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DeRoche Projects was founded in 2022 by Glen DeRoche after a decade-long stint at Adjaye Associates. After leaving Adjaye Associates and completing his M.Arch at The Bartlett School of Architecture, Glen relocated to Ghana where he began working with Jurgen Benson-Strohmayer. Now building his own practice, De Roche’s work places an emphasis on heritage, sustainable construction, and community. With a background in photography it comes as no surprise that his practice now works between Architecture and Art- with photography still being a large part of his creative process. 1

Four- meter rammed earth walls surround the Backyard Community Club’s tennis court in Accra, Ghana. The Backyard Community Club meets a need for public space in, utilizing a site strategy that DeRoche Projects calls “deliberately open-ended, where lines between sport, gathering, learning, and rest are blurred.” The court is bordered on one side by a garden of edible and medicinal plants along with restrooms and changing rooms. The remaining sides are bordered by either concrete or rammed earth walls that meet the surrounding neighborhood. 2

This project is the first instance of precast rammed earth modules in Ghana. Each module was designed with a perforation and taper, this design creates triangular fenestrations across the whole wall. 3

DeRoche’s use of rammed earth walls pulls from a long history of earth building in Ghana. Indigenous peoples in this area typically used wattle and daub as well as the Atakpame method- a way of building with earth creating monolithic earth walls that provided thermal mass to cool interiors. 4 DeRoche also has a personal connection to rammed earth walls, saying in an interview with PINUP, “I see texture as a way of deepening the sensorial qualities of architecture. It allows for depth, richness, and this poetic dance between light and shadow, which create emotive and surreal ways of making and experiencing space.” This is exemplified by the rammed earth modules in this project which cast deep shadows across the tennis court or garden depending on the time of day.

Sources:

1. Harvey-Ideozu, Angel. “An Architecture of One’s Own with Glenn DeRoche.” PIN–UP Magazine, PIN–UP Magazine, www.pinupmagazine.org/articles/glenn-deroche-interview
2. Dezeen. “DeRoche Projects Encloses Accra Tennis Court with Rammed-Earth Walls.” Dezeen, 17 Nov. 2025, www.dezeen.com/2025/11/17/deroche-projects-backyard-community-club-accra/
3. DeRoche Projects. DeRoche Projects, derocheprojects.com/.
4. Souza, Eduardo. “Colors Of the Earth: Ghana’s Incredible, Rammed Earth Walls.” ArchDaily, 18 Nov. 2021, www.archdaily.com/914736/colors-of-the-earth-the-incredible-designs-of-rammed-earth-walls-in-ghana

A project by Marcos Vargas, Lourdes Aguayo Francia, Vicente Angel Saavedra

The Bruder Klaus Chapel by Peter Zumthor, known for its use of concrete and its spiritual significance, inspired this project, which reimagines the chapel using rammed earth in hopes of offering a new perspective on the chapel’s form and spiritual significance. Through this material change, we emphasized the tactile and temporal qualities of the earth while maintaining the original architectural intent. Earth’s natural properties and historical significance in architecture highlight both the processes and challenges of working with rammed earth, from material sourcing to final assembly.

To embody the spiritual and material significance of the original chapel, our team chose to recreate the oculus section. Selecting this feature was crucial for exploring how architectural practices and traditions can express a spiritual narrative.

The dirt used in the project was collected from the back of Wurster Hall. Unfortunately, due to rain, the dirt was wet and could not be sifted through conventional means. As a result, the material was sifted by hand to remove larger particles and debris. Once prepared, the dirt was compacted into a mold designed to shape the wall’s mass.

The oculus element was formed using wooden dowels arranged around a clay cone. The dowels were secured inside a 3D-printed mold, which acted as a guide for stacking and compacting the rammed earth in layers. As the construction progressed, the 3D-printed mold was incrementally removed, and the clay cone was dug out to create the final oculus shape.

Initially, it was intended to burn the dowels to leave a charred imprint on the rammed earth, but the wet soil caused the dowels to detach. To address this, the dowels were coated in chalk prior, which created a residue resembling ash and transferred a faint wood grain texture on some areas of the rammed earth.

Resources:

https://www.archdaily.com/798340/peter-zumthors-bruder-klaus-field-chapel-through-the-lens-of-aldo-amoretti

The observatory in the desert was a project brought on by the Contemporary Architects Association that sought to revive tradition of clay and mud construction in the Esfahan Village in Iran with a beautiful communal piece. This work is described thoroughly in the following post. What is there not to love about this project? In this work of art, meticulously arranged mud bricks and rammed earth walls make a seamless experience.

Our group, Eryn King, Lucy Knopf and Camilla Faustinelli were blown away by this project when it was presented by one of the students in the class Earthen Material Practices in Contemporary Art and Architecture . We just had to recreate it.

The final pushed groups to build a model at 1/2” = 1’  scale, focusing on a specific building technique with earth we had studied.

Our group decided to focus on the mud brick.

For such an endeavor, we decided to change the design a bit. Because we weren’t going to focus on rammed earth walls, we made all of the construction  using mud bricks even if the interior circle is supposed to be a rammed earth wall in the actual project.

Construction process:

1. Collecting the mud : Mud for the bricks was collected in the San Pablo coastline area, as well as a backyard in Elmwood, Berkeley.
2. Making the bricks: Mud was pressed into silicone molds, then left to dry in the sun for several days.
3. Building: With a concrete base, we stacked the bricks in a 45 degree angle on the outside, and not angled on the inside to act as the rammed earth wall on the actual project. This is where texture and consistency of our collected dry mud came to play, making some pieces more fragile than others.

