Thesis Booklet_Second Level Specializing Master in Design for Development_Politecnico di Milano by GiuliaCiusani

MASTER DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Architecture,Urban Planning and Heritage in the Global South

I edition 2019/2020 Politecnico di Milano and Poliedra

I and II level Master

Giulia Ciusani

The materials collected within this booklet are related to the didactic activity carried out within

Master Design for Development Politecnico di Milano and Poliedra FIRST EDITION, 2019/2020

director Camillo Magni co-director Laura Montedoro co-director Sonia Pistidda technical director Paola Bellaviti tutors Alice Buoli, Alessandro Frigerio, Alessia Macchiavello, Roberta Mastropirro, Giuliana Miglierina Students Fabrizio Bancalari, Arianna Bazzaro, Mattia Bertolini, Chiara Bonfiglio, Francesco Bottaro, Tomà Canessi, Ugwuonah Chinonyerem, Agnese Chittaro, Giulia Ciusani, Elisa Goncales D’Albuquerque, Natasha Eckstein, Pietro Filippi, Niccolò Fioretto, Matteo Imbriano, Marta Marini, Manfredi Mazziotta, Mehreen Mustafà, Carla Patnett, Carla Procida, Enea Serjani

Index

HERITAGE_ DESIGN STUDIO 1

ARCHITECTURAL_ DESIGN STUDIO 2

URBAN PLANNING_ DESIGN STUDIO

WORKSHOP MAPP_ MAPUTO

INTERNSHIP REPORT

CRITICAL PAPER

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Johnny Miller - Unequal Scenes

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Heritage_ Design studio 1

HERITAGE_ DESIGN STUDIO 1

Strategies for protecting and enhancing cultural heritage in urban-rural areas in transition 11-15 November 2019 Professors Maria Cristina Giambruno, Sonia Pistidda Tutors Roberta Mastropirro, Francesca Vigotti

During the Design Studio, the students worked on the simulation of a Call for Proposal around the theme â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cultural Heritage for development. Heritage as a trigger for social inclusion of the local communitiesâ&#x20AC;?. Divided into groups, the students were guided through the various steps that characterize the writing of a proposal: the careful reading of contents of the call, the definition of a relevant theme within the requests, the search for effective partners, the articulation of the idea, the work program and the definition of the budget. At the end of the workweek, the students presented the proposals to an external committee of experts who discussed and evaluated the different projects.

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LiNKED LaZARAT A path to reconnection

Giulia Ciusani, NiccolĂ˛ Fioretto, Carla Procida, Enea Serjani

Li.La. is a research-based project designed to leverage the potential of existing cultural heritage to foster the social inclusion of Lazarat community in the Gjirokaster region, South of Albania. Lazarat is a village near Gjirokaster urban center (UNESCO World Heritage Site) and is sadly famous for the massive cannabis production that took place in its past. In 2014, after the destruction, by the government, of illegal cannabis farms, there has been a fall in the economy of the municipality as well as an increase in unemployment, which has led to the exodus of the younger generation. Due to past events, Lazarat village and its community are segregated from other parts of the area and their potential is clouded by stereotypical conceptions. The objectives of this proposal are: to employ cultural heritage as a trigger for community regeneration, giving Lazarat inhabitants a sense of value from highlighting the unknown cultural monuments in the area; to reintegrate Lazarat community into the economic framework of the Gjirokaster region, taking advantage of the proximity to a UNESCO site; to open up opportunities for dialogue between Gjiorkaster and Lazarat, creating a common sense of belonging. The project consists of the requalification and promotion of a Middle Ages path, linking Gjirokaster and Lazarat, as a landscape and cultural experience both for slow-tourists and members of the local communities. Along the path, there are sites of historical, architectural and landscape relevance for which conservation and maintenance are planned. Nearby to these sites is planned the creation of shaded rest points, with seats and informative interactive panels. Community sensitization on the values of cultural heritage is promoted. Young generation members are the key focus group that will be at the forefront of the community sensitization, awareness workshops and activities. Community members will be included in all the project phases, from the beginning, with some participatory workshops, to the end, with the opening of working positions for Lazaratâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unemployed. To design and achieve the objectives of this project is a multidisciplinary team comprising of designers, architects and service system designers. A careful analysis of partners, stakeholders, activities, budget and risks, allows us to have a complete view of the project and to avoid unpleasant inconveniences during the process.

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Project cover

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

L INKE D LAZ A R A T

A path to reconnection

I EDITION 2019/2020

MONTENEGRO

KOSOVO

ADRIATIC SEA

SERBIA

MACEDONIA

ALBANIA

ITALY

GREECE IONIAN SEA

Territorial framing_Albania

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

ELBASAN FIER BERAT

KORCË

VLORË

GJIROKASTËR REGION Gjirokaster Lazarat

IONIAN SEA

Territorial framing_Gjirokaster region

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GREECE

PREVIOUS MASS PRODUCTION OF CANNABIS

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITE

4.200 INHABITANTS

28.673 INHABITANTS

DEVALUED CULTURAL HERITAGE

LAZARAT

Problemsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; analysis

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

36.000 TOURISTS IN THE LAST SIX MONTHS INSTAT

GJIROKASTER

PEDESTRIAN ROUTE THROUGH SITES OF HISTORICAL/ ARCHITECTURAL/ LANDSCAPE INTEREST

TREES (Ficus Carica) PLANTED ALONG THE PATH

BEKTASHI SHRINE

BENCHES AT REST POINTS/ POINTS OF INTEREST

VIEW POINT

LAZARAT

GJIROKASTER COMMUNIST ERA BUNKER

Project proposal_The riqualification of the ancient connecting path

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INTERACTIVE PANELS AT POINTS OF INTEREST

ALIPASHA BRIDGE

GJIROKASTÃ&#x2039;R MUNICIPALITY

PROJECT PARTNERS VISIT GJIROKASTRA

MUHAMET GJOLLESHA HIGH SCHOOL

5% OF SLOW TOURISTS

PROJECT TARGET CA. 50 YOUNG STUDENTS WITH AFFLICTED FAMILIES 2 TO 5 LOCALS UNEMPLOYED

Analysis of project targets and partners

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

LEAD PARTNER

ADVOCATES

PROJECT TEAM

LOCAL DIRECTORY FOR MONUMENT CONSERVATION REGIONAL DIRECTORY OF EDUCATION

PARTNERS

MEDIA PARTNER LOCAL NEWSPAPER

EXTERNAL EXPERTS EXPERT ON LOCAL TOURISM RESTORATION ADVISOR LOCAL PROJECT MANAGER

GJIROKASTÃ&#x2039;R MUNICIPALITY

A path to reconnection

VISIT GJIROKASTRA MUHAMET GJOLLESHA HIGH SCHOOL

SUPPLIERS LOCAL CARPENTRY LOCAL WORKERS

LOCAL GUARDIAN PROJECT EVALUATOR FINANCIAL ADVISOR

LEGEND Meterials flow Information flow Financial flow Mutual exchange One-way exchange

Stakeholder analysis

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DONOR POLISOCIAL

WP1

PRELIMINARY ACTIVITIES

. Find local suppliers and workers . Hiring two people, a technician and a guardian (workers) . Organize a meeting with the local municipality and obtain permits of intervention . Organize a meeting with the stakeholders

WP2

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT

WP3

INTERVENTION ON THE ANCIENT PATH

. “Community on a map” tool, with high school students and their grandparents . Inspection of path with the children . Acquisition of data and maps . Highlight Banesa e Bote monument, set of a removable exhibition with the exercises’ results . Signage at start/end of the path . Design and production of five information panels . Hire two local workers to install the items in the rest areas . Tree planting along the path by primary school children with imprisoned relatives . Creation of a logo and dedicated graphics

WP4

PROMOTION OF THE NEW CULTURAL PATH

. Include the new path on Gjirokaster municipality website and Visit Gjirokaster website . Printing and distribution of foldable touristic maps with Lazarat and the new path included . Publishing of articles on local and regional newspapers

WP5

ORGANIZATION OF OPENING EVENT

WP6

SHORT-TERM MONITORING

Project activities_Working Packages

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

. Official opening ceremony . Organization of performances of traditional polyphonic music along the path and the rest areas

. Organization of two meetings between stakeholders (after 5th and 10th month) . Pay a professor from Gjirokaster’s university to evaluate the project (from the 5th to the 10th month) . Number of QR-code scans

WP3 Intervention on the ancient path_Interactive/information panels

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WP4 Promotion of the new path_Touristic map

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

WP4 Promotion of the new path_Creation of a logo and dedicated graphic

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months

WP1 WP2 WP3 WP4 WP5 WP6

115.380

FOR 10 MONTHS OF WORK

49%

HUMAN RESOURCES

19%

MISSIONS

Activitiesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; timeline and budget analysis

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

23%

EQUIPMENT MATERIALS

DISSEMIN. & COMMUN.

MISCELL.

RISKS

MITIGATION STRATEGIES

Financial incomes coming from the intervention being used for Gjirokaster city instead of the city of lazarat

Promotion of periodic workshops for Lazarat locals sensitizing them on the value of cultural heritage

Exclusion of Lazarat locals in the management and employment opportunities generated by the intervention

Community representatives selected as cultural heritage experts, promoters and advocates

Municipality not mantaining the intervention

Fostering conversation between Lazarat and Gjirokaster cultural heritage experts to participate in periodic meetings

Risks analysis and mitigation strategies

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“Linked Lazarat: a bridge to social inclusion”

Photo source: malenki.ch

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Architectural_ Design studio 2

ARCHITECTURAL_ DESIGN STUDIO 2

Architectural Design Studio in informal precarious settlements 9-13 December 2019 Professors Alessio Battistella (Arcò), Camillo Magni. Tutors Valerio Marazzi (Arcò)

The academic exercise focused on a real project commissioned to Arcò: the design of a school building in the village of Kobo Robit in Ethiopia. The students, divided into groups, developed a proposal for the extension of the existing educational building starting from a functional program defined by the local association. The students had to study and use construction techniques that include the use of earth as the primary material for the construction of the building.

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PROJECT OF AN INCLUSIVE EARTH SCHOOL in Kobo Robit -Etiopia

Ugwuonah Chinonyerem, Giulia Ciusani, Carla Procida

The project of the inclusive primary school in Kobo Robit, arises from the need to replace the existing school, located in the area near to the project lot, and characterized by facilities that are inadequate, unsafe and not suitable for the presence of disabled pupils. The new functions included are: 8 classes with a capacity of 60 students; separated females and males dormitories, each with 5 rooms for 40 students (including beds for some professors); a bathroom block, with 4 toilets and 4 showers; a canteen with kitchen; a library; a study room; and an administrative block with a guard-room and offices for professors. For the design of the new school complex, the principles of bioclimatic architecture were followed, the optimal orientation of the buildings was studied in order to passively guarantee a high level of internal comfort, the openings were positioned in such a way as to favor natural ventilation, shielding and shading systems have been designed and placed to the south, where the solar radiation is strongest. The new school was designed to be sustainable in many ways. Natural resources, such as sun and wind, are exploited in their positive aspects and mitigated in the negative ones; rainwater is collected in tanks integrated into buildings, and reused in showers, bathrooms and for irrigation; the materials used (earth, wood, bamboo) are natural, locally available and ecologically sustainable; finally, the presence of educational gardens in which typical local vegetables, fruits and legumes are grown, ensure that children, in the canteen, can eat what is produced, promoting a self-sustaining process and a healthy and controlled diet. Particular attention, in the design of the new school, was dedicated to the aspect of inclusiveness. Making the classrooms and facilities easily accessible to blind and visually impaired children was a priority. The school develops on a single level, there are no changes in altitude, stairs or obstacles difficult to overcome; given the lack of LOGES systems, the floors of the environments and paths are given different textures according to function and hierarchy; reliefs with different geometric shapes have been made on the walls of the dormitories so that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s possible to perceive, through touch, the room you are facing; finally, to avoid the use of materials that are annoying for visually impaired people, a study was carried out on the colors to be used for the finishes.

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Project cover

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Tunisia

North Atlantic Ocean

Mediterranean Sea

Marocco WESTERN ASIA

Algeria

Libya

Egypt

Senegal Gambia Guinea Bissau Sierra Leone Liberia

Niger

Mali

Mauritania Sudan

Chad

Eritrea Djibouti

Burk.Faso

Guinea

Nigeria

Ivory Coast

Cameroon

South Sudan

Central African Rep.

Ghana Togo

ETHIOPIA

Kenya Benin Equatioral Guinea

Democratic Republic of Congo

Somalia

Uganda Rwanda Burundi

Tanzania

Gabon Congo Angola Zambia

South Atlantic Ocean

Zimbab.

