Architectural Portfolio by Erika Alatalo

Portfolio

Erika Alatalo

Architect & Engineer

PORTFOLIO 2024

ERIKA ALATALO

PROFESSIONAL PROJECTS

KUNDUZ TRAUMA CENTER

HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION FOR HUMANITARIAN AID

2022-2023 KUNDUZ, AFGHANISTAN

ACADEMIC

PROJECTS

KEYWORDS : HUMANITARIAN AID, MEDICAL FACILITIES, CONTRACT MANAGEMENT, TECHNICAL COLLABORATION, TEAM MANAGEMENT

KILONZO HOUSE

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE BUILDING THROUGH PRIVATE HOUSE CONSTRUCTION

2020-2021 MOSHI, TANZANIA

KEYWORDS : COMPRESSED EARTH BLOCKS, RESIDENTIAL ARCHITECTURE, SITE SUPERVISON, MATERIALS AND CRAFTSMANSHIP, CLIENT RELATIONS

SHIMBWE SCHOOL RENOVATIONS

SUPPORTING RURAL EDUCATION THROUGH REFURBISHMENT AND REUSE

2019-2020 SHIMBWE, TANZANIA

KEYWORDS : REHABILITATION, SUSTAINABLE BUILDING, EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS, SITE SUPERVISION, REUSE, WATER AND SANITATION

BUILD WITH GAMBIA

EARTH ARCHITECTURE WORKSHOP FOR A RURAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

2018-2019 KARSI KUNDA, THE GAMBIA

KEYWORDS : EARTH BUILDING, LOCAL MATERIALS, COMMUNITY OWNERSHIP, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, PARTICIPATORY DESIGN, EXPERIMENTATION

RETHINKING LOW-COST SCHOOLS IN PAKISTAN

SCHOOLS AS A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

2015-2016 PAKISTAN

KEYWORDS : SUSTAINABLE BUILDING, PASSIVE DESIGN, BUILDING MATERIALS, SOCIAL SUSTAINABILITY, EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS, FIELD STUDIES

A COMMON TOMORROW

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PERMACULTURE IN RURAL KENYA

2015 KAJULU, KENYA

KEYWORDS : COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, PERMACULTURE, PARTICIPATORY DESIGN, RURAL DEVELOPMENT, ON-SITE PARTICIPATION

RECREATE: CONSCIOUS DESIGN FOR A COLLECTIVE MIND

SUSTAINABLE REFURBISHMENT OF CAMPUS BUILDING

2014 GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN

KEYWORDS : SUSTAINABLE BUILDING, REFURBISHMENT, PASSIVE DESIGN, ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING, EDUCATIONAL BUILDINGS

ERIKA ALATALO

erika.alatalo@gmail.com

www.fieldstudyoftheworld.com

35-year-old Finnish architect, engineer and project manager with 4.5 years of experience managing nonprofit design and construction projects focusing on humanitarian assistance, poverty alleviation and promoting sustainable building practices

TOP SKILLS

Architectural design

Project management

Nonprofit construction

Sustainable building

Construction supervision

Social architecture

Passive design

Building physics

Renovations

Earth building

Sustainable development

Community development

Participatory design

Permaculture

WORK EXPERIENCE

MÉDECINS

08/22 - 07/23

11/21 - 04/22 (18 MONTHS)

SANS FRONTIÈRES

KUNDUZ, AFGHANISTAN & MAIDUGURI, NIGERIA

Construction manager

- Designing, planning and managing the construction of healthcare facilities (trauma center and maternity hospital) for humanitarian aid

- Preparing technical dossiers, including architectural drawings and BoQs

- Collaborating with medical, energy, WASH and HVAC specialists for holistic design

- Managing tenders and following up on construction contracts, budgets and chronograms

- Overseeing the implementation of construction works and quality control

- Managing and recruiting construction supervisors and providing technical guidance

C-RE-AID MOSHI, TANZANIA

06/19 - 07/21 (26 MONTHS)

Architectural manager

- Managing and supervising the design and construction of two school rehabilitations and one private family house using sustainable building technologies, primarily CEBs

- Managing and guiding staff, interns, volunteers and labourers at the site and office

- Preparing BoQs, tracking project budgets and reporting expenses to donors and clients

- Researching sustainable and low-cost building technologies in the local context

- Assisting with other projects, project evaluations and NGO management

NKA FOUNDATION KARSI KUNDA, THE GAMBIA

03/18 - 01/19 (11 MONTHS)

