Sand Castles
- Posted by: Tim McKeough
- on February 5, 2009 at 3:50 pm
In South Africa, designers are using surprising materials to house locals
Every year, Cape Town’s Design Indaba conference draws together high-profile architects from around the world to muse about the power of contemporary design. In 2007, Indaba’s organizers decided to use that concentrated creative energy to address a problem in their own backyard: the thousands of impoverished people living in makeshift shacks in South Africa’s townships. Looking to create low-cost houses that could serve as models for the future, they launched the 10×10 Housing Project, which paired 10 leading international architects with 10 local architects, and tasked each team with developing an appealing house that could be built for about $7,000.
Luyanda Mpahlwa, a partner in the firm MMA, and his team decided to build theirs with an unlikely but abundant source: sand. “African industry usually uses bricks and mortar, or clay brick, or concrete block, which is more expensive,” says Mpahlwa. “As architects and professionals, we should be leading the search for different ways of building. Not everyone can afford the normally available material.”
It was a wise design decision. Not only is MMA’s house the sole design to be realized so far, but sponsors have funded the construction of 10 individual units for 10 families, rather than the originally planned single residence. The project also won the inaugural Curry Stone Design Prize, an annual $100,000 award for humanitarian design, in September. The houses are now nearly complete in Freedom Park, a community on the outskirts of Cape Town that was previously a warren of shacks.
Starting from a shell of EcoBeam timber framing, which uses a minimal amount of wood strengthened with zigzagging steel bars, the houses use row upon row of stuffed nylon sandbags to give the structure heft and permanence. Using sandbags for walls has a number of advantages. It’s a readily available material, and it has good thermal qualities, which protects from the heat. Sand is also very sturdy when packed, and is good at dampening sound—an important consideration for communities where houses are clustered tightly together. But perhaps most importantly, MMA has designed a house that “can be built by hand by anybody,” says Mpahlwa. The houses in Freedom Park are constructed with volunteer help from local women.
After all the bags are stacked, most of the exterior walls are wrapped with a wire mesh that gets coated with a thin layer of plaster, while a few sections are covered with wood or metal to achieve a desired look. The modern design of the 580-square-foot house offers something distinctly different for the area, with two floors of living space and a balcony that provides the basis for future expansion. “It’s not high-science in terms of design,” says Mpahlwa. “But for the area, it’s very different, and for a family that has never had a house, it is spectacular.”
The 10 houses are being given away for free to families who were selected via lottery, and MMA has ambitions to expand the project beyond Freedom Park. “This is a pilot project,” that could be a model for other areas, says Mpahlwa. “We wanted to find something that could be a low-cost housing solution for the future.”
DISCUSSION: 39 Comments
Photo? Maybe?
Gah. This article is nothing without a picture for reference!!
pictures please?
Google “houses in Freedom Park” and you get a ton of them.http://www.google.com/images?q=houses+in+Freedom+Park+&sourceid=navclient-ff&ie=UTF-8&rlz=1B3GGGL_enUS258US259
this was a very interesting article what was not so great was no pictures.. Would be nice to have a follow up of the design senerio and pic of construction and after shots. Perhapes not the greatestest in looks but seeing is believing … So how bout pictures.
people dont even care to read the article they just wanna c the pic be happy and then go on. UR PREVENTING US FROM DOING THAT
photos, photos, photos…. pics, pics, pics —-WHERE ARE THEM—-U made me waist my time just reading about something filled w. blahaa, blahaa, blahaa…….
Wow, this really shows how we have regressed as a society. It seems as though the only discussion about this article is about whether or not there is a picture. Did anybody think about what was written in the article…or is that too difficult. Children have books with alot of pictures because they have limited language skills. I would think the people reading this would be a little more advanced than that. Please…
Interesting idea! Does the sand bags make it so there won’t be so many pests? I’d like to see the pictures from step one to finished product.
What an amazing article! (Lets talk content people!) Such a simple idea, (as so many incredible inventions and designs begin), has led to a reality that has the potential to change the lives of so many around the world. Forget pictures, I want a link about how I can get involved moving this forward in other sand ridden, impoverished countries. Kuddos to Mr. Mpahlwa and his team!
Here ya go
go here for a detailed description and pictures: http://www.dezeen.com/2008/02/27/sand-bag-houses-by-mma-architects-2/
I understand that the article is important and very innovative to use such a natural resource. We could use such innovation in certain poverty stricken areas of America but a picture would be nice. Pictures of the finished product and construction pictures would fill in the blanks! Children may have pictures because they are learning but it is one of the fundamental ways of learning. See, hear, touch. Come on now people!
“Me need c pic 2 see what am going on” Are you people illiterate or what? And someone did post a link for photos. Perhaps some of you are just too damned dumb to understand.
Wow. You people are so pathetic. Pictures, pictures, pictures… and learn how to spell for goodness sake. We have imaginations for a purpose, they are not to be idly discarded in favor of instant visual appeals. The Freedom House project is an amazing accomplishment and gift for those less fortunate than we with computers and television sets in every room of our overly large homes.
Back to the Future, HUH? These folks invented nothing new here. Just look here: http://home.howstuffworks.com/rammed-earth-home.htm. Popular Science Magazine in the US was writing about this 20-30 years ago.
I think this would be a great thing for the american public to seize upon!!! Sand Castles!! After investing most of our money in purchasing a home, giving hard earned cash to the bank. Just for the bank to take the money, the house and get bailed out by the goverment. I’m really happy their housing market is getting upgraded. Maybe our goverment should let all the taxpayers have a break from paying taxes. Pay no taxes and get your life together!!! We’ll go after all the non tax payers!! Ohh Ohhh, but then who would give 10 billion dollars a month to Iraq? Can we get a Freedom Land/Crew/Force over here?? A little unity in the community, be our own leaders. Just need a how to build a sand castle manual!!!….. I’m homeless by way of many crooked “officials”…..I wish my two small children and I had a sand castle. Love the article…..and the pictures. I thought if you heated sand you get glass??? You can get fancy in some parts of the house!!! Lol
Here is something similar that has been used in the US for a few years. It seems the only trouble any builder has had is in local/state building codes. http://www.okokok.org/
How incredible! It’s so refreashing to see people helping a commnuity. I wish I knew how to get involved!
Ok, so people want a picture! Whats the big gripe? Crumudgeon-like responses are really demeaning. What are you? A 100 year old public high school teacher? It’s the article that’s important, true. Lighten up you crackers! (laughing)
How about just not having children.
first
What the ….. i want a pic come on is this the best they can do?
My wife has a family photo of a Nebraska soddie built in the 1800s and some documentation that says it stood until the 1920s when it burned (flooring and roof I guess). I’ve always been impressed with how attractive it was, ranch style, hip roof, wood window frames, etc.I do agree with those folks desiring a photo, it would really add to the article. Words alone leave me wondering is this a bunker or a home and how durable would it be.
http://www.interiordesign.net/article/CA6601313.html pictures of house