Conversation with earth: How a Swedish initiated earth school project in the Gambia can contribute to develop earth building in both contexts
Typ
Examensarbete för masterexamen
Master's Thesis
Master's Thesis
Program
Architecture and planning beyond sustainability (MPDSD), MSc
Publicerad
2023
Författare
Rustas, Simon
Modellbyggare
Tidskriftstitel
ISSN
Volymtitel
Utgivare
Sammanfattning
Since time immemorial, humankind has used earth to construct dwellings. In industrialised countries, earth was discarded and replaced by other materials with the arrival of the industrial revolution. However, with the rising awareness of sustainability in the construction sector today, earth building is experiencing a revival as an affordable and sustainable construction method. Earthen materials are still used in large parts of the world, mostly in developing areas in the global south, but as a result of colonial heritage and the global development discourse in the mid-twentieth century, earth architecture is commonly viewed upon as an inevitable preliminary stage of development toward industrial society, rendering the notion of it symbolising temporality and under-development. In other words, stigmas and a lack of adaptation to industrialised processes is hindering use of earth in modern day construction.
In 2018, Eivor Björkman Gambia aid, Detail Group AB and EarthLAB studio initiated a project to build a school of rammed earth in Ghana Town, a poor fishing community in The Gambia. The goal is to provide education in the community and promote earth building in Gambian urban development.
With point of departure in practical learning and inter-disciplinary collaboration, this thesis explores the Gambian perspective on earth building and the nuances of a western architect doing work in The Gambia. What type of role can an international architect fill in this context? How to assist and elevate rather than compete with local initiatives already in place? And, coming from a country with a cultural disconnect to the material, what can be learnt and brought back from working in a country with traditional ties to it?
In a process revolving around mutual benefit, knowledge exchange and equal working relationship, the project is formed in dialogue between two different cultures and across disciplinary boundaries. The result is a method for how an aid work project can contribute to develop earth building in both contexts, and shows how the intention of a western architect to provide help in a developing country can change with conversation. Conversation between people, cultures and contexts: a conversation with Earth.
Beskrivning
Ämne/nyckelord
Earth building , Knowledge exchange , Collaboration , The Gambiav