Workshop leader

- Managing the funding and volunteer recruitment for an earth architecture workshop

- Guiding and supervising the design and construction of a vocational school dormitory

- Experimenting sustainable building with local workers and international volunteers

- Collaborating with the village community to promote local ownership of the project

MAYAN FAMILIES PANAJACHEL, GUATEMALA

02/17 - 05/17 (3 MONTHS)

Shelter program intern

- Assisting in the design and construction of pre-school and housing projects

- Developing strategies to improve the sustainability of the shelter program

CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN

08/15 - 11/15 (4 MONTHS)

Project assistant

- Energy loss and moisture safety calculations to assess a new building envelope system

+ 34 weeks of volunteering in 20 other construction, permaculture and sustainable development projects

EDUCATION SOFTWARE

CHALMERS UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY GOTHENBURG, SWEDEN

08/12 - 06/16

M.Sc. in Design for Sustainable Development (120 ECTS)

Thesis: Rethinking low-cost schools in Pakistan

08/12 - 01/16

M.Sc. in Structural Engineering and Building Technology (120 ECTS)

Thesis: Enhancing the building performance of low-cost schools in Pakistan

08/09 - 05/12

B.Sc. in Architecture and Engineering (180 ECTS)

NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE

08/12 - 05/13

Graduate level exchange studies in architecture and building performance design

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Basic Logistical Technical Course - Médecins Sans Frontières (2023)

- Two-week training on technical support in MSF humanitarian missions (eg. WASH, motorized fleet, energy, cold chain, telecommunications, IT)

Project Management for Development Professionals (Project DPro) - Humentum (2021)

- Online workshop to improve project management skills of humanitarian and development aid professionals

Challenging Practice: In Situ Studio in Guinea-Bissau - ASF Sweden (2019)

- Two-week participatory design workshop to improve WASH facilities in schools in collaboration with UNICEF Guinea-Bissau

PUBLICATIONS

” Toni Rüttimann and His Bridge Building Approach”

Structural Engineering International, Volume 30, 2020 - Issue 1, Pages 8-11

”Case Study of Two Toni Rüttimann Bridges in Myanmar ”

AutoCAD

SketchUp Rhinoceros

Revit Adobe InDesign COMSOL

Archicad Adobe Illustrator WUFI

Adobe Photoshop MATLAB

Microsoft Office

LANGUAGES

Finnish: C2

English: C2

Swedish: C1

Spanish: B1

French: A2

Swahili: A1

KUNDUZ TRAUMA CENTER

HOSPITAL CONSTRUCTION FOR HUMANITARIAN AID

2022-2023

KUNDUZ, AFGHANISTAN

I spent one year working as a construction manager for Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) in Kunduz, Afghanistan, where MSF was building a new trauma center (KTC) to replace a previous one destroyed in a bombing. Most of the buildings were already completed and the hospital was in operation. I worked on the architectural design and contract management of the remaining buildings, mainly isolation ward, medical warehouse, rainwater reservoir, staff clinic and the kitchen and staff dining hall. Close collaboration with our team's specialist engineers on structural, electrical, water and sanitation, and HVAC matters was crucial for integrated design and construction. Maintaining clear relations with contractors was another key element, starting from a proper tender process.

CONFLICT SETTING AND SECURITY

Being in a post-conflict and still volatile context meant that security was a high priority. On one hand it meant extra security measures in how we dealt with the contractors and their logistics. On the other hand, security was also reflected in the design of the buildings, most notably in the requirement for saferooms with more advanced design and construction.

MANAGING A SHORT TIMELINE

Time was a crucial factor: the sooner the hospital was finished the more patients could be treated. The challenge was to build as quickly as possible without compromising quality and safety. Many details had to be solved on the construction site, and flexibility and ability to quickly improvise were required from both our MSF construction team and the contractors.

LOCAL TECHNIQUES AND MATERIALS

The first buildings of KTC had been built with imported prefabricated structures. This was done to save time, but acquiring materials and skills in Afghanistan - also for maintenance - is challenging. Hence, the buildings I worked on were built with typical local concrete frame structures and bricks. The design of finishes and details also had to consider availability of materials.

HOSPITAL DESIGN

One of my main tasks was architectural design of the remaining buildings. Understanding user needs and flows was important, especially medical requirements like infection prevention and control. Equally important was understanding local construction techniques, as this could keep designs low-cost but still architecturally pleasing and user-friendly.

