The Earthen School Tipu Sultan Merkez that continues local building traditions has been completed and acts as an example of modern, earthen architecture in Pakistan. The building uses an affordable, high quality and durable alternative: a heavy earth cube ground floor and light bamboo top floor. The construction period ran from March 2011 until March 2013 (with interruptions in between), and an extension of the kindergarten is under planning. Besides ecological and economic considerations, social aspects, like the creation of a local identity, also played an important role in the design process.

A remarkable number of projects by German authors were prize-winners in the third International Holcim Awards competitions, resulting in the exhibition “MACHEN! The German winners of the Holcim Awards 2011/12” at the Aedes Architekturforum in Berlin. The six-week-long exhibition attracted some 5,000 visitors – and also included three panel discussions by the prize-winning project teams on the themes of (re)building the city to allow the coexistence of different lifestyles; using the entire spectrum of materials; as well as rediscovering and modernizing traditional architectural techniques.

The extension of the Tipu Sultan Merkez (TSM) is currently under construction. The new school structure demonstrates the effective combination of traditional building methods, enhanced through practical and conscious application of technology. It is playing a part in creating a unique local architecture, with the potential to transfer the approach to many other regions, particularly in less-developed countries.

The projects that received Holcim Awards Gold, Silver, or Bronze in each of the five regions of the world were automatically qualified to compete for the Global Holcim Awards 2012. The more extensive submission on the Locally-manufactured cob and bamboo school building for the global phase of the competition can be found here:

Project posters »

Winners of the Holcim Awards for sustainable construction projects and visions from Asia Pacific have been announced, bringing the regional phase of the 3rd International Holcim Awards competition to a close. A total of USD 300,000 was presented to twelve groundbreaking projects at a ceremony in Singapore. The winning projects show how sustainable approaches to infrastructure for communities and innovative architecture can improve the built environment and enhance quality of life.

The jury commended this project because it contributes to all of the competition’s “target issues” in a convincing way. Through engineering and design, a traditional building technology has been upgraded with effective low-tech measures. Bamboo is used in an innovative way, demonstrating the potential in construction of this fast-growing and widely available material, which also counters deforestation. The propagation of the new construction methods amongst the local population aids the establishment of local businesses and improves the economic situation in this rural area. All materials are locally sourced and can be processed with low energy requirements.