Namibia

Mozambique

Malawi

Botswana

Swaziland South Africa

Territorial framing_Africa and Ethiopia

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Madagascar

Lesotho

Indian Ocean

Eritrea Yemen Tigray

Sudan

AMHARA Kobo Robit village

Afar

BenishangulGumuz

Somalia

Addis Ababa

Gambela Oromiya

South Sudan

Southern Nations, Nationalities and Peoplesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

Sid am a

Somali

Somalia Kenya

Territorial framing_Ethiopia and Amhara Region

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Average daytime and nighttime temperatures in °C

0°

33°

23°

E N 5° 4

31 W 5°

28°

18° 13°

90°

270°

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Hours of Sunshine per day

13 E 5°

SW25°

9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

180°

Precipitation in mm/day 12.0 10.8 9.6 8.4 7.2 6.0 4.8 3.6 2.4 1.2

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

Relative Humidity in %

Kobo Robit village

80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10

Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec

LEGEND Climates* Tropical (Aw) Arid (BWh) Arid (BSh) Arid (BSk) Temperate (Csa) Temperate (Csb) Temperate (Cwa) Temperate (Cwb) Temperate (Cwc)

LEGEND Main winds Hot-humid wind Cold-dry wind

Climate data

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

* Köppen-Geiger climate classification map

FLOOD RISK

EARTHQUAKES RISK

Eritrea

Yemen Sudan

Somalia

South Sudan

Somalia

South Sudan

Somalia

Kenya

BLACK COTTON SOIL RISK Eritrea

DROUGHT RISK Eritrea Yemen

Sudan

Yemen Sudan

Somalia

South Sudan

Somalia

South Sudan

Somalia Kenya

LEGEND High risk

Low risk

Natural risksâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; analysis

I EDITION 2019/2020

Somalia Kenya

Eritrea Yemen Sudan

Somalia

South Sudan

Somalia Kenya

LEGEND 1 Chikka 2 Tukul 3 Bamboo - Straw 4 Nomadic huts

Traditional Ethiopian architectural typologies_distribution

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

WOODEN STRUCTURE EARTH AND MUD MIXTURE

STONE WALLS EARTH MORTARS

B S

A T

M R

B A

O W

Traditional Ethiopian architectural typologies_photos

I EDITION 2019/2020

N H

O U

M T

WOOD AND MATS

A S

Project area_Kobo Robit Village

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

LEGEND 01 Entrance 02 Dormitories 03 High school 04 Classrooms

Project area_Existing site plan

I EDITION 2019/2020

NO COMFORT

IN INTERIOR SPACES (THERMAL, ACOUSTIC, ETC.)

LOW STANDARD

OF FACILITIES (FORNITURE, EQUIPMENT, ETC.)

DANGEROUS AND INADEQUATE SPACES

FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

UNHEALTHY AND UNHYGIENIC AREAS

LACK OF ADEQUATE SERVICES

(TOILETS, KITCHEN, ETC.)

6 Existing school_problems

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

USE OF

UNSUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS

SUSTAINABLE SCHOOL’S PRINCIPLES 1. SHADING SYSTEMS (especially to the south)

3. SOLAR/ PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS

1. NATURAL VENTILATION

SUN

4. USE OF MASHRABIYYA

WIND

2. CORRECT BUILDING ORIENTATION

2. SHADING TREES

1. RAINWATER COLLECTION

3. REUSE OF COLLECTED WATER FOR GRAY-WATER

3. PERMEABILITY TO THE MAIN WINDS

1. ADOBE BRICKS

WATER

4. EUCALYPTUS WOOD

MATERIALS

2. RAMMED EARTH

3. BAMBOO

2. REUSE OF COLLECTED WATER FOR IRRIGATION

1. EDUCATIONAL GARDENS

4. HEALTHY AND CONTROLLED DIET

1. NO ARCHITECTURAL BARRIERS (one-storey buildings)

CIRCULAR FOOD ECONOMY

2. FOOD PRODUCTION (cultivation of local products)

School’s project_Sustainability principles

I EDITION 2019/2020

4. USE OF APPROPRIATE COLORS

INCLUSIVITY

3. FOOD CONSUMPTION (local products cooked in the canteen)

2. FLOORING WITH DIFFERENT TEXTURES

3. TEXTURE IN RELIEF ON THE WALLS

FUNCTIONAL MACRO-AREAS

FUNCTIONAL AREAS

DORMITORIES

PRIVATE AREA (DORMS)

SERVICES SCHOOL SERVICES

PUBLIC AREA (SCHOOL)

ADMINISTRATIVE/ STAFF AREA

SCHOOL

SCHOOL SERVICES SCHOOL

scale 1:1000 0m

scale 1:1000

10m

25m

FUNCTIONS

10m

25m

OUTDOOR SPACES - DISTRIBUTION

a. a. a.

a. b. a. a.

scale 1:1000 0m

10m

a. a.

scale 1:1000 25m

Project_Functional schemes

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

10m

25m

BIOCLIMATIC DESIGN

scale 1:1000 0m

10m

25m

LEGEND Functions

The layout of the new school is based on the distinction of three different functional areas each with different uses, from the most public to the most private. The central area, dedicated to the school, is characterized by the intersection of the main paths: the SW-NE one, which creates continuity between the two school complexes, connecting the project to the existing school; and the NW-SE one, which connects the secondary path of the dormitory area to the educational gardens. LEGEND Outdoor In the project, great importance was given to spaces outdoor and aggregation spaces. In front of each classroom, there are areas equipped with seats and games, while, Green play area between one built block and the next, large shaded spaces, that can be used as Educational gardens outdoor classrooms, have been created.

Female dormitory

Male dormitory

Toilets and showers

Guardroom

Offices

Prof. accomodation

Classroom

Green play area

Main paths

Study room

Educational gardens

Secondary paths

Library

Aggregation spaces

New entrance

Canteen

Outdoor classrooms

Connection with the existing school

LEGEND Outdoor spaces

Main paths

Project_Bioclimatic scheme

Secondary paths New entrance Connection with the existing school

I EDITION 2019/2020

Aggregation spaces Outdoor classrooms

River

03 05

12 07 10 03 02 07 01 00

Project_Masterplan

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

LEGEND 01 02

00 New school’s main entrance 01

Guardroom

02 Offices/Administration 03 Professors’ accomodations dormi 04 Females’ dormitory 05 Males’ dormitory 06 Toilets and showers 07 Classrooms 08 Study room 09 Library

Exhisting School

Canteen and kitchen

Educational gardens

Main path connecting the two schools

Old school’s main entrance

02 Dormitories 03 High school Classrooms 04 Class

04 04

I EDITION 2019/2020

A’

C’

B’

Project_Plan_scale 1:500

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

SECTION AA’

scale 1:250

SECTION BB’

scale 1:250

SECTION CC’

scale 1:250

Project_Sections

I EDITION 2019/2020

Project_Classroom_Longitudinal section

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Project_3D view_outdoor spaces

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

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Project_3D view_outdoor classroom

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

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Project_3D view_classroom

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

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Project_3D view_dormitories and playground

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Project_3D view_educational vegetables garden

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Urban Planning_ Design studio 3

URBAN PLANNING_ DESIGN STUDIO 3

Planning strategies for integrated regional development of rapidly urbanising areas 13-17 January 2020 Professors Laura Montedoro Tutors Alessia Macchiavello Guests: Francesco Chiodelli, Fabio Manfredini, Luigi Carboni, Antonio Longo, Alessandro Frigerio, Alice Buoli

The purpose of the exercise was to introduce the students to understand how to build cognitive frameworks and analytical interpretative maps in contexts characterized by the scarcity of available data, poor reliability of those available, extreme rapidity of territorial transformations and urban dynamics, widespread and prevalent informality of practices (mobility, trade, housing); how to intervene in contexts with high institutional fragility where the traditional western approach to “rational-comprehensive” planning is a candidate for operational failure. The chosen case study was the “Greater Maputo”, both as an example of certain rapid urbanization dynamics and because it was preparatory to the field workshop. Students worked in groups of four and they were invited to produce five thematic maps with the technical help of mapping (Qgis software was introduce during the week by experts trough two days of practical lessons) and with the critical approach proposed in the lessons. The final outcomes was the construction of cognitive frameworks and analytical interpretative maps of the “Greater Maputo”, themed in order to identify some strategic dimensions of development and particularly sensitive issues to pay attention to.

I EDITION 2019/2020

TERRITORIAL PHYSICAL FEATURES AND LAND USES in Maputo Region

Fabrizio Bancalari, Mattia Bertolini, Chiara Bonfiglio, Giulia Ciusani

The analyzed territories are that of the province and city of Maputo, located in the southernmost part of the country, bordering to the East with the Indian Ocean, to the North with the province of Gaza, to the North-West and South with South Africa, and to the South-West with Eswatini. From a preliminary study, we can notice that the area is theoretically characterized by three different “territorial and urban development typologies”: in the centre, the large urban area composed of Maputo city and Matola, in constant evolution and expansion mainly towards north and west; south, the protected areas, with reserves of high naturalistic relevance, which prevent urban expansion downwards and maintain the landscape unchanged; north, the territory crossed by river Incomati, which is characterized by radical changes from a landscape and naturalistic point of view, caused by the expansion of Maputo city and the development of intensive agriculture and small urban centres along the river. During our research, we highlighted this problem, focusing on potentially endangered areas, where the natural landscape is increasingly changing, becoming more anthropized due to the expansion of urban areas and different agriculture typologies. To simplify this concept we refer to this process of progressive anthropization and loss of natural spontaneous characteristics with the term “deforestation”.

I EDITION 2019/2020

SOUTH AFRICA

ESWATINI Project cover

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

MOZAMBIQUE GAZA PROVINCE

MOZAMBIQUE MAPUTO PROVINCE

INDIAN OCEAN

I EDITION 2019/2020

TERRITORIAL SYNTHESIS

OROGRAPHY

PROVINCE OF GAZA

PROVINCE OF GAZA SOUTH AFRICA

SOUTH AFRICA

ESWATINI

BOUNDARIES

CROPLANDS, CITIES, PROTECTED AREAS

LEGEND Land use

LEGEND Schemes Urban settlements Protected areas Croplands Water (ocean, rivers) Main urban area Mountains

Territorial physical features and Land use_schemes

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Forests Green areas Croplands Wet areas Urban areas Water (ocean, rivers) Administratives boundaries

MOZAMBIQUE GAZA PROVINCE

SOUTH AFRICA

INDIAN OCEAN

ESWATINI

Land use_analysis

I EDITION 2019/2020

DEFORESTATION 65% Slash and burn agriculture 4% Other 4% Commercial agriculture 7% Fuelwood

MAIN CAUSES

8% Wood products

12% Urban expansion

Deforestation Rates* ha/year (* WFP GeoNode)

2000

Mozambiqueâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s forests are crucial to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s social, environmental and economic well-being. They cover 41% of the country, but 86,000ha of forests are lost annually (over 300 soccer fields every day). The Global Forest Watch tells us that between 2001 and 2017 Mozambique lost 10% of its forest area. The majority of deforestation and forest degradation is caused by unsustainable agricultural practices, climate changes and fast urbanization process, especially near Maputo.

Deforestation rates and deforestation drivers in Mozambique and Maputo Province

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

ANALYSIS CONCEPT

ENDANGERED AREAS’ TRANSFORMATION year 2000

PROVINCE OF GAZA SOUTH AFRICA

ESWATINI

ENDANGERED AREAS’ TRANSFORMATION year 2010

ENDANGERED AREAS’ TRANSFORMATION year 2016

The scheme and the satellite photos explain what is happening in the territory bordered by Incomati river, North of Maputo. While the urban area of Matola and Maputo is progressively growing to the North, pushing the agricultural belt towards the internal zones, the intensive agricultural system, developed along the river, is in continuous expansion towards the south. This creates a vice that consumes and destroys the natural territories of the hinterland. LEGEND Scheme Urban settlements Protected areas Cropland expansion Urban expansion Upper limit of protected areas

Analysis/critical issues concept and endangered areas’ transformation

I EDITION 2019/2020

MOZAMBIQUE GAZA PROVINCE

SOUTH AFRICA

Macia district

Moamba district

INDIAN OCEAN

ESWATINI

Endangered areas and protected areas

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

EXTENSIVE DEFORESTATION Macia District

CHANGES IN LAND COVER year 2001

CHANGES IN LAND COVER year 2020

LEGEND Forests

CHANGES IN LAND COVER future scenario

Moamba is a subsistence agricultural district, characterized by an expansiรณn of population and small villages, but not by the birth of new big cities. The settlements are rural, composed of single-family houses with small pieces of land and inhabitants dedicated to agriculture. In the last 20 years, this part of the country has been deforested to improve agriculture and rural housing.

Green areas Croplands Wet areas Urban areas Water (ocean, rivers) Administratives boundaries Protected areas Endangered areas

Deforestation typologies_Extensive Deforestation_Macia District example

I EDITION 2019/2020

INTENSIVE DEFORESTATION Moamba District

CHANGES IN LAND COVER year 2001

CHANGES IN LAND COVER year 2020

CHANGES IN LAND COVER future scenario

What is happening in Moamba district is an example of deforestation caused by intensive agriculture. The territory is crossed by river Incomati, along which, thanks to the availability of water for irrigation, is increasingly developing an agricultural system that replaces and modifies the natural landscape in the area. Once all the territories along the river have been occupied, the agricultural areas are gradually expanding in the interior, damaging, even more, the existing natural areas. To the South, instead, the growth of Maputo and Matola, is pushing more and more northwards the agricultural belt that surrounds the cities, at the expense, once again, of the uncontaminated landscape.

