The Bidi Bidi Performing Arts Center is an earthen amphitheater serving the South Sudanese refugee community in Northern Uganda. This art center was designed in collaboration with Hassel Studios, To: Studios, architecture practice LocalWorks, and engineering firm Arup. This space was created as a community gathering space, a performance venue , and a music school; with classrooms, music training spaces, and a recording studio.
The design of the amphitheater utilizes local and easily accessible materials for it’s walls which are made from hand pressed earth bricks. The earthen walls are protected from weathering by its roof structure. The positioning of the bricks allows daylight and ventilation to permeate all spaces. These specific brick patterns have a relationship with music. The brick absorbs and diffuses sound in the performing space, classroom, and recording studio, further optimizing the spaces acoustically.
The center roof design is shaped like a funnel, which collects to rainwater This rainwater then provides water to the community and supports essential facilities such as the tree nursery and vegetable garden located outside the center.
Bidi Bidi allows for a a place for dance, music and performance; a unionization between refugees and local communities in Northern Uganda. Allowing for a cultural connection from refugees’ birth countries, the art center creates a space for love and peace.
Location: Bidi Bidi, Uganda
Completed Year: 2024
Collaborators: LocalWorks, Arup, The Landscape Studio, To.org
Design team: Xavier De Kestelier, Joanna Lesna, Sarah Huc, Nikolaos Argyros, Jonathan Irawan
Based in Monterrey, Mexico, Diseño Norteño is an architecture firm celebrated for merging modern innovation with the cultural heritage of northern Mexico. Their projects are designed to respect the natural environment, utilizing local materials and reinterpreting traditional techniques with a contemporary twist. With a multidisciplinary team, they have become known for creating spaces that reflect regional identity while delivering functional and forward-thinking design solutions.
Photo by Diseño Norteño
The “OJA” project, located in the serene landscapes of Coahuila, Mexico, showcases Diseño Norteño’s dedication to sustainability and elegant design. “OJA” serves as a harmonious retreat, blending seamlessly with its natural surroundings. The project draws inspiration from traditional northern Mexican architecture, adapted to a modern context, to create a sanctuary that respects and enhances its environment.
Photo by Diseño Norteño
Key materials used in the “OJA” project include compressed earth, which is a contemporary twist on traditional earthen construction. This material not only provides excellent thermal insulation, keeping the indoor environment comfortable year-round, but also minimizes environmental impact by utilizing locally sourced resources. Recycled wood plays a significant role as well, adding warmth and a rustic charm to the interiors, creating inviting spaces that feel both cozy and grounded. Additionally, local stone is incorporated for its durability and aesthetic qualities, establishing a strong connection between the building and its natural surroundings. This thoughtful selection of materials enhances the visual appeal of the structure while reinforcing the project’s commitment to eco-friendliness and sustainability. By choosing materials that are both beautiful and environmentally responsible, “OJA” embodies a harmonious relationship between design and nature.
Photo by Diseño Norteño
“OJA” employs several passive design techniques to improve sustainability. The building is oriented to maximize natural light and promote cross ventilation, reducing reliance on artificial heating and cooling. Large windows and strategic shading devices protect the interiors from excessive heat, while modern systems like rainwater harvesting and solar panels further enhance self-sufficiency. Together, these elements create a beautiful, functional space that reflects a harmonious blend of traditional practices and contemporary innovations, reinforcing the project’s commitment to ecological and cultural sustainability.
References
(n.d.). Diseño Norteño – Tijuana. Retrieved November 5, 2024, from https://d-n.mx/
CONTENT WARNING:graphic descriptions of art installations and construction. ie sexual violence, murder, blood.
Teresa Margolles, born in 1963, is an artist from Mexico City. Teresa is considered a conceptual artist, with a focus on the impacts of violence and death, specifically in her home country of Mexico, and Latin America as a whole.
