D o m d j i

Djibelor . Senegal . 2019

Client Private

Status Completed

A few kilometers from Ziguinchor, this amazing collective work camp took place in a Casamance forest. Twelve people built a 16m2 clay dome with a 4 meter height, in less than a month.

The team used in-situ soil which termites were kind enough to provide. Abandoned or still inhabited termite mounds, a total of 27m3 of pure laterite was excavated. After being stabilized, the clay filled 1000 linear meter of polypropylene bags. The result, clay walls thickness plus clay plastering, gives optimal thermal regulation, hygrothermal comfort and efficient acoustics. An octogram was added to the frame structure and a traditional Diola roof is now covering the dome in order to face the torrential waters that beat the region during the rainy season.

This dome is the first earthen construction of a four buildings group, all dedicated to accommodate Senegalese artists in residence. The four other structures will give rise to experimental work camps devoted exclusively to the earth construction : adobe, rammed earth, banko and cob.

E c o d o m u s

Ampefy . Madagascar . 2014

Client Private

Status Completed

This experimental and evolving project saw the day after an analysis about earth architecture in Madagascar Island.

How to continue building with clay today ?
How to extend technically the life of this building material ?
How to create a link between traditional local constructive culture and sustainability ?

The two domes are 16.5 and 14 feet in diameter (375 sq. ft. total area) and were built with 10 volunteers during a 30 days workshop.
It required 1.5 miles of polypropylene bags, 60 tons of laterite clay stabilized with pozzolane pebbles.

After two difficult years (strong rain, earthquakes, ant attacks, consecutive tests of coating based on banana juice or zebu dung), we found the ideal final plastering : hydraulic lime plus iron oxide.
Finally, a thatched roof was added in order to protect the plastering and to keep the breathing role of the raw earth walls.
Five volunteers who trained on the Ampefy workcamp built other domes across Madagascar.