LEGEND Forests Green areas Croplands Wet areas Water (ocean, rivers) Administratives boundaries Urban areasâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; growth Deforestation alert

Deforestation typologies_Intensive Deforestation_Moamba District example

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

MATOLA

MAPUTO CITY

BOANE

Moamba district_focus

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Workshop MAPP_Maputo

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP MAPP_Maputo

Malhangalene Architecture Pilot Project 2-22 february 2020 Professors Camillo Magni, Laura Montedoro, Sonia Pistidda, Michele Ugolini Tutors Alessandro Frigerio, Roberta Mastropirro, Giuliana Miglierina Partner Institution Eduardo Mondlane University, Faculdade de Arquitectura e Planeamento FĂsico Joao.Tique, Carlos Trindade, Elis Mavie Invited Guests Municipality of Maputo, AICS Italian Agency for International Cooperation, AVSI, OIKOS, Architecture without Borders Spain, UN-Habitat, Kaya Clinica, Studio Forjaz. Local participants Abdul Rachid Afande, Vanilza Aiuba Abdul Camal, Homayra Daude Mussagy, Alexandre Ă cio Nhantumbo, Anuwar Momade Ossumane

Objective of the workshop was to identify the functional program needed to encourage slum upgrading, along with the definition of the most appropriated strategy to achieve this goal. The core is to understand how to engage the community to target slum upgrading. Each group identified a different strategy for slum upgrading. The chosen area for the project is located at the crossing point between the Baixa, the modern city, and various informal settlements, among them the historical Barrio of Mafalala.

I EDITION 2019/2020

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

SLUMS DEFINITION UN-Habitat defines a slum as an area that has one or more of the following five characteristics: –– poor structural quality of housing –– overcrowding –– inadequate access to safe water –– inadequate access to sanitation and other infrastructure –– insecure residential status. 1 The UN-Habitat definition is strongly underpinned by a rights-based approach to the universal fulfilment of the right to adequate housing. To the above definition the Cities Alliance adds that slums do not have basic municipal services (such as water, sanitation, and waste collection), schools and clinics within easy reach, safe areas for children to play and places for the community to meet and socialize. 2

WHAT IS SLUM UPGRADING? The narrow definition of slum upgrading refers to improvements in housing and/or basic infrastructure in slum areas. In a broader sense, upgrading also includes enhancements in the economic and social processes that can bring about such physical improvements. 3 At its most comprehensive it consists of physical, social, economic, organizational and environmental improvements undertaken cooperatively and locally among citizens, community groups, businesses, and national governments and city authorities. Slum upgrading interventions typically include the following:

1 - UN-Habitat, 2002c 2 - Cities Alliance, 1999 3 - UNHabitat, 2004 4 - Cities Alliance, 1999

I EDITION 2019/2020

–– installation or improvement of basic infrastructure –– regularisation of security of tenure –– relocation of and compensation for the residents (both men and women) dislocated by the improvements –– housing improvement –– construction or rehabilitation of community facilities such as nurseries, health posts and community open spaces –– improvement of access to health care, education and social support programmes –– removal or mitigation of environmental hazards –– provision of incentives for community management and maintenance –– enhancement of income-earning opportunities through training and micro-credits –– building of social capital and the institutional framework to sustain improvements. 4

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Area of the project - Drone image

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

(in)FORMAL CITY GRID

TomĂ Canessi, Giulia Ciusani, Pietro Filippi, Carla Procida

The project lot is in an intermediate position between the “formal” city (South and East), dating back to the colonial period, and the “informal” city (North and West). The area has very marked boundaries and is surrounded by two main arteries connecting Maputo CBD with peripheral areas, nearby cities (Matola), and important services (airport). This makes it a strategic area (due to the presence of shopping malls, formal and informal commercial activities, and a public park) but also an area with difficult accessibility. As a result of its central position, the informal settlement is the most vulnerable part of the lot as it is not legalized and is subjected to pressures from the public and private investors. Following the will of the municipality to densify the area, and considering the structure of the “consolidated” city, the project aim is to progressively bring the “formal” grid in the informal settlement without disrupting the internal dynamics of the lot and providing the inhabitants with the conditions for obtaining the DUAT (the right to use and benefit of land). The first step consists of improving the accessibility to the lot through the creation of safer connections with the surrounding streets, the neighbourhoods, and the public transportation system. The attention is then dedicated to bringing the city grid into the lot improving its two main axes. They will be enlarged, paved, and provided with a drainage system. The North-South axis will be made two-way vehicle accessible, while the WestEast axis will remain pedestrian and will be shaded by a row of trees. This will be possible through two different procedures of slum upgrading: the first involves the demolition of the buildings that would obstruct the route of the new road too much and the backward reconstruction of 2/3 storey buildings; the second involves a dialogue with the inhabitants to enhance and widen the road through small adjustments of a portion of their courtyards. The densification process allows the creation of public spaces along the roads usable by the population and by small local commercial activities. It was also analysed the possibility of using Praça de Touros for placing photovoltaic panels and a rainwater collector to provide energy and water to the entire neighbourhood in a legal way. The project is considered as a starting point for the complete upgrading and homogenisation of the lot. It will be possible to proceed with enhancing the road network, increasing the density and the open spaces within the informal area, but also continuing the grid in the south part of the lot.

I EDITION 2019/2020

Project cover

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

DUAT GRID INFORMAL SETTLEMENT (project area)

FORMAL CITY GRID

NEW CITY GRID (concepr of the project)

INFORMAL CITY - DUAT MIXED TYPOLOGY CITY FORMAL CITY

About 0,2ha each lot

2,5 ha

1,0 ha

1,8 ha

2,5 ha

The analyzed area is characterized by three typologies of city: the formal one, with an ordered grid and large blocks; the informal one without territorial planning except for the portions with DUAT (with a dense grid and small blocks); and, in the middle, a portion of mixed typology city (informal in the north-west and semi-formal in the south-east) in which the project area is inserted. By overlaying the formal grid on the project area you can see that the latter is perfectly divisible into four lots with the size of those of the formal city.

Typological analysis_Formal and informal city grid

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

03 4

A more specific analysis of the project area shows how one of the main problems is the lack of connection with the context, which brings the development of activities and services not within the area, but only on its perimeter. To the South, the formal commercial area, with fences and security guards, is inaccessible to the inhabitants of the informal settlement, while on the other sides of the area the connections are almost non-existent. The few access points, unsafe or difficult to reach, develop at the ends of what are the two main roads of the settlement.

Analysis_Borders, accesses and functions

I EDITION 2019/2020

III

VIII

III

Analysis_Sections of the three main accesses

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

VII

III

section aaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

section bbâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

What should be the main accesses are characterized by the presence of obstacles, and dangerous crossing systems. The two main streets are narrow, not paved, without a drainage system, and not safe as they are not illuminated and mixed-used by cars and pedestrians. The lack of services and infrastructure, in these strategic points, reduces the attractiveness of the area and forces it to remain closed in its degradation.

Analysis_Sections of the two main axes/streets

I EDITION 2019/2020

02’

01’

03’

Project_Masterplan

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

100 m

01 02

The aim of the project is to open the informal settlement to the context, trying to bring the formal city grid into the lot, while respecting its nature and its characteristics. The plan of interventions links together the renovation of the three accesses to the lot, of its two main roads, and of the buildings along them, in order to densify the area and to get new public spaces. Two different processes of slum-upgrading will be undertaken: demolition and reconstruction of 2/3 storey buildings (Casa Minha approach), and small adjustments of existent buildings’ portions, in dialogue with the inhabitants, to widen the roads (Chamanculo approach). LEGEND Masterplan 01’-02’-03’

LEGEND Project strategy

New main accesses

Praça de Touros

New road system

Buildings to demolish

Redeveloped roads

Buildings to adjust

Informal buildings adapted to the redeveloped street

New buildings’ area

Two/three-storey new residential buildings

Better connections/accesses

Trees’ implementation

Adjusted buildings

Project_Strategy

I EDITION 2019/2020

New main axes

New residential buildings

section access 01’

III

Mafalala

Project Area

section access 02’

III

Maxaquene

Project Area

section access 03’

III

Malhangalene B

Project_Sections of the three main accesses

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

III

Project Area

section AA’

8,50 m 5

section BB’

6,50 m

1 3

The accessibility to the lot will be improved through the creation of safer connections with the surrounding streets and the public transportation system. The main roads will be widened, paved and equipped with drainage system. The vertical axis will have different spaces for pedestrians and for vehicles, while the horizontal one will be only pedestrian, shaded by a row of trees and flanked by local commercial activities to recreate and not lose the typical aggregation dynamics of informal settlements’ roads. Services and facilities will be positioned in strategic points to increase the attractiveness and the quality of life of the area.

Project_Sections of the two main axes/streets

I EDITION 2019/2020

OUTDOOR PHOTOVOLTAIC LAMPS

DWELLERS’ WATER TANKS

PUBLIC SPACES’ RAINWATER TANKS

PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS

PROJECT

(newly built houses)

179m2 - 23,32kW

PHOTOVOLTAIC PANELS

RAINWATER COLLECTOR

IMPLEMENTATION

800m3 - 3900m3/year

(all the buildings on the plot)

845m - 130kW 2

(about 50 new trees/ 9500m2 of park “Praça da Paz”)

The project also contemplates rainwater collection and large exploitation of solar energy, both of which expandable as long-term upgrading hypothesis. The streets and the public spaces will be enlightened by photovoltaic lamps to increase the safety and the usage of these spaces during the night; rainwater tanks will be provided on the new buildings for domestic use and in the public areas for water supply points and to irrigate the new trees. On the roof of Praça de Touros 179m2 of photovoltaic panels will be added. They will meet the electricity needs of the new buildings and they will be expandable to 845m2 to meet the future energy demand of buildings throughout the project lot. The possibility of legally obtaining electricity and water is a fundamental step for obtaining the DUAT.

Project_Implementation schemes_Supply of water and energy

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

IMPLEMENTATION

LOW

IUM MED

HIGH

PROJECT

The project concerning the two main axes is only a first step towards the complete redevelopment of the area. Thinking about future development, it will be possible to apply the same design concept on the secondary roads present in the lot. The formal city grid will fit into the area respecting its nature, finally reaching a compromise between formal and informal. In a further development of the area, it will be important to design following bioclimatic guidelines (*UN HABITAT- Energy and resourse efficient urban neghibourhood design, principles for tropical countries â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Pratictionerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guidebook).

Project_Implementation schemes_Future scenarios

I EDITION 2019/2020

Project 3D view_Access 01â&#x20AC;&#x2122;

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Project 3D view_Street upgrading, new houses and public spaces_Inspired by Casa Minha Project

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Internship report

INTERNSHIP REPORT

Sustainable architecture for international cooperation Organization/NGO ARCĂ˛ Architecture & Cooperation Internship Title Sustainable architecture for international cooperation Tutor Alessio Battistella Location ARCĂ˛ office in Milan Period 20 april 2020 / 15 septempber 2020 Main tasks carried out during the internship Project design Research Graphics Technical drawings Reports

I EDITION 2019/2020

ARCÃ² ARCHITECTURE & COOPERATION Sustainable architecture for international cooperation

Giulia Ciusani

ARCò is an architectural firm that deals with sustainable and low-tech projects in the cooperation and international cooperation fields. During the internship, I was able to work on several projects of social value, in different countries of the “global south”, such as Iraq, Myanmar, Albania, Ethiopia, Sudan and Uganda, areas with different problematic contexts. I could understand how to deal with design and bureaucratic processes in these places, understanding the difficulties and appreciating the continuous challenges. I could test myself by working and interfacing with people far away, and I was able to experience what design in a sustainable and bioclimatic way meant, learning new construction techniques and deepening others I already knew. The responsibilities and the multiplicity of tasks I have been given have made this experience challenging and formative.

I EDITION 2019/2020

BAMBOO LODGE, Samka, Myanmar The project aims to promote sustainable tourism in Myanmar. It is an accommodation facility with an adjoining restaurant, located in the Inle Lake area, one of the country’s major tourist destinations. This structure aims to enhance local techniques and materials, such as bamboo, emphasizing its potential. In contrast to the large hotels increasingly widespread in areas of fragile landscape, the lodge is an example of a sustainable approach, attentive to local development and able to integrate into the existing landscape. INTERNSHIP WORK: I worked as the Italian correspondent of the works manager that was in Myanmar. I helped him with drawings, schemes and little lastminute design choices, supporting him, from Italy, in the difficulties he was facing in the construction site.