Bernd Kammerer
In her early adulthood, she went to school and studied to become a forensic pathologist. She then worked in the morgue, and witnessed the ways in which bodies, and the lives lost resulting in these bodies, were unnoticed. The violence of her home and surroundings became the subject of much of her artistic work. Margolles went on to create an artists’ collective named SEMEFO in the 1990s.
“When I was working with SEMEFO I was very interested in what was happening inside the morgue and the situations that were occurring, let’s say, a few meters outside the morgue, among family members and relatives. But Mexico has changed so violently that it’s no longer possible to describe what’s happening outside from within the morgue. The pain, loss and emptiness are now found in the streets.” Teresa Margolles, 2009.
Margolles has a pattern of using natural earthen and human materials in her work, such as water, dirt, sand, sweat, blood, fat, and tissue. These materials are used to tell her story through the art pieces and installations, all with a focus on violence, erasure, destruction, and death.
Recovered Blood, 2009
Recovered Blood, as shown above, was created using the mud-soaked clothes that were used to clean the sites of drug-related murders throughout Mexico.
Mesa y dos bancos, 2013
This table and benches were created using a mixture of concrete and organic material harvested from the grounds of the site of a murder on the Northern Mexico and US border.
Vaporizacion, 2001
This installation was created using the water used to wash corpses in the morgue in Mexico. This water was then dispersed throughout the space using two fog machines.
Joyas, 2007
This piece of jewelry was created with shattered glass fragments sourced by Margolles from a local gunfight in Mexico. She then collaborated with a local jeweler to create a piece of jewelry that resembles one a powerful gang member might wear.
Lote Bravo, 2005
This installation, Lote Bravo, in Mexico consisted of adobe bricks. The bricks were mixed and made out of soil and earth harvested from the site of murders and burials of Mexican women found along the border of the United States and Mexico. These women were often determined to be sexually assaulted at the site of their death.
Cleaning, 2009.
This exhibit featured an hourly mopping of the floor, however the cleaning liquid that was used contained blood from individuals murdered in Mexico.
Herida, 2010.
This installation consisted of a seam in the wall, filled with human fat which was gathered from corpses of murdered people in Mexico.
Marlene Pista de Baile del club ‘Mona Lisa’, 2016
In addition to conceptual and performance art, Margolles is also a photographer. In this particular collection, she focuses on the destruction of clubs in Juarez and throughout Mexico. In the image above, Margolles captures Marlene, a transgender woman standing on what remained of the dance floor of the club she worked at, Mona Lisa.
Composed of 726 plaster face castings, they were created from the faces of only trans, nonbinary, and gender nonconforming individuals from both Mexico and the United Kingdom.
Castello di Rivoli Museo d’Arte Contemporanea, Torino, Italy; Centre Georges Pompidou, Paris, France; Colección Centro de Arte Dos de Mayo, Mostoles, Madrid, Spain; Colección Fundación ARCO, Madrid, Spain; Des Moines Art Center, Des Moines, IA; Fotomuseum Winterthur, Switzerland; FRAC Lorraine, Metz, France; Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, Washington, D.C.; Kunsthaus Zürich, Switzerland; Colección Jumex, Mexico City, Mexico; Musée d’Art Contemporain, Montreal, Canada; Museion Museo d’arte moderna e contemporanea, Bolzano, Italy; Museo Universitario Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico; Museo Tamayo Arte Contemporáneo, Mexico City, Mexico; Museum für Moderne Kunst, Frankfurt, Germany; Museum of Modern Art in Warsaw, Poland; National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada; Neue Nationalgalerie, Berlin, Germany; Pérez Art Museum, Miami, FL; Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa, OK; Phoenix Art Museum, Phoenix, AZ; Tate Modern, London, UK and The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, TX.
Awards:
Artes Mundi Prize and the Prince Claus Award for Culture and Development in 2012.
53rd Venice Biennale in 2009 for What Else Could We Talk About?