QUALITY CONTROL

We hired external contractors for the construction works, but our MSF construction team did close follow up of quality control. Our engineers did most of the work, but as I was overseeing the works and managing the contract, I also had to be present on site, especially if there were any problems. Some challenges we faced were the quality of plaster and roof waterproofing.

INFECTION PREVENTION & CONTROL

Infection prevention and control was an important topic in the hospital, and it was something our construction team had to consider both during design and construction supervision. Especially in the isolation ward we had to make sure the quality of the finishes was high and that surfaces were easily cleanable, for example by minimizing joints in floors and ceilings.

TECHNICAL COLLABORATION

To ensure a holistic design and reduce changes during construction, it was crucial that I discuss design details with the engineers in our team. One example is the plumbing design of the kitchen, which needed a special solution so that the waste water plumbing of the first floor didn't compromise the security of the saferoom in the basement below.

FOCAL POINT OF CONSTRUCTION

Collaboration with our MSF engineers was as important during construction as design, to make sure every step was done in order. As the project manager, I was the main focal point and had to also ensure everyone collaborated with each other. Through this role I learned a lot about technical details, which in turn resulted in improved design for new buildings.

HVAC

HVAC was one technical field that I learned a lot about. Requirements were generally high: in the isolation ward the ventilation system needed to prevent spread of diseases, in the medical warehouse temperature control for drugs was important, and in the dining room and the staff clinic the HVAC system had to respect saferoom requirements.

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CONTRACT MANAGEMENT

As the contract manager, I had to work closely with the contractors to make sure they were respecting the contract, including the agreed timeline. Weekly meetings with contractors and daily visits to the construction site were essential. I also managed payments and kept track of the percentage of works done to know when payment steps were reached.

TENDER MANAGEMENT

I was also involved in the selection of contractors for new contracts. A realistic construction timeline was one important criteria as delays were something we struggled with. Another topic we made sure to discuss during tender interviews was the quality we expected to achieve, especially considering the challenges of finding quality materials in Afghanistan.

TECHNICAL DOSSIER

Managing tenders and contracts quickly taught me the importance of having clear and detailed drawings, BoQs and contracts before starting construction. This required some more time, but it ensured that both the contractors and our team were better prepared. This in turn saved time during construction and resulted in less changes in design and costs.

CONTINUOUS UPDATES

REFLECTION AS-BUILT DOCUMENTATION

During construction, I tried to keep the drawings and the BoQs continuously updated whenever some changes were made. One reason was that I knew I would eventually hand over the works to another construction manager, so it was important to document everything. It was also important to inform the hospital team if there were any changes in the timeline.

After the contractor handed over the building to our construction team, it was our turn to hand over the building to the KTC hospital team. A part of this process was handing over the as-built drawings and technical documentation that would be useful for maintenance. Documentation was also important for the construction team to improve new designs.

The size and complexity of the KTC project taught me a lot about both construction and about project management. Working closely with the engineers in our team improved my technical skills on one hand and team management skills on the other. Meanwhile, the challenges we faced taught me the importance of well prepared drawings, BoQs and contracts.

KILONZO HOUSE

PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE BUILDING THROUGH PRIVATE HOUSE CONSTRUCTION

2020-2021 MOSHI, TANZANIA

When I was working for architectural NGO C-re-aid during the Covid-19 pandemic, C-reaid took on a private house project in order to fund the NGO during the difficult times. This project provided a great opportunity to promote compressed earth blocks (CEBs) as a sustainable and affordable building material suitable for the Tanzanian context. I developed the initial design together with architectural intern Estelle Guitay, after which I managed the budget, construction and design development until the building was complete. Throughout the project, it was essential to understand the clients’ wishes, the characteristics and limitations of the materials, and the local building techniques, in order to create a house that took full advantage of the potential of the materials.

light. These priorities defined the design on a large scale but also in small details and finishing elements.

the roof slope and create light and spacious central areas for storage and circulation.

inside and outside. Concrete roof tiles and a visible roof structure are another main design element.

CONSTRUCTION SUPERVISION

Creating the initial design was only the first step, and the majority of the project I spent supervising the construction and developing the design and details. Particularly important was working together with the local craftsmen and coordinating between them to ensure that the details of the design worked together as a whole and took advantage of local knowledge.