On the top_Façade of the Lodge_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation On the right_Stairs’ detail_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Masterplan_Design of outdoor spaces, paths and future possible expansion

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Drainage system_Plan and detail

I EDITION 2019/2020

AL EKHAAS SCHOOL, Mosul, Iraq The project, for the UNESCO Office for Iraq, consists in the rehabilitation of Al Ekhlaas School and tries to contribute in solving some of the social and reconstruction problems in the Old City of Mosul. The aim is to build an architecture that can provide modern educational spaces, be environmentally sustainable, assure the best thermal comfort and indoor condition for students and teachers, represent a landmark for the local community and a safe shelter for the children. INTERNSHIP WORK: I started working on this project in the executive phase. My first task was to draw up the “Technical Specification” document, a detailed list of all the materials used for the construction of the school with the descriptions of their technical and aesthetic characteristics. I did a long research, to find suitable materials produced by companies close to the project site. Later, I took part in the production of the shop drawings necessary for the final delivery.

On the top_3D view from the street_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation On the right_3D view of the main court_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

URBANLab, Divjake, Albania The URBAN LAB aims to promote the territorial, socio-economic and community development of Divjake municipality. This is possible through the creation of a model in which the local resources are managed and promoted, and through urban workshops, in coworking spaces, with the active participation of young people, civil society and local institutions. The project follows bioclimatic and sustainability lines; local construction materials are used and some traditional building techniques are revised in an innovative way. INTERNSHIP WORK: I had the opportunity to work on this project, not in the design phase, but in the post-production one. My task was to post-product drawings and photos for the participation in an architecture competition.

On the top_Main entrance_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation On the right_South-West façade detail_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

PLAYGROUND AT GHAR HIRAA SCHOOL, Karthoum, Sudan The playground is included in a larger project. It will be part of a small school complex, characterized by two classrooms and toilets. Following the logic of sustainability and self-construction, the games will be made mostly with recycled materials, including tires, nets and wooden boards. INTERNSHIP WORK: I had the opportunity to work on the design of this playground and to elaborate drawings, technical details and building details needed for its construction.

On the top_Photo of a similar playground_Eco-playground for Dkaika_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation On the right_Photo of a similar playground_Eco-playground for Dkaika_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

Masterplan_scale 1:200

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

Plan_scale 1:100

I EDITION 2019/2020

SECTION AA

SECTION BB

ELEVATION CC

ELEVATION DD

Sections and elevations_scale 1:100

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

SECTION DD

5 SECTION EE

ELEVATION FF

ELEVATION GG

Sections and elevations_scale 1:100

I EDITION 2019/2020

EYES CARE UNIT AT ST. JOSEPH’S HOSPITAL, Kitgum, Uganda The project of the surgical eye clinic is part of a program, promoted by CBM Italia, in favor of the inclusiveness, of people with visual problems, to educational and health services. The new clinic aims to achieve European standards in terms of distribution and functions provided. The design will follow sustainable and bioclimatic lines. INTERNSHIP WORK: I had the opportunity to work only on the preliminary design of the Eyes Care Unit, doing researches, conceptual proposals, and functional schemes.

On the top_Art clinic, St. Joseph’s Hospital_http://www.sjhkitgum.org/ On the right_Entrance, St. Joseph’s Hospital_http://www.sjhkitgum.org/

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

FUNCTIONAL MACROAREAS

FUNCTIONAL AREAS

FUNCTIONS

FLOWS A

B V

03 A

A C

E V

STRUCTURAL GRID

OUTDOOR SPACES 200

550

200

350

300 200

300

200

300

550

350

Conceptual schemes

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

GROUND FLOOR PLAN

scale 1:200

EXAMINATION ROOM 03

NURSES OFFICE

STAFF TEA ROOM

HEALING GARDEN CLINICAL OFFICE

EXAMINATION ROOM 02

HEALING GARDEN FILE OFFICE

WAITING ROOM

EXAMINATION ROOM 01

RECEPTION/ REGISTRATION DESK

WAITING ROOM PREPARATION ROOM

RECOVERY ROOM

VERANDAH

STRUMENTI/ DEPOSITO STERILIZZATI

MAIN THEATRE

SLUICE ROOM

STAFF CHANG. ROOM (female)

REST ROOM STERILIZATION ROOM

SCRUB ROOM

MAIN ENTRANCE

5 PUBLIC GARDEN

STAFF CHANG. ROOM (male)

ENTRANCE FROM SURGERY

LEGEND Macroareas Outpatient / administrative area Surgical / hospitalization area

LEGEND Functional areas Offices area Waiting area Outpatient area Surgery patients’ area Medical staff services Surgical unit Storage/utility room Distribution

Ground floor plan

I EDITION 2019/2020

LEGEND Functions A. Nurses office B. Staff tea room C. Clinical office D. File office E. Reception/Registration desk A. Waiting area A-B-C Exsamination rooms A. Recovery room B. Preparation room C. Waiting room

A. Main Theatre B. Kit storage C. Sub-sterilization room D. Scrub room

A. Rest room B-C Staff changing rooms A. Storage B. Sluice room

LEGEND Flows Outpatient’s flow Surgery patients’ flow Surgeons’ flow Waste management

LEGEND Outdoor spaces Healing garden Public garden

PRIMARY SCHOOL, Kobo Robit, Ethiopia The project is part of a program, promoted by CBM Italia, in favor of the inclusiveness of people with visual problems to educational and health services. Located in the lot near the existing one (characterized by inadequate and dangerous spaces), the new school consists of four main buildings, connected by covered paths accessible by people with disabilities. Patios, meeting spaces and outdoor classrooms, together with the area dedicated to educational gardens, characterize the exterior of the project. The design is based on sustainability, bioclimatic and inclusiveness principles. INTERNSHIP WORK: I had the great opportunity to work on this project from the beginning, following all the project phases from the preliminary to the executive. I dealt with design, drawings, building details, BoQ, electrical system and structures, until the final delivery. On the top_3D view of the entrance_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation On the right_3D view of the patios and outdoor classroom_©ARCò Architecture&Cooperation

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

I EDITION 2019/2020

WATER TANK

± 0.00

PROJECT AREA (from Google Earth)

project area

Masterplan_scale 1:250 CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

project area

DESIGNER: ARCò - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

project area view

ROBIT PRI Final proj

± 0.00

Entrance for waste water truck

± 0.00

LEGEND Hatches Corrugated metal sheet

Interlocking pavers Drainage layer - gravel

Drainage layer - metal grid Educational garden project area view

IMARY SCHOOL ject I EDITION 2019/2020

DRAWING TITLE Masterplan

REFERENCE ARC_PAN_01

1:250 SCALE PAGE SIZE A3 (42X29,7cm)

DATE: 29/06/2020

1630.0

LEGEND Hatches Classrooms

Canteen

Toilets

Kitchen

Offices

Dormitory

Staff room

Functional program_scale 1:250 CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

DESIGNER: ARCÃ² - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

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DRAWING TITLE Functional plan

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DATE: 29/06/2020

4580

25 75

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1630.0

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840

+ 0.60 + 0.60

+ 0.55

222

265

508

± 0.00

690

WATER TANK

223

9. EDUCATIONAL GARDENS

± 0.00

3350

150

LEGEND

1. Classroom

64,58-64, 89 sqm

5. Staff room

20,10 sqm

2a. Toilet

39,15 sqm

6. Canteen

87,25 sqm

2b. Toilet

58,25 sqm

7. Kitchen

21,10 sqm

3. Study room

92,00 sqm

8. Office

12,45 sqm

4. Bedroom

166,98 sqm

9. Office

7,70 sqm

Ground floor plan_scale 1:250 CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan

DESIGNER: ARCò - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

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REFERENCE ARC_PAN_03

1:250 SCALE PAGE SIZE A3 (42X29,7cm)

DATE: 29/06/2020

South west elevation

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Section 1

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CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan

Elevations and sections_scale 1:250

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

DESIGNER: ARCÃ² - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

ROBIT Final p

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I EDITION 2019/2020

DRAWING TITLE Elevations and sections

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DESIGNER: ARCò - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan

ROBIT PRIMARY SCHOOL Final project

DRAWING TITLE

Focus Classroom A - Ground floor plan

REFE ARC

+ 4,78

+ 0,55 ± 0,00

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Corrugated metal sheet 10x5 cm Purlin

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3 Wooden beam

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+ 4,78

295 300

+ 3,55

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Wooden false ceiling composed by: - 8mm chip wood - 4x5 cm ceiling batten

Windows W01 LTZ frame 3,8x3,8x0,12 cm Clear glass 4 mm

Door D01 LTZ frame 3,8x3,8x0,12 cm Metal panel

Hollow Cement Block wall thickness 20 cm

Cement tiles 20x20 cm thickness 2 cm Screed thickness 3 cm

Reinforced concrete head beam 30x25 cm (bxh) Windows W02 LTZ frame 3,8x3,8x0,12 cm Clear glass 4 mm

Hollow Cement Block wall thickness 20 cm

+ 0,55

Reinforced concrete slab thickness 10 cm Lean concrete thickness 5 cm Hard core thickness 25 cm

Section

CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

DESIGNER: ARCò - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

ROBIT PRIMARY SCHOOL Final project

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DESIGNER: ARCò - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan

ROBIT PRIMARY SCHOOL Final project

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Focus Canteen - Ground floor plan

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Wooden false ceiling composed by: - 8mm chip wood - 4x5 cm ceiling batten

Reinforced concrete head beam 30x25 cm (bxh)

Cement tiles 20x20 cm thickness 2 cm Screed thickness 3 cm Cement tiles 20x20 cm thickness 2 cm Screed thickness 3 cm Reinforced concrete slab thickness 10 cm Lean concrete thickness 5 cm Hard core concrete slab Reinforced thickness 10 25 cm cm thickness

Section

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Section

CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus CLIENT: via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan

I EDITION 2019/2020

DESIGNER: ARCò - Architecture and Cooperation DESIGNER: via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan ARCò - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

ROBIT PRIMARY SCHOOL Final project ROBIT PRIMARY SCHOOL Final project

DRAWING TITLE

Focus Canteen - Elevations

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Focus Canteen - Elevations and section

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Sliding screen RAL 5012 - perforated metal sheet - metal tubolar structure 38x38mm - metal tubolar rails 38x38mm

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Rain water pipe d.11cm

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Brick basement Drainage system

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CLIENT: CBM Italia Onlus via Melchiorre Gioia 72, 20125 Milan

DESIGN FOR DEVELOPMENT

PLAN DETAIL

DESIGNER: ARCÃ² - Architecture and Cooperation via Friuli 26/a, 20135 Milan

ROBIT PRIMAR Final project

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L 5012 al sheet

mm ils

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Metal gutter

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ior

Reinforced concrete head beam 30x25cm (bxh)

Reinforced concrete column 30x30cm Floor tiles for interior 20x20cm Screed (3cm thick)

275

300

HCB block 40x20x20cm

Reinforced concrete slab (10cm thick)

Window W02 LTZ frame 38x38x1,2 mm Clear glass 4 mm

Sliding screen RAL 5012 perforated metal sheet Lean concrete (5cm thick) metal tubolar structure 38x38mm Hard core (25cm thick) metal tubolar rails 38x38mm

L 5012 al sheet

mm ils

Wooden seat Gravel Drainage system HCB block 40x20x15cm

Reinforced concrete foundation beam Lean concrete bedding depth 10cm

eat

Drainage system pipe d.30cm slope 1%

SECTION AA' DETAIL

OBIT PRIMARY SCHOOL nal project

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DRAWING TITLE

Focus Classroom A - Plan, Section

REFERENCE DET_PAN_04

SCALE 1:50 PAGE SIZE A3 (42X29,7cm)

DATE: 29/06/2020

3D views_Patio and outdoor classrooms

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3D views_Educational gardens and outdoor spaces

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Critical paper

CRITICAL PAPER Facing the challenge of “Design for Development” in the Global South implies to put in place an “olistic” view that include a multidisciplinary and design-oriented approach in which architecture, planning and heritage protection are all parts of an integrated strategy. The “learning-by-doing” approach that represents the fil rouge of the Master finds its final conclusion in the field experience of the internship. Students are requested to wright the final thesis starting from this last experience, using this opportunity to develope a retrospective critic about the entire training. The request is to draft a paper, by identifying a specific topic in accordance with the teaching staff. The specific topic could be directly connected to the internship experience or could be a focused question derived from the entire training or related to a significant book for the research.

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WHATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEHIND THE USE OF CONCRETE.

