Engaging the people it serves

A hyper-local building taps into knowledge, skills and materials that are indigenous to a place. When the act of making such a building also engages the people that it serves, it becomes truly transformative, restoring pride and often strengthening the identity of marginalised communities.

Two Acknowledgement prize winners at the Holcim Awards 2023 – Ezbet Eshaq’s Eco-Classroom (Fayoum, Egypt) and Muscowpetung Powwow Arbour (Saskatchewan, Canada) – exemplify the hyper-localised approach in unique ways.

Exemplifying the hyper-localized approach in Egypt and Canada

Ezbet Eshaq’s Eco-Classroom is a community learning space that was built with traditional construction techniques and reused plastic bottles filled with sand in a rural setting. A participatory approach was key to achieving a safe, vibrant, and environmentally responsible building. The process also served to empower the local youth by training them in construction practices.

Muscowpetung Powwow Arbour is a cultural space for an indigenous community. The design of the building capitalises on native skills and knowhow – for instance, how local timber is sourced, cut and debarked. The centre will host events and other tourism activities, thereby generating income for the community.