CONSTRUCTION DETAILING

Managing the project from design through construction required knowledge and control of construction details and how the details impacted the overall design. Because some of the CEB walls were left without plaster, it was important to plan elements like windows and electrical installation in a way that they could be integrated smoothly into the design.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

As project management I was also responsible for managing the team and for developing and updating the project budget and schedule. Having better control of the technical details gave me a chance to focus on developing my project management skills in order to ensure the project advanced more smoothly and in a way that kept the clients updated and satisfied.

HIGHLIGHTING THE STRUCTURE

The design of the house is defined by the visible structure of the CEBs, the roof tiles, the ceiling and the windows and doors. All these elements have simple designs where the material is more important than any decoration. Design elements like visible roof timber with a natural linseed oil finish break the otherwise massive volumes and make the house come alive.

CEBS AS A DESIGN ELEMENT

In order to promote CEBs it was particularly important to create beautiful finishes that highlighted the bricks. Exterior CEB columns, the concrete ringbeam, and the bottom of the walls are plastered and painted with limewash in a way that compliments the natural look of the CEBs and roof tiles. The interior features a mix of plastered, painted and unpainted CEB walls.

REFLECTION

Working with a private project was a good experience to broaden my professional knowledge. I am very satisfied with the end result and this project showed me how I have become more confident as an architect. The project also gave me a chance to improve my project management skills and to identify which aspects of project management I still need to improve.

SHIMBWE SCHOOL RENOVATIONS

SUPPORTING RURAL EDUCATION THROUGH REFURBISHMENT AND REUSE

2019-2020

SHIMBWE, TANZANIA

While working for architectural NGO C-reaid I managed two school renovations in the village of Shimbwe in northern Tanzania: Shimbwe Chini Primary School and Sia Shimbwe Primary School. Our goal was not just to repair the old, but rather to improve it and to create something new through better design using sustainable building techniques and creative reuse of old materials. Renovating, rather than building something new, is an important way to reduce environmental impacts of construction and to reduce costs, which is especially important in low-cost development projects funded by donors. I managed and supervised the design and construction together with a team of interns and construction workers. Many design decisions had to be made on site.

IDENTIFYING THE NEED

The two schools each had more than 200 students trying to learn in a deteriorating environment. The roof sheets were leaking, the roof timber and wooden windows and doors were infested with termites, the floors were so broken they were impossible to keep clean, and the walls had cracks and were covered in dirty paint that was falling off.

ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES

The sloping landscape, heavy rains, and lack of stormwater management were also causing soil erosion, which in turn was leading to structural issues such as cracked walls and exposed foundations. During rainy and cloudy weather the classrooms were also cold and dark as there were no ceilings, window glass or electricity.

FUNDING CHALLENGES

Both schools are government schools, but getting funds from the Tanzanian government to do renovation works is difficult and slow. The construction of a teachers’ house in Sia Shimbwe had been ongoing for 15 years but was still not complete. At Shimbwe Chini the school had tried to raise funds for the renovation works among the villagers, but was unsuccessful.

STRUCTURAL REPAIRS

Repairing leaking roofs, termite-infested timber, broken floors and cracked walls was a priority to ensure structural integrity. We also installed new steel doors and windows that are more durable and provide better security while also being a design element. A lot of decisions had to be made quickly on site as we discovered new challenges with the old structures.

IMPROVED LEARNING ENVIRONMENT VERANDAHS

For the classroom buildings we designed and built new verandahs that make the environment more pleasant during the frequent rains, reduce the amount of mud in classrooms, and in Sia Shimbwe also provides outdoor seating and protects the classroom building from soil erosion. To reduce costs and waste, we reused the old roof sheets from the classrooms on the verandahs.

To improve the classroom interiors we installed electricity and new window glass in order to make the classrooms more comfortable during cold and cloudy weather. We also repaired broken desks and made some new furniture, including teacher’s tables and chairs. New paint with plenty of colors finishes it all and gives the schools a new look.

ALTERNATIVE TECHNIQUES

We explored many alternative building techniques, such as limewash as a low-cost alternative to paint. The finishing was not as smooth as on the walls with regular paint and we could only use a couple different colors, but I believe the limewash can age better than the paint on which any dirt – of which there is a lot in a primary school – clearly stands out.

STORMWATER MANAGEMENT

We used different strategies to address the challenge of stormwater runoff and soil erosion. In some of the buildings we installed gutters, while in others we built drains instead as drains could better prevent soil accumulation. Behind one classroom block we built an earthbag retaining wall to prevent soil accummulation that was causing moisture problems in the walls.