Analysis of the dynamics that lead to the use of unsustainable materials, through a multidisciplinary comparison between Adobe Bricks, CSSBs and HCBs, in Ethiopia. Giulia Ciusani

KEY WORDS sustainable materials, adobe bricks, CSSB, HCB, Ethiopia

ABSTRACT Climate change, and resource depletion, are the main challenges that mankind has to face in the 21st century. In order to avoid catastrophic consequences for the planet, it is essential to limit the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, of which the construction sector is the main producer. Encouraging the use of sustainable building materials and reduce energy consumption, therefore, is increasingly important, especially in developing countries, characterized by a large population growth and by a big construction-boom. Although the use of sustainable, natural and local materials is strongly recommended also by the United Nations and is planned as a target for the achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 11 â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sustainable cities and communitiesâ&#x20AC;?, the use of modern construction materials, generally imported and unsustainable, is increasing in most developing countries. The purposes of this paper are to investigate the most common reasons given when deciding to use an unsustainable building material like concrete, to analyze, in a more specific way, the dynamics that favor this process, and, finally, to outline a series of strategies to reverse the trend and spread the use of sustainable materials. Using as study-case the project of a school in Ethiopia, in which the author participated, and through the direct comparison of the economic, productive, performance and socio-cultural aspects of three building materials with different levels of sustainability (Adobe Bricks, Cement Stabilized Soil Blocks, Hollow Concrete Blocks), the objectives that had been set were achieved. As a result, it was noticed that, the main reasons leading to the choice of using ordinary construction techniques and unsustainable materials are: the efficiency of their production system; the habit and knowledge of local experts and workforce in using them; prejudices against alternative materials; and peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s willingness to build according to a stereotyped idea of modernity. From the analysis, the CSSBs appear to be the best material overall, which combines sustainability and good technical properties. In order to spread its use, and encourage the progressive abandonment of unsustainable materials, it is essential to implement strategies that involve stakeholders belonging to all the areas related to the construction sector and at all levels of society, starting from artisans, workers, clients and final users, and then arriving at experts, architects, engineers, construction companies and government.

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Building site in Addis Ababa. https://www.azione.ch

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“The cities, power plants and homes we build today will either lock society into damaging over-consumption beyond our lifetimes, or begin to propel this and future generations towards sustainable living.” (James Leape, Director General, World Wildlife Fund) 1. INTRODUCTION 1.1. CLIMATE CHANGE AND CHALLENGES OF 21st CENTURY Climate change, with global warming, and resource depletion are the main problems and challenges that mankind has to face in the 21st century in order to save the Earth from progressive destruction (figure 1). Global temperature has increased of 0.7°C from the beginning of the industrial era, and this process is increasingly speeding up, with an increase in temperatures of 0.2°C every ten years, causing the change of local rainfall patterns, the shift of ecological zones, the warming of the seas and the melting of the polar ice caps. (UN_Habitat, 2014) Control the temperature rising is more than ever a priority, because, as stated in The Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change1 (IPCC), significant global impacts on ecosystems and water resources are likely at global temperature rises of between 1 and 2 °C, and negative impacts on global food production are likely to occur at temperature increases from 2-2.5 °C. An increase in temperature of a maximum of 2°C by 2050 has, therefore, been set as a limit which cannot be exceeded. In order not to trigger catastrophic consequences, and to respect the defined limit, it is essential to be able to control the greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which, having reached the level of 7tons Co2eq per capita, must be reduced to 2tons Co2eq per capita. According to the IPCC, by 2050, the amount of CO2 emissions will have to be 85% lower than in the year 2000 and 50% lower than in 1990. The progressive depletion of resources, both mineral (at our disposal for an estimated period of further 40 years) and biological, is another critical issue. As the human ecological footprint increases, the biological capacity of the planet decreases. 1 - http://ipcc.ch

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“Since the 1970s, humanity’s annual demands on the natural world have exceeded what the Earth can renew in a year. This

Figure 1: Scheme of “1.1. Climate Change and Challenges of 21st Century” and of “1.2. Building Sector”

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ecological overshoot has continued to grow over the years, reaching a 50 per cent deficit in 2008. This means that it takes 1.5 years for the Earth to regenerate the renewable resources that people use, and to absorb the CO2 waste they produce in one year.” (UN-Habitat, 2014) To face all these challenges, and avoid catastrophic scenarios, in 2015, all United Nations member states, decided to adopt 17 Sustainable Development Goals2 as part of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. SDGs are a set of objectives to be achieved, through precise actions, for a better and sustainable future. For the purposes of this study, it is important to mention SDG 11 “Sustainable cities and communities” with the 11.C target “Support least developed countries, including through financial and technical assistance, in building sustainable and resilient buildings utilizing local materials” and SDG12 “Responsible consumption and production”, that together contribute to the achievement of SDG13 “Climate Action”. 1.2. BUILDING SECTOR (figure 1) In order to reach the 2°C target, it is essential to take into account the impact that the construction sector has on global pollution. “The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reported that buildings and construction are responsible for more than 36% of the global energy consumed, and as much as 40% of energy-related CO2 emissions. According to the UNEP, the amount of total buildings-related CO2 emissions (including energy-related emissions from buildings construction) in 2017 alone was more than 11 GtCO2. Buildings and the construction sector have the largest shares of global energy and emissions compared to other sectors, such as industry and transport.”(UNEP, 2018) “In 2010 the worldwide building sector was responsible for 24% of the total GHG emissions deriving from fossil fuel combustion, second only to the industrial sector; but, if the embodied energy of construction materials is included, the share is far higher and the building sector becomes the prime CHG emitter.” (UN-Habitat, 2014) In fact, “a building’s lifecycle energy comprises its embodied and operational energy. Embodied energy represents the total energy consumed during the lifecycle stages of buildings, and can be categorized into three components: - Initial Embodied Energy (IEE): energy consumed in the production process of a product, from the extraction of raw materials and processing of natural resources to the manufacturing and transport of products to building construction sites. IEE is thus all the energy that is consumed in the pre-use phase of the building’s lifecycle.

2 - https://www.un.org/ sustainabledevelopment/

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- Recurrent embodied energy (REE): Energy required to maintain, repair, and/or refurbish the buildings during their service life. REE is a function of how a building is used by its occupants, the maintenance demands of the occupants, the service life of the building, and the life span and quality of the

Figure 2: Scheme of “1.3. The Role Played by Developing Countries and the African Example”

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materials and components. - Demolition embodied energy (DEE): Energy consumed to destroy the building at the end of its lifecycle, recycle and reuse some components, and dispose of others by transporting the debris and waste to landfills or incinerators. On the other hand, operational energy in buildings is the energy consumed mainly for space heating and cooling, lighting, and operating appliances and auxiliary systems.” ( Woubishet et al., 2019) It is, therefore, essential that the construction sector does its part to reduce energy consumption, starting from a conscious design and the choice of sustainable and local materials (as stated in SDG11 target 11.C). 1.3. THE ROLE PLAYED BY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES and THE AFRICAN EXAMPLE (figure 2) Although developed countries currently have the highest amount of GHG emissions, it is in developing countries that the real challenge for a sustainable future is at stake. In fact, “the exponential growth of the building sector due to rapid urban population increase is likely to cause the embodied energy and CO2 emissions to rise further in the future. According to the UNEP, the world is expected to construct 230 billion square meters of new buildings in the next 40 years, adding the equivalent of Paris every single week. More than 50% of the buildings expected by 2060 will be constructed in the coming 20 years, and two-thirds of them will be built in countries that lack mandatory building energy codes.” (UNEP, 2017) The demand for new buildings in these countries is progressively growing. Just think that, “while in Europe it is expected that, by the year 2050, some 25-30% of the building stock will have been built, in developing countries that figure can be estimated at close to 75%.” (UN-Habitat, 2014) In this scenario, where there is a lack of information and awareness on sustainability topics, lack of expertise, and absence of regulation, it is essential to learn from the mistakes of developed countries in order to take significant action towards a sustainable future as soon as possible. In order to achieve this goal, both architects and final users must deviate from pursuing the stereotyped idea of modernity, with the imitation of the architectures of developed countries and the use of materials that are unsustainable and unsuitable for local climates, starting from the appreciation and enhancement of the heritage of traditional architecture with the use of local materials and local construction techniques. The data concerning Africa and, in particular, the Sub-Saharan territories are a great example of the dynamics described above. “Africa is not a significant source of greenhouse gas emissions and accounts for only 2–3 per cent of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions from energy and industrial sources. According to the World Resources Institute, Africa’s per capita emissions of carbon dioxide in the year 2000 were 0.8 metric tons per person,

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Figure 3: Schemes of “1.4. Building Materials” and of International Policies for a sustainable future

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compared with a global figure of 3.9 tons per person.”(United Nations, 2006) Nevertheless, it is considered the continent most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Already experiencing temperature increases of approximately 0.7°C and facing a wide range of impacts, African nations are at a critical point in their development. The urban population in Africa is projected to reach 1.23 billion people in 2050; nearly three times its 2010 level of 413 million, and the equivalent to 61.6 per cent of its actual total population (WWF et al., 2012). Over the coming decades, also Sub-Saharan countries are projected to undergo an extensive demographic change. In the United Nations’ (2013) medium projection, the population of SSA will grow at more than twice the rate of the rest of the world. By 2050, the region’s population will double to over two billion. Consequently, the construction sector in Africa, that already accounts for over 54% of primary energy, is expected to have the second-highest growth rate globally (after emerging economies in Asia) by 2025 (Global Construction Perspectives & Oxford Economics, 2013). The current dynamism of the construction industry makes it particularly important to focus on low-carbon options, appropriate design and selection of proper materials. 1.4. BUILDING MATERIALS (figure 3) As mentioned above, the type of construction materials has a great influence on the percentage of the environmental impact of a building. The GHGs emitted in the production of construction materials can, indeed, contribute up to 25% of a building’s lifetime carbon footprint (Construction Industry Council, 2012). “The use of appropriate building materials, instead, can reduce by 40% the environmental footprint of construction, provide more affordable shelter, create a healthier indoor environment, strengthen local culture by promoting traditional materials and promote the local economy through to the boost of local materials industry.” (UN-Habitat) Specifically, it should be noted that, every building material is characterized by a quantity of embodied energy or energy content that comprises all the energy consumed in acquiring and transforming the raw materials into finished products, and transporting them to the place of installation or the building site. The degree of sustainability of a material can be evaluated by means of the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), a technique for assessing environmental impacts associated with all the stages of the product’s life, giving to the designers and the constructor a system for comparing and selecting materials, and a comprehensive understanding of the environmental impact and the improvement that can be offered at each stage in the life cycle of a material. Other criteria to define the sustainability of a material on a wider level, going beyond the purely energy data, are defined by the Urban Energy Technical Note 11 Building Materials, according to which are preferable:

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- raw materials locally available; - natural materials (minimizing manufacturing process); - source of extraction placed at less than 50 km from the place of construction; - materials able to be manufactured and implemented with local labour; - materials able to be reused and recycled; - potential to be socially accepted and integrated; - materials culturally adapted to the local needs; - economically feasible materials. As we can notice, use locally available materials and technologies, as well as locally made products, is very important. The place where materials are produced can have a big impact on lifecycle emissions of construction materials (Rauland, V., et al. 2015). Large-scale, centralised production of building materials necessitates transportation of raw materials and end products over potentially long distances, while, where there is potential to extract and manufacture building materials locally (more often the case with ‘traditional’ materials), there is a reduction of GHG emissions and an increase of positive impact of the construction sector on local economies. Local-level production of building materials can also facilitate a more balanced distribution of wealth and employment across regions (du Plessis, 2002). Although the use of sustainable, natural and local materials is strongly recommended also by UN habitat (figure 3), in documents such as “Key strategies for sustainable buildings”, and is planned as a target for the achievement of SDG 11, the use of modern construction materials, generally imported and unsustainable, is increasing in most developing countries. The majority of people, blinded by a stereotyped idea of modernity, want to use building materials such as metal sheets as roofing material and cement blocks and cement plaster as wall building materials only but because they look “modern”. (UNHabitat, 2014) The problem is that the production of cement, steel, glass, aluminium and baked bricks, which are the basic building materials for most modern constructions, have very high environmental impacts, consume the most energy and cause the majority of the GHG emissions in the construction sector (UN-Habitat, 2014) because their production requires the processing of mined raw materials at a very high temperature. Specifically, cement, which is the most used building material in the world, has a carbon footprint of up to 5% of worldwide emissions; the cement industry is responsible for about 1/4 of the annual worldwide CO2 emissions from fossil fuels; and the production of iron and steel, which are also used in reinforced concrete, is responsible for more than 4% of the total energy use worldwide and the related GHG emissions. (UN-Habitat, 2014) 1.5. ETHIOPIA FOCUS Ethiopia, the country on which study analysis will focus more, is one of the developing countries in Sub-Saharan Africa characterized by rapid economic growth, building construction

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boom, poor management of building materials and a high percentage of wastes generated in building construction sites. Despite being characterized by the presence and availability of numerous sustainable materials with low embodied energy, such as earth/clay bricks, Adobe Bricks, local eucalyptus timber, bamboo, straw, stone and thatch, which are the basis of ancient traditional construction techniques (“chikka” houses, “tukul”); despite the existence of innovative materials that reduce their environmental impact by combining natural elements with other industrialized (Compressed Stabilized Earth Blocks where traditional adobe bricks are mixed with small amounts of cement or limestone); and despite the 150billion USD invested for the full and effective implementation of the Green Economy Strategy and the reduction of net greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 2030; the country is seeing an increase in the demand and presence of industrial building materials. (African Development Bank, 2018) The analysis described in Embodied Energy and CO2 Emissions of Widely Used Building Materials: The Ethiopian Context (2019), shows that cement, sand, coarse aggregates, Hollow Concrete Blocks (HCB), and reinforcement bars are the top five most used building materials in Ethiopia, and that they are the prime consumers of energy, the biggest producers of CO2 emissions and the main waste generators during construction Specifically, cement, HCBs, and rebars are responsible for 94% of the embodied energy and 98% of the CO2 emissions during building construction, and exceed the national waste limits by 148%, 159%, and 157%, respectively. In Amhara region, northern Ethiopia, the design and the construction of buildings is based on rigid standards, which are rooted in the common mentality and from which it is difficult to depart. The structural system comprises a column–beam–slab frame and pad foundation of reinforced concrete, while the wall system consists of non-load bearing Hollow Concrete Blocks (HCBs) to fill the structural façade and all the internal partitions. 1.6. WORK EXPERIENCE IN AMHARA REGION AND OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY During the architectural design studio of the master, in the beginning, and during the period of the internship at Arcò Architecture & Cooperation, later, I had the opportunity to work on the design of an inclusive primary school in Kobo Robit (Amahra Region, Ethiopia). The design and building materials’ choices gradually changed in the various design phases, progressively clashing with local design standards, with the will of the clients, and the idea of architecture rooted in the mentality of local technicians. During the workshop, a phase of pure experimentation and design freedom, the will was to use materials as natural and sustainable as possible, such as adobe bricks and rammed earth, drawing with these, architectural forms appropriate to the climate of the place, aimed at improving the comfort of both indoor and outdoor environments.

