Library of Muyinga

Library built in a participatory way with locally sourced compressed earth blocks

The first library of Muyinga, part of a future inclusive school for deaf children, in locally sourced compressed earth blocks, built with a participatory approach. Our work in Africa started within the framework of OpenStructures.net. BC was asked to scale the "Open structures" model to an architectural level. A construction process involving end-users and second-hand economies was conceived. Product life cycles, water resource cycles and energy cycles were connected to this construction process. This OpenStructures architectural model was called Case Study (CS) 1: Katanga, Congo. It was theoretical and fully research-based. 5 years later, the library of Muyinga in Burundi nears completion.

Location
MuyingaBurundi
Surface
140m2
Budget
40.000€
Client
ODEDIM
Concept
2012
Architecture
BC architects & studies
Cooperation
ODEDIM Muyinga NGO, Satimo vzw, Sint-Lucas Architecture University, Rotary Aalst, Zonta Brugge, Province of West-Flanders, Sarolta Huttl, Sebastiaan De Beir, Hanne Eckelmans
Community participation and organisation:
BC studies and ODEDIM Muyinga