IMPROVED TEACHERS’ HOUSING

Teachers’ housing is important in rural Tanzania so that teachers report to school each morning. Both schools had two houses for teachers, but these houses lacked electricity and plumbing. One of the houses was already old and deteriorated, while another was unfinished. A classroom is useless without a teacher, and so it was important for us to renovate these houses as well.

SANITATION CHALLENGE COMPRESSED EARTH BLOCKS COMPOSTING TOILET

There is no sewage system in Shimbwe and toilets generally only have a simple pit where the waste accumulates, which leads to maintenance issues once the pit is full. Previous toilets at Shimbwe Chini Primary School had simply been taken down when the pit was full. Building new toilets requires funds, and school had run out of funds while building a new toilet block.

Our solution was to build a double pit composting toilet where one pit is designed to be used for five years. When the first pit is full, the users switch to using the other pit and movable squat pans facilitate an easy changeover. While the second pit is filled, the waste in the first pit has time to compost. The first pit can then be safely emptied even manually.

C-re-aid is dedicated to using and promoting sustainable and ecological building materials and techniques, especially compressed earth blocks (CEBs). Since it is difficult and expensive to transport building materials to Shimbwe, and since a lot of soil had to be dug out in order to build the toilet pit, CEBs produced on site were the ideal construction material for this project.

IMPROVED KITCHEN AND STOVE CREATIVE REUSE

Both schools previously only had temporary kitchens in enclosed wooden buildings, where the cooking was done on the ground in uncomfortable and unhealthy conditions with hardly any ventilation. We designed and built new open kitchens with Lorena stoves that are designed to fit the pots used by the school and that reduce smoke and the need for firewood.

Throughout the renovations we reused many materials (such as old roof sheets to cover verandahs and old classroom doors in toilets and kitchens) in order to reduce costs and waste generated. One example of reuse is the Shimbwe Chini dining room, where we transformed old classroom windows into a playful window wall through repairs, paint and creative design.

REFLECTION

I learned a lot from these two renovations, and if I could start them over I would do many things differently. Most of the design had been made before I took over the project, and a lot of aspects were unnecessary or out of budget. If I had been more critical about this design in the beginning, we could have made a better design and avoided making big decisions on site.

BUILD WITH GAMBIA

EARTH ARCHITECTURE WORKSHOP FOR A RURAL VOCATIONAL SCHOOL

2018-2019

KARSI KUNDA, THE GAMBIA

Build with Gambia was an earth architecture design-build workshop that I led in eastern Gambia. The goal was to design and build a dormitory for a new rural vocational school called Kantora Arts Village. This school will be a place where the youths of the region can learn new skills that can help them find employment. The construction of the school is already a part of its education, and one main aim of the workshop was to work with local materials, especially earth, in different ways in order to develop the local earth building tradition. The design was developed on site in Gambia and it evolved greatly throughout the workshop as we experimented with different techniques and learned to adapt to local conditions. We worked in a mixed team of local workers and international volunteers.

DESIGN THROUGH EXPERIMENTATION

The design was developed in Gambia and it evolved throughout the workshop. In order to test different techniques (rammed earth, lime, adobe bricks and the Nubian vault) we first built a small shelter. Building the shelter was an opportunity for everyone to get familiar with the techniques and to discuss the design of the dormitory and how it could be improved.

COOPERATION FOR A COMMON GOAL KNOWLEDGE SHARING

Knowledge sharing between locals and internationals was a key aspect of the project that benefitted both the building and the people involved. The locals provided knowledge about local techniques and materials and learned new ways to use these materials, while international volunteers learned about building with earth and contributed with design improvements.

Our project was one of the first at Kantora Arts Village and most people - both locals and internationals - were unsure how the project would turn out. By working together and creating relationships, we learned to better understand each other and everyone’s desires for the project. This understanding helped improve the design and how we worked together.

RAMMED EARTH

We started by building with rammed earth and this new technique raised people’s curiosity about the project. A Gambian artist joined us and we experimented with coloring the earth using paint pigment and naturally found clays of different colors. However, finding good wood for the formwork was challenging and we switched to adobe bricks, a common local technique.