The artist Andy Goldsworthy in “Leaning Into the Wind.” Credit:Thomas Riedelscheimer/Magnolia Pictures
Andy Goldsworthy is an international based artist born in England. His art process is known for integrating and creating with the natural environment. Working as both sculptor and photographer, Goldsworthy crafts his installations out of rocks, ice, leaves, or branches, cognizant that the landscape will change, then carefully documents the ephemeral collaborations with nature through photography.
Goldsworthy has numerous art installation and creations. However, his art installation, Earth Wall, utilizes rammed earth and eucalyptus branches to illustrate simulated layers of earthen materials as an art form and not as a structural material.
Andy Goldsworthy, Earth Wall, 2014, Photograph by The Chronicle’s Sam Whiting.
In order to construct this installation Goldsworthy and his team collected curved eucalyptus branches from San Francisco’s Presidio. Then they installed a sphere of branches onto a wall before the formwork for the rammed earth wall is installed.
After which, a shutter formwork was constructed in front of the wall. Then locally sourced Presidio earth mixed is poured into the forms, and ramming begins. Rammers carefully compact earth around the twisted ball of Eucalyptus branches. Once poured, the formwork is removed revealing a freshly packed rammed earth wall and the center point of the ball of gnarled eucalyptus branches.
Once hardened, Goldsworthy excavates the rammed earth from around the gnarled eucalyptus wood.
For a more detailed visualization view this video.
Andy Goldsworthy continues exploring the relationship between art and the natural environment. His ability to become attuned to his environment mentally, physically, and emotionally, creates a unique perspective of the human and natural world.
“We often forget that WE ARE NATURE. Nature is not something separate from us. So when we say that we have lost our connection to nature, we’ve lost our connection to ourselves.”
– Andy Goldsworthy
Andy Goldsworthy, “Wood Line“, 2011, Photograph by Brian Vahey.
Casa de pau a pique, or a bahareque house in Brazil.
Bahareque is the Spanish name for what is known in English as wattle and daub, a method of building where wet loam is applied to an interwoven mesh of twigs, branches, bamboo, etc. Specifically, bahareque (also known as quincha) is a subset of the thrown loam technique, where the wet loam is applied by hand onto the organic skeleton. The loam of earth (a combination of clay, silt, and soil) and aggregate, usually straw. Bahareque describes a wide range of building techniques and types, and can be separated out into various local traditions across South America.
Traditional bahareque wall.
Originally combined with palm frond roofs, bahareque was often topped with tiled roofs after European colonization. It can be used in combination with other earthen architecture technologies, as seen in the image below.
Solar do Major Novaes, constructed with adobe on the lower floor and wattle and daub on the upper floor.
Bahareque is currently being explored as a low-cost housing typology. There are questions as to how well it can withstand seismic activity, but it is often proposed as a housing solution for earthquake stricken regions. Costa Rica, Ecuador, and Brazil have all introduced engineered bahareque (or cement bahareque) following devastating earthquakes.
In Ecuador, where the matrix and frame for bahareque architecture is made of guadua bamboo, one of the strongest bamboo subspecies, there is promising contemporary research proving that bahareque is superior to masonry architecture both for earthquake safety and from a sustainability standpoint.
Bahareque houses designed by ARUP and REDES, before the plaster is applied to the bamboo matrix.Construction documents of bahareque houses designed by ARUP.
Project Start : 2021 Project End : 2024 Location : Binissalem, Mallorca, Spain. Team : Munarq Architects Gross Floor Area: 300 m²
Ca na Pua is a sustainable earthen home built in Binissalem, Mallorca; an island off the shore of Spain’s Mediterranean Sea. Ca na Pua was designed by munarq, an architectural studio based in Mallorca founded by Rafel Munar and Pau Munar focused on the integration of architecture in the Mediterranean landscape. inclusion of the environment
To construct this house munarq used an old local Mallorcan technique known as ballast. During this process, aggregates of various sizes, stone, and lime are mixed together to create a strong base. Then an open diffusion membrane between two ballast to allow for waterproofing. Waterproofing supports the overall longevity of the building while maintaining a healthy indoor environment.
