Kasirwa Earth House

Project Location : Mt Kilimanjaro , Tanzania
Completed : Fall 2015
 

About 1,800 m above sea level on the Mt Kilimanjaro, Kisirwa village got the opportunity to boost development by having a school built. Three volumes to house incoming teachers and a pavilion next to the entrance of the site works as a start to developing this arts school to improve the culture and education of the children in this village. A statement made by using vernacular architecture makes a contrast to the cement structures littered in the village. This project was used to educate the villager residents that using vernacular architecture with few contemporary solutions could be the solution to re- duce costs of construction, improve thermal comfort of living and celebrate a rich history in architecture and construction. The structure of the volumes were timber posts re- enforced with mud walls enclosed in gabions with rocks collected from a nearby river. Involving the community in the design of the space as well as the construction.