PROMOTING LIME NUBIAN VAULT

Roofs are challenging in Gambia as deforestation and desertification have made wood expensive, while the switch from thatched roofs to metal sheets has reduced thermal comfort. As an alternative, we experimented with and succeed in building a Nubian vault, using only adobe bricks and lime plaster without any cement, steel or wood.

For foundations and plastering we used lime as an alternative to cement. One of the reasons was to support the local economy as lime is made in Gambia while cement comes from Senegal. Lime also has a smaller environmental footprint and lime plaster sticks better to earth walls. We made different colors of plaster by mixing in different clays found in the village.

WOMEN’S PARTICIPATION

We wanted the whole community to feel a part of the project and we organized a couple events for the women. The first was a tie-dye workshop where the women learned to dye fabrics with a local expert. The fabrics will be used as curtains in the dormitory. The second was a cooking event to introduce the women to a clay oven built by one international volunteer.

LOCAL OWNERSHIP

The core team was a group of ten local men who participated first as volunteers, then as paid labourers, and later again as volunteers when finances were low. These men slowly became more and more skilled and independent and they are still continuing with the final works. The village also contributed some volunteer labour, expanding the feeling of ownership.

REFLECTION

The main challenge was finding enough international volunteers and financing for the project. Due to financial problems we couldn’t complete the Nubian vaults of the dormitory and instead built a flat earth roof with bamboo, palm wood and lime. Reducing the size of the building in the early stages would have made it possible to stick better to the original concept.

RETHINKING LOW-COST SCHOOLS IN PAKISTAN

SCHOOLS AS A MODEL FOR SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

This part presents my Master’s thesis, a project I did in collaboration with The Citizens Foundation (TCF), a non-profit organization that builds and runs schools in Pakistan. The purpose of the thesis was to see how the design of TCF schools could be improved in order to make them more sustainable. The goal was to minimize the schools’ environmental impact while creating a positive social impact and keeping costs low. The project consisted of two separate theses, one for my engineering degree and the other for architecture. I did the engineering part first and studied in detail how the passive design of the schools could be improved. This presentation focuses on the architectural thesis that aimed to find holistic solutions to the issue of sustainable low-cost schools.

FIELD STUDIES OF EXISTING SCHOOLS IDENTIFICATION OF ISSUES

At the start of my thesis, I traveled to Pakistan to better understand the local context. I didn’t go to Pakistan thinking I had all the answers, instead I went there to investigate. I visited existing TCF schools, talked to TCF staff and learned about TCF’s priorities and found out about challenges with existing schools - some of which I had expected but others not.

I visited TCF schools in different parts of Pakistan and both the existing designs and the problems varied depending on the local conditions. Among the problems I found were inadequate thermal comfort, high cost of water, unavailability of electricity, high maintenance costs, and social issues such as difficulties in getting parents to send their children to the schools.

HERITAGE AND REFERENCE PROJECTS

During the field study I also visited traditional buildings and reference projects in Pakistan, Iran and Bangladesh. These projects served as a source of inspiration for passive design techniques that worked in the local climate. I was especially interested in windcatchers, a type of natural ventilation device found in both Pakistan and Iran.

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LOCAL MATERIALS & CONSTRUCTION

ACCESS TO EDUCATION

EDUCATION

LIVELIHOOD

DONATIONS ECONOMIC GROWTH

EMPLOYMENT SKILLS

UNDERSTANDING THE BIG PICTURE FINDING THE LEVERAGE POINTS

After finding out the challenges with existing schools, I wanted to zoom out in order to understand the bigger picture. I did a system analysis to better understand how different issues such as poverty and climate change were connected to the schools and to each other. This helped me better understand which issues were the most important ones to work with.

I included different design solutions in the system analysis in order to asses the impacts of design on the bigger issues. I could then identify the design strategies that made the greatest positive impact on the system. These were the strategies that could create low-cost schools that would contribute to and promote sustainable development in Pakistan.