The interior of the house uses a coat of earth and lime that creates hygrothermal environment environment. The earth-lime mixture acts as a natural buffer, absorbing and releasing moisture to maintain a comfortable and stable indoor climate.
The roof is insulated using straw coverage laced between laminated wood beams. This setup creates a dense and well-integrated insulation layer that provides thermal resistance.
There is an interaction with the built environment with the build patio or oasis shared within the home.
TOVA is the first architectural construction in Spain located in the facilities of IAAC Valldaura Labs, Barcelona, built with a Crane WASP, the architectural 3D printer. The project was completed in 2022. The construction can be completed within weeks using 100% local materials and local labor, zero waste and a close to virtually zero carbon emission footprint. This manufacturing system can be used anywhere in the world and can help to housing emergencies. The project has been developed by the team of students and researchers from the 3D Printing Architecture (3dPA) postgraduate program of the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC).
Also, this project is one of the most sustainable and environmentally friendly construction forms that can be applied today. The construction took 7 weeks time to complete, a Crane WASP, the architectural 3D printer and km zero materials. The structure is made ofclay and water obtained on site. To ensure the longevity of the material in resistance to weather, a waterproof coating is added using raw extracted materials such as aloe and egg whites.
Thebuild area is 9 m2. The prototype took into account performative design strategies, conceived during a two-week design charette where students synthesized the lessons learned in the research phase to develop the components of the prototype: light openings, air flow, wall cavity ventilation, thermal conductivity, roof structure, built-in furniture, waterproofing and floor substructure.
The proposed design has different structural considerations in the roof beam system as well as the innate structure of the clay walls. The walls are designed to be braced with T and L joints, rather than straight lines. The resulting closed interior space is habitable, weather resistant and climatically adapted by the various design interventions.
Wattle and daub is a traditional building technique that has been used in the UK for centuries, dating back to prehistoric times and continuing well into the 20th century. This method was particularly common in medieval timber-framed buildings and remains an important part of Britain’s architectural heritage.
Construction Method
Wattle and daub consists of two main components:
Wattle: A lattice of wooden strips or branches (often hazel) woven between upright poles. This forms the structural framework for the wall.
Daub: A mixture of wet materials applied to the wattle. The daub typically consists of:
Binders: Clay, lime, or chalk dust
Aggregates: Earth, sand, or crushed stone
Reinforcement: Straw, hair, or other fibrous materials
The daub is applied in stages, first as balls pressed into the wattle from both sides, then allowed to dry before being scratched and covered with a lime plaster. Finally, the wall is often whitewashed for additional protection.
Advantages
Wattle and daub offers several benefits:
Strong yet flexible, accommodating structural movement
Good insulation properties
Effective moisture management
Durable when properly maintained
Historical Significance
Archaeological evidence of wattle and daub has been found in various locations across the UK, often associated with medieval manors and other important sites. In England, remains of Iron Age circular dwellings constructed using this method have been discovered.
Conservation and Modern Use
Many historic buildings in the UK still feature original wattle and daub panels, some up to 700 years old. Conservation efforts focus on preserving these panels, with repairs carried out using traditional techniques. Some heritage organizations, like the Weald & Downland Living Museum, offer courses in wattle and daub construction and repair.
In recent years, there has been renewed interest in wattle and daub as a sustainable building method for new timber-framed structures, due to its use of local, natural materials and low environmental impact.
Wattle and daub remains an important part of the UK’s architectural heritage, showcasing traditional craftsmanship and sustainable building practices that continue to be relevant today.
WASP (World’s Advanced Savings Project) has pioneered an innovative approach to sustainable architecture with their 3D-printed house called Gaia. This eco-friendly structure represents a significant advancement in sustainable construction and showcases the potential of using natural, locally-sourced materials in 3D printing technology.
This composition utilizes natural waste materials from rice production, making it an environmentally conscious choice.
