An innovative building concept co-created by a University of Cambridge architect has reached the finals of the 2010 Earth Awards.
An innovative building concept co-created by a University of Cambridge architect has reached the finals of the 2010 Earth Awards.
It is about giving a community the skills and tools to construct their own buildings without the need for costly imports. Most importantly, it gives people the confidence to construct their own environments and be truly self-reliant.
Michael Ramage
"Sustainable Shells" aims to provide a model for sustainable building in some of the world's poorest and most remote areas. It was developed by Michael Ramage, from the Department of Architecture at the University of Cambridge, John Ochsendorf, an engineer based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and Peter Rich Architects of Johannesburg.
It is one of six concepts to reach the finals of the Earth Awards, which champions new ideas and inventions that have the potential to improve people's quality of life around the world.
Sustainable Shells is a model which allows local communities using natural resources. It has already been pioneered in South Africa, where the method was used to construct an interpretative centre at the Mapungubwe National Park.
It involves the construction of domes from 20mm thick tiles using the 600-year-old technique of tile vaulting. The tiles are made mainly from pressed soil and can be formed by adapting an ordinary hand press.
The resulting building is low-cost, uses local employment, and involves minimal energy usage. The techniques involved can also be taught to workers in local communities, providing much-needed employment in the developing world. The skills acquired by these workers can then be used in future projects as well.
"Sustainable Shells is about making a home from the ground on which it is built," Michael Ramage said. "It is about giving a community the skills and tools to construct their own buildings without the need for costly imports. Most importantly, it gives people the confidence to construct their own environments and be truly self-reliant."
The finalists of the Earth Awards are chosen by a select committee of 29 judges, which includes some of the world's leading entrepreneurs, architects, scientists, artists and environmentalists. The grand winner receives £50,000 towards developing the design and will be announced on 16 September.
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