Kampala, Uganda
Marc Thorpe Design together with NGOs Stage Six and Échale International aims to relieve pressure on the housing market and the people of Uganda.
The goal is to provide new housing to middle to lower-income families by 2030.
According to the Uganda Bureau of Statistics, Uganda has a deficit of 2.1 million housing units, growing at a rate of 200,000 units a year. By 2030, the deficit is expected to reach three million units.
Kampala House project by Marc Thorpe Design will involve sustainable dwellings built from compressed earth to ecologically responsible housing development.
The Kampala House will be the first in a series of houses of various sizes to be built with partnerships in Africa as part of the ongoing project.
The housing is constructed using Echale International’s EcoBlock, compressed earth brick.
The EcoBlock is produced of 90% local soil and 10% a mixture of cement, lime, sand, and water.
It is a thermal and acoustic insulator, ecologically sustainable, more resistant than cement block, and with 30% less CO2 production.
Typically designed with three bedrooms, two bathrooms, and living, dining, and kitchen spaces, the Kampala House is accommodating for a range of families and has a close connection to the outdoors.
For example, an exterior wood burning stove allows for outdoor cooking which is a common activity in Uganda.
Wrapping around the front and side of the house is a large terrace, creating shaded areas for outdoor activities.
“Over the house is a large corrugated steel and wood roof designed to support solar panel array, harvest rainwater and store it in an adjacent water tower,” says Marc Thorpe Design.
“The concept of a water tower for each home is to provide a community network of water supply and be able to access and share in the event of a drought.”
Stage Six helps commercially viable social enterprises use the franchise model to scale rapidly, vastly, and sustainably.
Stage Six’s wide-ranging and geographically diverse client portfolio tackles essential needs, including health, nutrition, education, water, sanitation, housing, and clean energy.
Because they are using the franchise model to expand, they all create local business ownership opportunities and jobs.
Échale is a social housing company that provides community infrastructure and is committed to improving the life quality of the families.
The main construction material is 90% local soil and 10% a mixture of cement, lime, sand, and water.
The mission of Échale International is to build sustainable community development through social inclusion in the construction of housing and community infrastructure in the world.
Project: Kampala House
Architects: Marc Thorpe Design
Clients: Échale International and Stage Six
Visualisations: Truetopia