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Figure 4: Drawings of the Ethiopian Standards for schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; construction

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Once approached the real project, during the internship at ArcĂ˛, the attempt was to meet the expectations of the clients, while safeguarding the environmental sustainability aspect and proposing a project based on the use of technologies that combined natural materials with industrial materials, such as locally produced CSSB (Cement Stabilized Soil Block). Unfortunately, although the benefits of using alternative construction techniques and materials were explained, the perplexities and the contrarieties of the local authorities and technicians have been so much to oblige us to follow of the local structural and architectonic standards for the construction of schools (figure 4). The strength with which sustainable design proposals have been contrasted, despite the obvious benefits and the many positive aspects, has raised in me one simple question: why? Why, despite the presence of natural and local alternatives, has the least sustainable route been chosen? Why has the opportunity to create new alternative and sustainable standards not been taken? This paper aims to answer all these questions; aims to understand the real reasons that are behind the choice of using unsustainable and highly polluting materials, like concrete, in a world that really needs to overcome its challenges towards the achievement of a better future; to be able to outline some strategies/actions aimed at avoiding the creation and the repetition of these dynamics; and to unhinge the forma mentis that leads to the wrong choice, both in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Global Southâ&#x20AC;? countries and in developed ones. 2. MATERIALS AND METHODS (figure 5) To address such a crucial issue in the debate on the sustainability of architecture, and to achieve the objectives that the paper proposes, the author has studied the problem from a multidisciplinary point of view, trying to investigate all its facets. In particular, attention was focused on the primary school project in Kobo Robit (Ethiopia), choosing it as a study case. Taking advantage of having personally experienced the decision-making process, and of having available reality-based documents, on which to set the research, it was decided to use the Ethiopian case as a starting point, an example to analyse, to draw conclusions concerning both the countries of the global south and those already developed. With the aim to discover the real reasons behind the choice of using unsustainable building materials, the author outlined a number of plausible factors, and then investigated them one at a time, ascertaining their veracity or not. Among these, there are technical-performance factors, economical factors, and sociocultural factors. A direct comparison, related to these factors, was made between the three main building materials used in the different phases of the project. Starting with the more sustainable one, the Adobe Bricks, continuing with the Cement Stabilized Soil

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Figure 5: Materials and Methodsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; scheme

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Blocks (CSSB), to then arrive at the final design choice of Hollow Concrete Blocks (HCB). The goal was to understand if cement was really the best alternative and if there was a sustainable material, with similar characteristics, that could replace it. The study was made consulting books, official publications, scientific papers, articles from various scientific journals, technical documents, architectural texts, and through a dialogue with professionals in the sector (Alessio Battistella and Francesca Sammito - Arcò Architecture & Cooperation; Camillo Magni - Architects without Borders Italy; Uoldelul Cherati Dirar - Associate professor of History and Institutions of Africa, at the Department of Political Science, Communication and International Relations of the University of Macerata).

3. RESULTS 3.1. ADOBE BRICKS Adobe Bricks, also called “Mud Bricks” or “Sundried Earth Blocks”, are unbaked bricks produced manually by throwing wet earth info a formwork. These blocks are made out of soil and straw, that prevents cracking and adds strength. The soil grain size distribution appropriate for earth blocks is 14% clay, 22%silt, 62%sand and 2%gravel. (Minke, 2013) 3.1.1. PRODUCTION (figure 6) Adobes are made either by filling moulds with a pasty loam mixture or by throwing moist lumps of earth into them. Different types of moulds can be used, but they are usually made from timber (figure 7). The throwing technique is commonly used in all developing countries. Here, a sandy loam is mixed with water, cut straw is usually added and the whole formed into a paste that is thrown into wooden moulds. The greater the force with which the loam is thrown, the better its compaction and dry strength. The surface is, then, smoothed by hand or by a timber piece, trowel or wire. One person can produce about 300 blocks per day (including preparation of mix, transportation and stacking) using a single mould, and 500 blocks per day using a double mould. (Minke, 2013) The mud mixture, once removed from the moulds, needs cures and to dry slow not directly exposed to the sunlight. The blocks must be protected by plastic sheets or leaves. To minimize cracks and to obtain high-quality blocks, usable even for two or three-storey buildings, the drying process is essential and lasts about one month. (Johansson A., et al. 2008) Before starting the bricks production, some analysis and experiments have to be done to understand the soil composition in order to use it for construction purposes. Although the Adobe manufacturing process is very simple, and can be done by everyone after a small amount of training, loam is not a

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Figure 6

Figure 7

Figure 6: Adobe Briks production phases (Minke, 2013) Figure 7: Timber moulds for Adobe Bricks production (Minke, 2013)

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standardised building material, and an expert who is able to distinguish and understand the soil specific composition is needed. Especially in countries like Ethiopia where there are soils high vulnerable to shrinkage and expansion (black cotton soil). (Gutiérrez E. S., et al. 2018) The earth bricks production process, being completely nonindustrialized, is characterized by low energy consumption and has a positive impact on the environment. 3.1.2. COSTS Adobe bricks are a very low-costs building material for several reasons. The first is that mud bricks are produced using raw and local materials such as soil, straw and water. Soil is free of charge, often found on site. The soil excavated for foundations can be used for the construction, with no need for transport. If the local soil hasn’t an adequate composition, clay or sand can be added in order to reach the right one. If there is the real need to use a different soil, coming from other construction sites, the transport is still economic. (Minke, 2013) Straw, as a binding material, is found to a reasonable price, like 80 ETB/m3 (Johansson A., et al. 2008); while the cost of water is variable depending on the supply and distance of transportation. To minimize costs, the construction should preferably be carried out straight after the rainy season when the access of water is good. The second reason is that mud bricks production is a process completely non-industrialized. The equipment is few and basic, one mould costs about 75ETB, (Johansson A., et al. 2008), and there is no need for high-skilled labour (except for the soil composition expert). The involvement of local labour creates employment opportunities among the local population and the use of raw materials reduces the economic dependence of a community on the construction materials market, preventing indebtedness. (Gutiérrez E. S., et al. 2018) Finally, being earth a completely recyclable material, it has practically no disposal costs. Old dry loam can be reused after soaking in water, so it never becomes waste material. (Minke, 2013) The average cost of one straw stabilized mud block is 3 birr (Birku Gobena D. 2019). The estimated overall cost of an adobe bricks wall is about 53 birr/m2. (Gutiérrez E. S., et al. 2018) 3.1.3. PROPERTIES Good properties and performances of Adobe bricks depend on their loam composition and on how they are worked and cured in the drying phase. The compressive strength (i.e. the amount of pressure they can resist without collapsing), that is one of the most important engineering properties of a block, depends upon the soil type, and the type and the amount of stabilizer used to form it.

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Maximum strengths are obtained by proper mixing of suitable materials and good soil type. It’s scientifically proved that the durability of mud blocks increases with an increase in its strength. (Birku Gobena D. 2019). Concerning Adobe bricks, they have a compressive strength that can vary from 0Mpa to 5Mpa (Minke, 2013; UNIDO, 2015). According to countries building authorities, values within 2-4Mpa are recommended in the construction of maximum one or two-storey buildings. (Birku Gobena, 2019) Adobe bricks contribute to the improvement of indoor comfort, with their good thermal properties and their ability to regulate air-humidity (Johansson, et al. 2008). Mud bricks, in fact, being poor conductors of heat, have the capacity to absorb it very slowly in the hot afternoons, while the rooms’ interior remains cool, and to dissipate it during the night, ensuring warm interiors, even in cold winters. (Adegun, et al., 2017). This is a very important property where it’s necessary to store solar heat by passive means or in climatic zones with high diurnal temperature differences. The thermal conductivity of earth bricks is low and is about 0,4 – 0,8 W/m°C. (Minke, 2013; UNIDO, 2015). The Adobe bricks ability to balance air-humidity is demonstrated by the experiments done at the University of Kassel, in Germany. It is able to absorb and to desorb humidity very fast. Even when standing in a climatic chamber at 95% humidity for 6 months, adobes do not become wet or lose their stability; nor do they exceed their equilibrium moisture content3, which is about 5% to 7% by weight. Relative humidity in earth buildings is almost constant throughout the year, fluctuating only 5% to 10%, and producing healthy living conditions. (Minke, 2013) The last positive aspect of Adobe bricks is that they are resistant to insects and termites (which are often a problem for Ethiopian eucalyptus wood). Unfortunately, mud bricks don’t have only good characteristics. One of their main problems is that they are not water-resistant. They must be sheltered against rain and frost in all the building phases and even after the construction. This aspect must be taken into account when designing an earth building. Walls must be protected by simple solutions: roof overhangs, damp-proof courses, appropriate surface coatings, etc... Adobe bricks are also often subject to shrinkages (Minke, 2013), during the drying process; are brittle from a seismological point of view, a disadvantage that can be overcome through a proper design; and have poor abrasion resistance. (Johansson, et al., 2008) 3.1.4. COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE Despite the fact that, due to the lack of wood, the use of earth for construction is spreading in some areas of Ethiopia, the prejudice towards this material is always very high. In most countries, and in Ethiopia, building with clay and mud is associated with low status, and living in a house completely made of mud is closely related to poverty (Johansson, et al.

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3 - Maximum humidity a dry material can absorb

2008). For this reason, there are also problems in finding a market for adobe and in finding workers who are willing to work with mud (Hjort, et al., 2011). Furthermore, pre-convinced ideas have brought to the stigmatization of alternative soil-based construction methods. (Johansson A., et al. 2008) 3.1.5. OVERVIEW In conclusion, adobe bricks are a building material characterized by low costs, low environmental impact, and by non-industrialized production processes that favour the use of raw materials and local labour, also improving and helping the economy of low-income communities. Unfortunately, the production process takes quite a long time, the material is not readily available for construction and the presence of a technician expert in the composition of the soil is necessary. Its technical characteristics make it a good building material for low-rise buildings; its poor resistance to water and its tendency to brittleness during earthquakes, are problems that, to be overcome, require a lot of attention during the design. The prejudice of people against earthen constructions is still very high and greatly influences their diffusion. 3.2. CEMENT STABILIZED SOIL BLOCKS (CSSBs) CSSBs are compressed earth bricks to which a variable percentage, between 4% and 8/10% (Johansson, et al.,2008; Minke, 2013), of cement has been added, as a stabilizer, to improve their properties. A CSSB is made from soil, cement and water. 3.2.1. PRODUCTION Production of CSSB only takes three stages process which are: soil preparation, mix compression and curing (Riza, et al., 2010). Before producing CSSB, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very important to test and to select the adequate type of soil to determine if it is suitable for the construction, in order to get the best results and performances. Although the manufacture is very simple, and requires moderate to low skilled workers, some pre-knowledge about soil types, grain size and cement content are needed to attain a successful result. (Johansson, et al., 2008) Indeed, not every soil is suitable for cement stabilization. It is better to use it for sandy soils4. Once selected and prepared, the CSSB bricks mixture must be compressed with a manual or automatic pressing machine, with the advantage that loams with low water content can be used, making possible to stack blocks immediately after production (Minke, 2013).

4 - http://www.earth-auroville.com/ compressed_stabilised_earth_block_ en.php

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Manually operated presses require three to five persons for optimum operation. The output per person per day is only 150 to 200 blocks (Minke, 2013), but, being manual, this type of procedure allows low-income users to produce bricks by themselves.