Construction Process
The house was 3D printed using the Crane WASP, a specialized 3D printer designed for on-site construction. The printing process took approximately 100 hours to complete 30 square meters of wall with a thickness of 40 cm.
Design and Performance
Gaia incorporates:
Natural ventilation systems
Thermo-acoustic insulation
Bioclimatic efficiency
The structure maintains a comfortable temperature year-round without the need for heating or air conditioning systems, showcasing its energy efficiency.
Environmental Impact and Cost
Gaia demonstrates remarkable sustainability:
Near-zero environmental impact
Total material cost for the walls: €900
Biodegradable construction materials
Minimal carbon footprint
Significance and Future Implications
WASP’s Gaia project represents a significant step towards addressing global housing needs sustainably. By utilizing local materials and advanced 3D printing technology, this approach offers:
A potential solution for rapid, low-cost housing construction
Reduced environmental impact compared to traditional building methods
Adaptability to various geographical locations and climates
The success of Gaia has led to further developments, such as the TECLA project, which aims to create even more sustainable and scalable housing solutions.
WASP’s Gaia project demonstrates the viability of combining an ancient building practice and material (earth) with modern 3D printing technology, and might demonstrate one way to create sustainable, efficient, and cost-effective housing.
Chilean architect Marcelo Cortés is known for his construction technique called quincha metálica, that combines a steel frame and welded wire mesh with a mud mixture Cortés calls tecno-barro.
This construction method reimagines the wattle and daub building method known as quincha, a traditional technology that has existed in South America for at least 8,000 years.
Traditionally, a quincha structure is constructed by creating a framework, or wattle, of interwoven pieces of wood, cane, or bamboo. This matrix of vertical and horizontal members is then covered on both sides with a mixture of mud and straw, or daub, and finished with a thin lime plaster to create a weathertight building envelope in the form of wall or ceiling panels. The system results in a lightweight flexible structure that is inherently earthquake resistant.
Cortés was inspired by the way that historic homes in the center of Santiago were constructed, which used metal wire to hold mud bricks within a wooden frame in place during earthquakes.
In Cortés’s construction process, a framework of steel and welded wire mesh are erected into a framework and the steel is coated with an asphalt emulsion to prevent corrosion. He then applies a mud mixture he refers to as tecno-barro, that is stabilized with lime to reduce the volumetric expansion of clay and increase water impermeability. This technique allows him to create volumetric forms that have not been historically found in earthen construction
One example of the quincha metálica and tecno-barro technique can be found in the Peñalolén House, on the outskirts of Santiago, in a place called Peñalolén, Chile.
The Peñalolén House is a private residence that reinterprets traditional Chilean central valley architecture. It is approximately 1,075 square feet and designed to blend in with the environment and maximize the views of the Andes Mountains.
The home has canted walls to protect against solar gain and wind-driven rain. Its steel frame provides flexibility and earthquake resistance, while the thin mud skin remains lightweight.
This is one of many examples Cortés has been able to produce using this construction method.
Marcelo Cortés is a renowned Chilean architect, constructor, and earth researcher. He graduated from the University of Chile and has since become a pioneering figure in contemporary earth architecture. Cortes holds the UNESCO Chair in earth architecture, constructive cultures, and sustainable habitat, reflecting his expertise and contributions to the field.
His innovative work in earthquake-resistant earth construction techniques has earned him international recognition. In 2016, Cortes received a tribute at TerraWorld as a world pioneer of contemporary earth architecture. The College of Architects of Chile awarded him the Fermín Vivaceta Rupio Award for his technological applications in architecture.
Cortes is also the founder of the ARCOT Network, which unites nine public and regional universities in Chile to establish an earth architecture chair. His research and practical innovations in reinforced earth techniques for seismic regions have been the subject of a doctoral thesis by Favio Gatti at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia, completed in 2023.
Andy Goldsworthy, Earth Wall, 2014, Photograph by The Chronicle’s Sam Whiting. 
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