Building this observatory was a meticulous project, but it’s incredible how making something makes you understand why it’s so special. What a beautiful project. Our group hopes to one day see the project in person.

\Photograph by Luis Gordoa

Architects: Mauricio Rocha, Taller de Arquitectura Mauricio Rocha

Area: 91,493 ft²

Year Built: 2001

City/State: Iztapalapa, Mexico City

Country: Mexico

Located in Iztapalapa, Mexico City, the Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired is designed to address the unique sensory and social needs of its users.

The center was established as part of the government’s initiative to address the pressing need for services in one of the city’s most densely populated and underserved districts. Iztapalapa not only has one of the highest populations in Mexico City but also the largest concentration of visually impaired residents making this essentially very critical.

Constructed from volcanic rock, the boundary wall encloses the complex on all sides, acting as both an acoustic barrier and a retaining wall for earth relocated from nearby areas. While its exterior is minimal and unadorned, the interior facade transforms into varied banks that shift in shape, height, and orientation, forming a series of intimate courtyards. These enclosed outdoor spaces enhance sensory experiences, offering quiet, reflective areas for users within the bustling district.

Materiality is vital in this project as it enhances spatial perception, activating the senses as sources of experience and information. Organized into rectangular prisms with concrete frames and flat roofs, each section varies in size, light intensity, and material weight to make spaces easily identifiable. Rammed earth was also chosen for its contrasting textures to the volcanic rock to provide tactile cues that aid navigation.

The floor plan functions as a series of “filters” extending from the entrance, beginning with administrative offices, a cafeteria, and utility spaces. This layout, combined with sensory materials, allows users to navigate intuitively.. Overall, this thoughtful space prioritizes accessibility and engagement, creating an environment that fosters independence, and comfort.

References:

Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired / Taller de Arquitectura-Mauricio Rocha.” ArchDaily, 11 Aug. 2011, www.archdaily.com/158301/center-for-the-blind-and-visually-impaired-taller-de-arquitectura-mauricio-rocha?ad_medium=gallery.

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From Personal Experience to Architectural Innovation

Francis Kéré’s journey to build the Gando School Library began with his own childhood experiences. As a young student in rural Burkina Faso, Kéré had to travel 40 kilometers to reach the nearest school, where he studied in poorly lit, badly ventilated classrooms. These difficult learning conditions left a lasting impression that would shape his future work.

While studying architecture in Germany, Kéré made a crucial decision: he would use his education to build a better school for his village. In 1998, he established “Bricks for Gando,” a foundation to support this vision. By 1999, despite significant economic and logistical challenges, he began designing the primary school with support from his community and foundation funds.

Smart Design for Harsh Conditions

Kéré designed the school in 1999 with four key factors in mind: cost, climate, available materials, and building methods. He knew the building needed to stay cool in extreme heat, use local materials, and be built by village residents.

The Building Layout

The school features three classrooms arranged in a straight line. Between them, covered outdoor areas serve as play spaces and extra teaching rooms. This simple layout helps air move through the building while providing shade for outdoor activities.

Natural Cooling System

Instead of using expensive air conditioning, Kéré created an innovative ventilation system. He raised the metal roof above the clay brick ceiling using steel bars and light trusses. This design lets cool air enter through windows while hot air rises through holes in the ceiling and escapes through the gap under the raised roof. The roof extends far beyond the walls, protecting them from rain and creating extra shade.

Local Materials, New Methods

The walls use compressed earth blocks made from local clay, strengthened to last longer than traditional mud bricks. Concrete beams support the ceiling, which uses more compressed earth blocks with special holes for ventilation. The metal roof protects everything below while helping move hot air out of the building.

Built by the Community

Every person who worked on the school came from Gando. During construction, villagers learned new building skills while sharing their knowledge of traditional methods. These skills spread through the community, leading to more building projects in Gando and nearby villages.

Award-Winning Impact

In 2001, the completed school won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The judges praised its “elegant and simple design using basic construction techniques.” More importantly, it proved that buildings could be:

• Made entirely from local materials
• Built by local people
• Comfortable without expensive cooling systems
• Strong enough to last many years
• Perfect for their climate and community

Beyond the Classroom

The primary school did more than provide a place to learn. It showed a new way to build in hot climates using simple materials and smart design. The success led Kéré to design more buildings in Gando, including teacher housing and later, the library.

A Model for African Architecture

The Gando Primary School challenged common ideas about building in Africa. It proved that:

1. Traditional materials could work better than modern ones
2. Local builders could create advanced buildings
3. Natural cooling could replace air conditioning
4. Simple design could solve complex problems
5. Architecture could grow from community needs

Growing to Meet Community Needs

The success of the Gando Primary School led to its first expansion just two years after opening. In 2003, faced with rising student numbers, Kéré designed an extension that built on the original’s proven solutions while introducing subtle innovations.

He kept the core elements that worked well – local clay blocks for walls, the signature raised roof for ventilation, and the protective deep overhangs.

Interior of the vaulted ceiling classroom

However, he refined the cooling system by replacing the flat perforated ceiling with a curved vault design. This new ceiling featured carefully spaced gaps in its brick pattern, creating a more effective “breathing” surface that drew cool air in through the windows while letting hot air escape through the vault. The extension, built again by community members who had gained experience from the first project, showed how Kéré’s sustainable design principles could evolve while staying true to their original purpose.

https://livinspaces.net/design-stories/featured-projects/building-for-africa-the-responsive-architecture-of-gando-school-library-burkina-faso-by-diebedo-francis-kere/