a both challenging and a transformative experience. Many intentional communities are small, grassroots initiatives that rely on word-of-mouth, networks, and niche platforms rather than mainstream advertising.

When looking for an intentional community that is open to new members, it's important to ask questions about decision-making processes, values alignment, resource sharing, and conflict resolution methods. This ensures you're not just finding any community, but one where you'll genuinely thrive. 

TDF’s Unique Approach to Welcoming New Members

At TDF, we believe that joining an intentional community should feel like finding home. That’s why we’ve created a clear, open, and heart-centered process for welcoming new members who are aligned with our values.

Our approach:

• Transparent Communication: We share who we are and what we believe in, with honesty about both the joys and challenges of community life. Our decision-making, finances, and agreements are all open for members to review.
• Step-by-Step Integration: Rather than expecting instant commitment, we offer a phased joining process. This includes initial visits, conversations with current members, and a trial stay to experience daily life at TDF.
• Personal Connection: Every prospective member is paired with a current community member to support their journey, answering questions, sharing meals, and facilitating trust-building.
• Values-First Orientation: We’re looking for belonging. Our orientation process centers around shared purpose, regenerative practices, emotional maturity, and mutual care.
• Proof of Sweat: By participating in TDF and helping it grow, you gain a meaningful voice in how it’s governed. Our innovative systems like Proof of Presence (being physically on-site) and Proof of Sweat (actively contributing your time and skills) ensure your influence reflects your real involvement, not just formalities.

If you're interested in an intentional community looking for members that welcomes you as you are and invites you to co-create a thriving, living ecosystem of care and cooperation, TDF may be what you’ve been searching for.

Daily Life Inside an Intentional Community

Life at TDF as intentional community is full of shared experiences that bring people closer together. Residents and volunteers collaborate together, from building natural structures and cultivating the gardens to hosting a wide variety of workshops and cultural events.

The community comes alive through gatherings that celebrate creativity, learning, and connection, making TDF a true home. Children run barefoot under the sky, artists find their inspiration in the fields, and evenings are often lit by music, laughter, and the crackle of fire. 

Each day is an invitation to create beauty, to deepen trust, and to practice stewardship.

Discover Our Community

A New Governance Model for an Intentional Community

Governance at TDF follows a new way of working together. Using a Decentralized Autonomous Organization (DAO), decisions are made as a community, with everyone's voice counting.

To make this possible, we use a governance token, a simple way for members to take part in important choices and help guide the future of TDF. By sharing responsibility, building trust, and making sure that everyone has a real role, we are all involved in shaping this place that we are creating together.

By embedding governance in technology and trust, TDF reclaims the spirit of democracy as participatory (proof of sweat), transparent, and alive. An intentional community that is a place of living and becoming, where systems grow and evolve alongside the people that live in the land.

A Ripple Beyond Borders: Spreading the Intentional Community Model

We believe that the way we live shapes the world we leave behind. Our vision stretches far beyond the borders of our land in Alentejo into the possibility of a future where we live in community, connected, intentionally, regeneratively, and together.

TDF stands as a real-world example that building an intentional community rooted in care for people and the Earth is not just an idea, it's already happening. Through open knowledge sharing, strong partnerships, and a commitment to learning and evolving together, we are opening doors for others to imagine new ways of living and thriving.

This is not a finished project, it’s a growing, living story that invites everyone to be part of it. Whether you’re looking for inspiration, a place to root new dreams, or simply a space to reconnect with what matters, we welcome you to come and experience it.

The future we dream of is already being built and it’s waiting for you to be part of it. Come visit us and discover it first hand!