Fully automatic block-making presses can produce 1500 to 4000 blocks daily (Minke, 2013). The manpower required is six to eight persons and the workers can be trained to operate the machines in 10-12 days. (Kebede, 2013). The automatic procedure is usually related to a large scale production aimed at sales. The curing phase lasts, at least, four/five weeks. At first, they need to be regularly watered and protected from the sunlight for a week; then they must be kept stored for drying in a rain protected storage space. (Johansson, et al., 2008) 3.2.2. COSTS The final cost of a Cement Stabilized Soil Block greatly varies according to the production system that is used. The initial investment in local and manual production is cheaper than in industrial production with automatic presses. In the first case, costs are cut down significantly by the local labour, composed of semi-skilled people who have been given a short training, and by the use of on-site raw materials, that do not require transport. (Afkari, 2010) In this process, the only investment that needs to be done is the purchase of a pressing machine and of cement (197 ETB/quintal), which has to be bought and transported from the place of production to the project site. A heavy and good quality manual block press, although its relatively high initial costs, is the best investment that local communities can make in terms of optimisation for the investment/output/quality ratio, to produce good quality bricks and avoid machine failures. A manual press machine costs about 500/600 USD. This kind of production process is suitable for the population with a low income. Using an automatic machine, instead, labour becomes more specialized and production becomes convenient only if done on a large scale, at an industrial level, with the purpose of selling bricks. The parameters and factors influencing the cost of production of a material and its final cost are various. Among these are the equipment costs, including the automatic press machine and all the accessories (around 25.000 USD), the daily maintenance of the machine and the yearly possible repairs, the daily labourers (90 ETB/day), the stabilizer content, and the soil supply (150 ETB/m3 including, excavation, loading-unloading, and transportation costs). (Tekle, 2018). Taking all these factors into account, CSSB are sold in Ethiopia at a cost ranging between 4.23 birr and 6.59 birr. (Tekle, 2018). Specifically, they are sold from the Selam Technical Vocational Center to 4.14brr. (Johansson, et al., 2008). When the bricks are bought, the cost of transport must be added to the price. Another aspect to take into account is that, containing cement, CSSBs are a non-recyclable material. As such, they expect disposal costs, and are not fully sustainable, especially if industrially produced. Finally, the fact that the CSSB walls do not need plaster as

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protection from atmospheric agents (see paragraph 3.2.3.), means that the overall cost of the walls is lower. (Tekle, 2018) 3.2.3. PROPERTIES CSSBs, having the soil as main component, retain some of the positive characteristics of adobe bricks and earthen buildings (see paragraph 3.1.3), while, the addition of cement improves some and worsens others. Stabilization through cement is done for some important reasons: make the material resistant to water and atmospheric agents, increase its compressive strength and, therefore, durability, make them less brittle, and reduce shrinkage. (Riza, et al., 2010) All this is possible thanks to the chemical reactions taking place between the cement and the soil. (Afkari, 2010) The choice of the right type of soil, and the addition of an adequate amount of cement, are essential to obtain good quality and performing bricks. (Johansson, et al., 2008) If the percentage of cement added is too low, the bricks‘ compressive strength worsens drastically (Minke, 2013). It’s demonstrated that, even an addition above 10%, affects the strength of the bricks in a negative way. (Riza, et al., 2010) A CSSB with an optimal composition, and with the right addition of cement (around 8%), has a dry compressive strength of 4-6 Mpa5. CRATerre, the International Centre for Earth Construction in France, recommends a sufficient dry compressive strength of 2-2.4 MPa for blocks used in one or two-storey buildings (Afkari, 2010). The CSSB can, therefore, safely be used for load bearing construction up to three-storey. (Kebede, 2013). Unfortunately, the stabilisation process does not only have positive effects. The addition of cement, in fact, increases the thermal conductivity of the material, making it less insulating. Although the CSSBs, thanks to their soil content, maintain the ability to regulate the indoor climate, their thermal conductivity rises to 0,8 – 1,4 W/m°C. (UNIDO, 2015). 3.2.4. COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE CSSBs are already part of the building industry of Ethiopia. Despite being composed of a high percentage of mud, they are considered as modern and are widely used in buildings also for high-income people. (Gutiérrez, et al., 2018) This technology has spread in some urban areas, mainly in Addis Ababa, both for smaller and larger buildings, as well as fencing material. (Johansson, et al., 2008)

5 - http://www.earth-auroville.com/ compressed_stabilised_earth_block_ en.php

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In Addis Ababa there is also a specialized centre, “Selam Technical Vocational Center” born in 1997, that deals with the production of CSSB bricks, teaching it to young and unemployed people.

3.2.5. OVERVIEW In conclusion, Cement Stabilized Soil Blocks are a material with many facets. When produced at a small scale, using manual machines and local labourer, they are sustainable and suitable for the low-income population, because their prices are not high; but, production times are long and the lack of skilled labour leads to a slightly lower quality product. When industrially produced, they are convenient only at a large scale and become a less sustainable material, due to the transportation costs and to the industrialized process, but the production is faster and allows to have a large amount of a quality product immediately available. The industrialized production is more convenient and suitable for big construction sites in the city, generally close to factories (lower transport costs) and with medium/high-income. By analyzing the positive and negative aspects of both processes, the best way forward could be the semi-industrialization of production. This offers the advantage to be more flexible and easily adapted to a local context, increasing the quality of the blocks without rising their costs.6 Properties related to its loam component, make CSSB a good regulator of humidity and indoor climate. The percentage of concrete, instead, while improving its compressive strength, durability, and water resistance, makes it less thermally insulating, less sustainable and non-recyclable. CSSBs are a material well accepted by the population for several factors: the presence of concrete gives it a sense of reliability; thanks to its properties and its versatility, multi-storey buildings with different functions can be constructed, from lowcost homes to office buildings; it has an aesthetically pleasing appearance even without finishes. Summing up, Cement Stabilized Soil Blocks represent a perfect synthesis between traditional practices and modern technologies, with good technical characteristics and affordable costs.

3.3. HOLLOW CONCRETE BLOCKS (HCB) Hollow Concrete Blocks (HCB) are a building material produced by a mixture of powdered cement, water, sand, and gravel. These bricks are characterized by one or more large holes with the solid material between 50% and 75% of the total volume of the block calculated from the overall dimension. (Getachew, et al., 2017) 3.3.1. PRODUCTION The production of HCBs is usually an industrialized process, which needs skilled labour, and specific equipment. The main Hollow Concrete Blocks fabrics are located in the main cities, like Addis Ababa, and produce intensively in order to sell the bricks and to meet the building market demand. The main problems that characterize the production of this material are two. The first concerns the lack of availability, in

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6 - http://www. earth-auroville.com/ compressed_stabilised_ earth_block_en.php

Ethiopia, of raw materials to produce it. The shortage of cement, in fact, means that this must be imported from abroad, leading to an increase in timing and delays in production. The second deals with the low quality of workmanship of the country. Although HCBs are one of the most widely used construction materials in Ethiopia, it is difficult to find suitably qualified professionals for the production of bricks that meet the standards of the country (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018). The speed of work and the large number of bricks produced (1200 pcs/day by only one machine) are the positive aspects of the industrialized process, which allow the reduction of the costs of the final product. The small-scale production of HCBs, on the other hand, is characterized by longer timing and a finished product of lower quality. It is a complex process with different phases and, In order to achieve the best possible result, a specific group of workers should be trained. Even the production yard must have specific characteristics, such as adequate space for all equipment and all different types of storages, and proximity to the construction site. (Geschke, M.) Firstly, all the aggregates must be cleaned, stored separately and approved by an independent concrete laboratory, the water must be free of all impurities, cement must be stored in a dry and moisture-free place, and all the machinery and equipment must be checked and in good conditions. Then, all the components are mixed and the ready mortar is poured and compressed into the moulds of the block making machine. Finally, the HCBs obtained must be laid on the floor for curing (Geschke, M.). After 10/15 days the bricks are ready for use. The industrialization of the production process, the raw materials needed, and the pressing demand from the construction industry, make HCBs a material absolutely unsustainable. Cement and sand, in fact, given their great demand, are often extracted, even illegally, from banks of rivers and lakes, causing enormous environmental damage. (GutiĂŠrrez, et al., 2018) 3.3.2. COSTS The elements that raise the production cost of Hollow Concrete Blocks are mainly the investments that must be made to buy and maintain the machinery, and the high costs of the raw materials needed. Materials such as cement and sand, in fact, are often lacking in countries such as Ethiopia and there is a tendency to import them from abroad. The scarcity of raw materials and import costs lead to a general price increase (Hjort, et al., 2011). The high initial investments, make HCBs convenient if produced industrially, through high production capacity processes and large-scale construction interventions. The high cost of raw materials and the difficulty in finding them, make unadvisable and almost inaccessible the local production process with a limited production capacity, increasing the total cost of the finished material. (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018) Buy a single HCB brick has a price ranging from 9 to 12 birr, to which must be added any transport costs from the factory to

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the construction site. The production sites of HCBs, in fact, are mainly located in large urban centres, such as Addis Ababa, very far from some areas of the country. As they are not recyclable, HCB Bricks are also subject to disposal costs. Finally, the import of raw materials, and the fact that very often cement companies on African soil are not local, but Asian or European multinationals, in addition to increasing the prices of products related to these materials in countries with an existent budget deficit, doesn’t make the direct proceeds of production and sale go into the coffers of the local state. (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018). 3.3.3. PROPERTIES To obtain a durable product, with good technical characteristics, that meets the Ethiopian national standards, must be used the right mixtures of components, quality raw materials, skilled labour and quality production processes. The HCB bricks, being composed mainly of cement, have good durability, relative to their compressive strength, and high resistance to water, floods and atmospheric agents (Gutiérrez, et al., 2018). Ethiopian national standards define the minimum compressive strength of different types of HCBs. Specifically, 5MPa for class A load-bearing walls, 4MPa for class B walls and 3MPa for class C walls. Non-load-bearing walls can have a minimum compressive strength of about 2MPa (Getachew, et al., 2017). Often, because of the poor quality of the local labour, one of the most frequent wastage in the yards, and in the production phases, is due to the scrap of bricks that do not reach the standards defined by the government (El-hadj M., et al., 2018). Hollow Concrete Blocks, when steel-reinforced, can be used for the construction of multi-story buildings. Finally, cement bricks don’t have good insulation characteristics, their thermal conductivity is, in fact, is variable between 1W/m°C and 1,7W/m°C. 3.3.4. COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE The use of reinforced concrete and hollow concrete blocks are the main construction system in Ethiopia. Used mainly in the big cities, it has spread more and more also in the rural areas (Hjort, et al., 2011). Field surveys show that, almost all of the engineers, project managers, professional experts, contractors, and construction workers, have only worked with these types of materials during their careers (Kebede, 2013). The aftermath of the colonial-era construction techniques, and the tendency to follow and reproduce the developed countries architecture, lead to a stereotyped idea of the concept of “modern”. A material like concrete, considered a symbol of modernity, is then used by most people to show off a “status” (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018).

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3.3.5. OVERVIEW In conclusion, hollow concrete blocks are a material characterized by good durability and technical performance, except for its poor insulating power. The difficulty in finding raw materials for production and the high investments needed to buy specific machinery make it more suitable for large-scale production and consumption. In fact, production costs are too high for small-scale local production and become less accessible for self-construction by the low-income population. The industrialization of the productive system brings with its positive aspects, like the lowering of the product final costs and the uniformity of the materials, but it has a negative impact on the environment. HCBs are, in fact, an unsustainable material, also because of the type of raw materials used, such as sand, which is often extracted illegally from rivers or lakes to be sold on the market. The high import rate of cement, the centralization of production factories, the need for long transports to construction sites, and its impossibility to be recycled, make it a very polluting material. The industrialized productive system, moreover, favouring the progressive replacement of manual labour with a mechanized one, is not a positive element in a country where the unemployment rate is very high. Another critical aspect concerns the European and Asian multinationals present in Africa, which hold the primacy of cement production and derive most of the revenues from it, to the detriment of the host country, often already in a critical economic situation. The desire to build in a â&#x20AC;&#x153;modernâ&#x20AC;? way and the habit of local technicians to work with this material, make Hollow Concrete Blocks the main Ethiopian building material, especially used in urban areas. Despite this, sometimes, due to the unskilled workforce, the standards are not always met and the final product is rarely of high quality.

3.4. CONCLUSION 3.4.1. PRODUCTION To evaluate the efficiency of a production process, several factors must be considered, such as the timing and type of production, the quality of the required labour and, finally, the purpose with which a material is produced. The adobe bricks, without an industrial production and a presence on the market, and is characterized by a local, slow and manual production, are not competitive when compared to other types of materials, except in the case in which they are aimed at the self-construction of a few buildings. The lack of expert technicians in this type of technology, and the risk of obtaining final products of poor quality, are mitigated by the ease of the production process and the ability to learn it quickly.

