ziegert roswag seiler architekten ingenieure: earthen school in pakistan
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ziegert roswag seiler architekten ingenieure: earthen school in pakistan


'tipu sultan merkez' by ziegert roswag seiler architekten ingenieure, jar maulwi, pakistan
all images © holcim foundation


'tipu sultan merkez' earthen school in jar maulwi, pakistan by berlin-based architectural and engineering
practice ziegert roswag seiler architekten ingenieure has received this year's holcim award for
sustainable construction within the asia-pacific region. the first level of of the two-story building is constructed
with cob walls comprised of locally sourced clay, sand, straw, water and earth. resting upon brick foundations,
the interior spaces are protected from moisture penetrating from the ground or rainwater. the upper floor
is a bamboo framework filled with an earthen mixture.

the combined result of the structure absorbs humidity and the mass of the thick 60 centimeter bearing walls
reduces the temperature of interior spaces by 8 degrees celsius during the 40 degree summer heat. local residents
were able to build their new community facility by implementing appropriate construction technologies and
skills which were already present within the village.



existing school



mock up of ceiling system at full scale



mock up of ceiling system at full scale



structural binding detail



structural binding detail



raw construction materials for cob walls



construction



construction



construction


production of cob walls



built from nature and returned to nature diagram



context plan



site plan



floor plan / level 0



floor plan / level 1



section + materials



climate adapted design diagram



earthen building diagram



concrete building diagram


elevation



elevation



construction process



construction process



construction process



construction process


construction process

lauren db
11.29.11  
7
This is beautiful. Inspiring.
Studge   11.30.11
This article makes me feel so good to be alive, that there are other solutions available, and without red tape destroying all creative solution, man can make suitable building that are appropriate to the conditions, inexpensive, fit and LIFE affirming. Love It.
Moggs   11.30.11
exactly the right solution. If only western aid agencies got up to speed on local materials and local skills and technologies, we would stop ending these silly boxes and cabins that we design with mass-production factories in mind.
mackenzie collins   11.30.11
Brilliant idea: back to the past - comfortable, durable, weather friendly, cheap - and charming! Wish more people did it...
Vania/Brazil   11.30.11
Not being an architect, a lot of the diagrams were unclear. Too bad. I did understand a number of concepts (air flow particularly), but wonder what finally went on the very top of the mud on the roof ?? Also, what did they use to keep moisture out . . . tar ?? And, why aren't we using these concepts in US more (in arid areas like SW)?
savannahjones   11.30.11
same idea?
http://www.anna-heringer.com/index.php?id=31
bf   12.02.11
Really thank you for this fantastic info, i am in spain a teacher who is involved in a susteinable project of an "agora" on the patio of a school, and we are searching for experinces like yours, relativ easy to build but completely efficient. I have some questions about the project, for example how is the last layer of the walls made, is it waterproff??, again, thank you for your contribution, Elena Lorente
Elena Lorente   12.02.11
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