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Figure 8: Energy comparisons of different construction material. (AL-sakkaf, 2009)

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On the exact opposite are the HCBs bricks. Widely used throughout the country, they are characterized by industrialized processes and production according to national standards. These two elements make it possible to produce large quantities of material quickly and efficiently, ensuring a quality finished product (Kebede, 2013). The presence of architects, engineers, and other professionals, accustomed and prepared to build with this type of material, is a reason for safety. On the other hand, the lack of an adequately qualified workforce, especially for the production of HCB on a local scale, often causes a lot of waste deriving from unsuitable finished bricks. The scarcity of the necessary raw materials present in the country and their high level of import, often cause delays in the production phases. A middle ground between the two materials mentioned above, are CSSB bricks. The preparation of the finished material keeps the same long timing as Adobe bricks, but, at the same time, the bricks produced are much more, thanks to the use of automatic machines. Also in this case, the simplicity of the easily learned production process, can make up for the lack of technicians specialized in the use of this technology. A non-industrialized process and the use of unskilled local labor mean that the final product can vary and that it is not always of excellent quality. Thanks to ARSO (African Organisation for Standardisation) and to the drafting of the document “Compressed stabilized earth blocks. Requirements, production and construction”, enormous progress has been made in the standardization of the production and of the properties regarding CSSBs. The comparison shows that the most efficient and reliable production process is that of HCB, despite the fact that, a fully industrialized production, which eliminates the need for labour force, is not the best solution in a country with a very high unemployment rate (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018). 3.4.2. SUSTAINABILITY Adobe bricks are, among the three, the most sustainable material. Its components are natural, recyclable and locally available, without the need for transport (the soil used is often resulting from excavations for foundations). Its production process, completely manual, does not foresee polluting emissions. CSSB bricks, despite the cement content, which implies the impossibility of recycling and the need for transport, and the more automated production processes, remain a material mostly sustainable. HCB bricks, on the other hand, being composed mainly of cement, are a highly polluting material. The industrialized production process and raw materials, which are often imported or illegally sourced causing serious environmental damage, are the main factors that determine their unsustainability (Gutiérrez, et al., 2018). In Figure 8 it’s possible to see the comparison between the embodied Energies of the three materials analysed.

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Figure 9

Figure 10

Figure 11 Figure 9: Percentages of expenses of three different types of walls. (Biering, M.,1991) Figure 10: Comparison of different construction systems regarding cost, cement cost, money locally invested and money being invested outside Ethiopia. Case study for Awasa (Sidama Zone, SNNPR) in 2004. (Moles, O. 2004). Figure 11: The costs of mud block and concrete block. (Birku Gobena, 2019)

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3.4.3. COSTS The final price of the three materials analysed, shows how, with the increase in production mechanized processes and the use of materials not locally available, there is a progressive increase in costs. Adobe bricks are certainly the cheapest, being generally selfproduced and composed of local raw materials. The estimated price is 3birr per piece. With a more complex production process, and the use of a material not locally available as cement, CSSB bricks see an increase in price. They are sold in Addis Ababa at a cost ranging between 4 and 6 birrs. Finally, although the industrialized process allows a significant decrease in production costs, HCB bricks are the ones that have the highest price in the Ethiopian market. A brick, in fact, has a price ranging between 9 and 12 birr. This, in large part, is due to the raw materials, mainly imported from abroad, which, as we can see in figure 9, affect 80% of total costs. Furthermore, being Asian and European multinationals, the main producers of cement in Africa, the largest revenue from the sale of this product leaves the country, not entering the state coffers (figure 10). The HCBs and building technologies that involve the use of cement, in fact, are part of dynamics played by strong economic powers, including international ones. These take advantage of the construction-boom and the great demand for building materials in African countries, providing a readymade and easy-to-use solution such as concrete, on which they have great interests and economic revenues (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018). As a consequence of these dynamics, revenues are concentrated only on a few category of people (GutiĂŠrrez, et al., 2018). The use of low-priced alternative materials, which also include local players in their dynamics, and make the market accessible even to low-income people, is, therefore, more necessary than ever (Woundimagegnehu, 2014; Kebede, 2013). A direct comparison between the prices of the three materials, with reference to the raw materials used for their production, is shown in figure 11. 3.4.4. PROPERTIES The use of only natural components makes Adobe bricks the material with the worst durability and compressive strength, compared to the other two. The high earth content, on the other hand, makes it the material with the best insulation and humidity regulation properties, ensuring high indoor comfort. On the other hand, HCBs, thanks to the high cement content, have good durability and good compressive strength, but are poor insulators. CSSB bricks, with an earth and cement content, take the best properties from both. Thanks to the soil component, they maintain the good insulation and internal comfort capabilities of Adobe bricks, while, thanks to stabilization with cement, they

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Figure 12

Figure 12: Comparative Analysis and Advantages of Mud Stabilized Blocks. (UNIDO, 2015)

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become more durable, resistant to atmospheric agents and water, and achieve good overall compressive strength. Figure 12 shows the comparison between the properties of different materials, including the three ones analyzed in the study. 3.4.5. COMMUNITY ACCEPTANCE Concrete is certainly the most used and requested building material by the Ethiopian population and beyond. This, in fact, for most people, represents an idea of modernity and progress. Even if the basic concept is incorrect and refers to a stereotyped and obsolete idea of the “modern”, using the same building technologies as in developed countries becomes, in the common mentality, a status symbol.7 Automatically, this leads to the stigmatization of alternative materials such as Adobe bricks, which, due to their earth content, are often linked to an idea of poor durability, poor hygiene and poverty. It’s just not wanting to be associated with belonging to poor social classes that makes the use of this material really limited, especially in urban centers. Very often, even workers do not want to handle this “poor” material as it is considered degrading and related to a low-status (Hjort, et al., 2011). Resistance to the use of unconventional materials is also found between local experts, architects, engineers and project managers. The mistrust towards the use of different technologies is mainly due to a lack of knowledge about these, to a poor tolerance towards innovations in terms of design and creativity, and to the familiarity and dependence they have with conventional construction systems based on the use of concrete and HCBs (Kebede, 2013). Finally, CSSBs, thanks to their pleasant appearance even without finishes, which gives the impression of being a highquality material, are very well socially accepted. (Johansson, et al., 2008) These are, in fact, considered by the community a modern material, and their use is gradually growing, despite being composed mostly of earth (Gutiérrez, et al., 2018). 3.4.6. FINAL COMPARISON AND CONSIDERATIONS The analysis carried out shows that (figure 13): - HCBs are often chosen as building material because they have shorter production times, and are easily and quickly available in both large and medium-sized urban centres. In addition, most of the workforce and technicians are trained and accustomed to the use of this building material.

7 - From the conversation with Uoldelul Cherati Dirar - Associate professor of History and Institutions of Africa, at the Department of Political Science, Communication and International Relations of the University of Macerata

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- The idea that HCBs are chosen because they are the cheapest material is wrong. The raw materials used to produce it, in fact, are less and less available, more and more imported and more expensive. The price analysis of the Addis Ababa market shows that, among the three materials, HCBs are the most expensive. Costs are further increased if the material is produced on a small scale.

Figure 13: Final comparisonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tab

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- Also the idea that HCBs, since they are composed of concrete, are the material with the best technical properties, is roughly wrong. In fact, although HCBs are undoubtedly a durable material with good resistance, it is lacking in terms of thermal insulation and conferment of good comfort to indoor environments. CSSBs, almost equal in terms of durability and resistance, are good insulators and passively guarantee a high level of indoor comfort. - One of the main reasons why concrete is preferred over other materials is that it is a symbol of modernity and is therefore very well accepted by local communities and technicians. The tendency to build with this material, and the preparation and habit of technicians to use this type of construction technology, go hand in hand and influence each other. - Finally, concrete and, therefore, Hollow Concrete Blocks, are not characterized by any kind of sustainability, neither environmental nor economic. They have a high embodied energy and the economic dynamics in which they are inserted create damage to the Ethiopian economy leading it to depend on that of other more developed countries. It has, therefore, been demonstrated that, some of the factors considered decisive in the choice of the use of a material such as concrete, are myths to debunk, and that there are alternative materials, such as CSSBs, which, with the same performance, are more sustainable both from an environmental and a socioeconomic point of view.

4. DISCUSSION As it turns out from the analysis and comparison carried out, CSSBs are the best material, and, due to their environmental and economic sustainability, technical characteristics, costs and acceptance by local communities, they can be a valid substitute for HCBs in view of the sustainable development of the construction sector. Taking note of the problems and the improvable characteristics of CSSBs, and being aware of their many positive aspects, in the following chapter the author analyzes a series of strategies and actions to be implemented in order to increase their diffusion, limiting the use of polluting materials, such as cement-based HCBs, and making people aware that a valid sustainable alternative is really possible. 4.1. IMPLEMENTATION STRATEGIES FOR DISSEMINATION OF ALTERNATIVE BUILDING MATERIALS (figure 14) The analysis showed that the lack of professionals and craftsmen specialized in alternative construction technologies is one of the main reasons that lead to not using materials other than ordinary ones. Overcoming this lack is therefore essential to spread the use of sustainable materials such as CSSBs. The strategies to be implemented are: - Develop and provide, to manufacturers, general contractors,

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Figure 14: Implementation strategies’ scheme for the dissemination of alternative sustainable materials’ use

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and designers, awareness training in the use of alternative construction technologies; (Kebede, 2013) - Established adequate training facilities in all the country, at different levels; (Kebede, 2013) - Promotion, by construction companies and building centres, of on-site training courses for their employees and workers; - Teamwork between construction and design discipline, mature manufacturing companies and suppliers, to develop continuing education course to increase the awareness of professionals. In order to disseminate, among the population, the existence and the positive aspects of alternative materials, and in order to eliminate peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prejudice, effective strategies can be: - Incorporate earth construction techniques into the educational curricula; (Adegun, et al., 2017) - Use public and social media as methods of dissemination and public awareness; (Adegun, et al., 2017) - Design and construction of quality pilot projects that can demonstrate to people the positive characteristics of alternative materials, eliminate peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s prejudices and serve as best practices for the implementation of future projects. The strategies to be implemented, with the aim of making the production system more efficient, having a finished product with controlled quality, and regularizing soil-cement buildings, are: - Increase the investments of companies and professional organizations in research and development in the area of design and production of alternative materials; (Kebede, 2013) - Standardise materials and components, in line with global trends, and create national standards and other local institutional regulatory apparatus; (Adegun, et al., 2017) - Adapt building codes to local realities (urban vs. rural), in order to promote housing affordability, and to favour quality local production of building materials. (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018) Finally, to change the dynamics on a broader level, it is necessary that the government itself implements strategies aimed at the enhancement and dissemination of the use of alternative construction technologies, such as: - Creation of a national scheme of incentives and governmental assistance; (Kebede, 2013) - Use of alternative materials in government construction themselves, especially in the social sector; (Kebede, 2013) - Promotion of financial and fiscal incentives for the entrepreneurs who want to take up the production of alternative building materials, assuring the supply of raw materials at

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reasonable prices and the marketing of the products; (Kebede, 2013) - Organization, by the government, of experts, architects and civil engineers to exchange experiences in the field of development, production and application of alternative building materials and techniques; (Kebede, 2013) - Establishment of research and development facilities, strengthening the existing ones, with a view to developing lowcost building materials; (Kebede, 2013) - Translation of the researches’ results into actions, through appropriate extension agencies with the adequate resources to give financial and technical support about the use of alternative technologies; (Kebede, 2013) - Promotion of small-scale industrial specialization (in situ or off-site) in the production of earthen materials to make them available in the market, generating employment opportunities and boosting local economies; (Adegun, et al., 2017) - Policy reforms of government’s regulation, that often act as a barrier to the adoption of alternative building technologies; (El-hadj M. Bah, et al., 2018) - Creation of national standards in order to better oversee alternative material production and building construction. 4.3. FINAL CONSIDERATION It should be noted that these strategies, aimed at spreading the use of alternative and sustainable materials within the building industry, are applicable not only in Ethiopia and in the countries of the “Global South”, but also in developed countries. In fact, even in the already developed part of the world, it is necessary to break down the same dynamics that lead to the choice of materials harmful to the environment. 5. REFERENCES - Adegun, O., B., Adedeji, Y., M., D. (2017). Review of economic and environmental benefits of earthen materials for housing in Africa. Higher Education Press. https://www.researchgate. net /publication/320667087_ Review_of_economic _ and _ environmental_benefits_of_earthen_materials_for_housing_in_ Africa - Afkari, A. (2010). Sustainable Low-Cost Housing in Ethiopia. A Study of CSSB-Technology. [Bachelor’s thesis, School of Business and Engineering]. Halmstad University. http://www. diva-portal.org/smash/get/diva2:372358/FULLTEXT01.pdf - African Development Bank. (2018). NATIONAL CLIMATE CHANGE PROFILE. - African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO). (2018). Compressed stabilized earth blocks. Requirements, production and construction. https://www.arso-oran.org/wp-content/ uploads/2014/09/WD-ARS-1333-2017-Compressed-stabilizedearth-blocks-Requirements-production-and-construction.pdf

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