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WASTE CHANGES IN WIND PATTERNS POLLUTION

CARBON EMISSIONS

CARBON EMISSIONS

EXTREME WEATHER HEAT

CARBON EMISSIONS

RESILIENCE WATER MANAGEMENT INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED

RESILIENCE WATER MANAGEMENT INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED

CHANGES IN WIND PATTERNS

WATER MANAGEMENT INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED ENERGY

CLIMATE CHANGE

CARBON EMISSIONS

CARBON EMISSIONS

CLIMATE CHANGE

CLIMATE CHANGE

INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED

CARBON EMISSIONS

INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED ENERGY

CARBON EMISSIONS

CHANGES IN WIND PATTERNS POLLUTION

DEPLETION

DEFINING THE FOCUS AREAS

RESOURCE DEPLETION

WATER MANAGEMENT INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED

CARBON EMISSIONS

INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED ENERGY

INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS EMBODIED ENERGY

Based on the system analysis I defined four focus areas my thesis: passive design, building materials, water management and community development. These were the design elements that needed to be addressed in order to improve the sustainability of the schools. I went on to develop design guidelines for these focus areas for myself and TCF’s architects.

POLLUTION

COMFORT AND PASSIVE DESIGN

Passive design and thermal comfort was a focus area because of the challenging climate of Pakistan, the cost and environmental impact of mechanical devices, and the unreliable electricity supply. This was the focus of my engineering thesis, where I studied in detail how different materials and ventilation strategies would work in different parts of Pakistan.

SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

Existing schools built with bricks or concrete blocks had various problems, including high embodied energy, moisture problems and slavery, which is why I studied different earth building techniques as an alternative. Sustainable water management strategies were also needed because water was a major cost in existing schools and because of local water scarcities.

SOCIAL ISSUES AND POTENTIALS

TCF schools are located in slums and rural areas where they are needed the most. Some of these communities have problems accepting the schools, which has led to low attendance rates and broken windows. Through my thesis work I aimed to introduce more participatory methods that could improve the relationship between TCF and the local communities.

INSPIRATIONAL DESIGN SUMMER AND WINTER COMFORT ALTERNATIVE MATERIALS

My task was not to design a school for a specific location, and the analysis and guidelines I made for the four focus areas was the main part of the thesis. These guidelines were meant to help TCF’s architects when designing new schools. However, I also made a design proposal that was meant to illustrate the guidelines and be a source of inspiration.

I chose to place my design in northern Pakistan where summers are very hot and winters cool, because I had found that this was the most challenging climate. I developed different strategies for passive thermal comfort in summer and winter using windcatchers, evaporative cooling, orientation of windows and a passively heated winter ventilation shaft.

In my design I proposed compressed earth blocks as an alternative to concrete blocks and bricks. This would lower the environmental impact of the schools, while providing more opportunities for local employment, and while promoting earth building through an industrial-style technique that could raise the status of earth in the eyes of the locals.

INTEGRATION OF THE FOCUS AREAS SHOWCASING SUSTAINABILITY REFLECTION

I tried to find solutions that would integrate the four focus areas as much as possible, solving multiple problems simultaneously. Rainwater harvesting, for example, would increase the school’s self-sufficiency and at the same time make it possible to use water as a design element that would create thermal comfort and aesthetic qualities.

TCF is a large and well-known NGO in Pakistan with a high status. Many students say they are proud to go to a school that has such a fine building, especially in a slum setting. This status means that the schools can promote alternative building techniques, which is why my design included clearly visible elements such as a perforated earth block wall and windcatchers.

This project gave me the opportunity to test everything I’ve learned about sustainable building in one project. One challenge was that I was only in Pakistan for three weeks. If I could change something it would be to have more contact with TCF throughout the project. I would also work more directly with the people in Pakistan, for example through workshops in schools.

A COMMON TOMORROW

COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT AND PERMACULTURE IN RURAL KENYA

A Common Tomorrow started out as a student project for the course Reality Studio in 2015. The studio included a two-month field study in Kisumu, Kenya, and the purpose was to develop design solutions that would promote sustainable development in Kenya. I was part of a group of four students working with developing a plot of rural land owned by a local NGO that mainly works with children. The longterm goal of the NGO was to turn the site into a rescue center for street children, but our immediate task was to make the site livable. Our work was guided by principles of permaculture and sustainable building, but the biggest success of the project was interaction and knowledge sharing with neighbours that gained new skills and business opportunities.

LOCAL CHALLENGES AND POTENTIALS PERMACULTURE AND AGROFORESTRY SUSTAINABLE CONSTRUCTION

The site is located in the village of Kajulu on the outskirts of Kisumu city, and it had previously been a family sugarcane farm. Local challenges included lack of running water or waste management and poverty in the village. We only had four weeks to work on the site, and we worked together with a group of local men the NGO had hired to help us with the labour.

Our immediate goal was to make the site livable and to do so in a way that promoted permaculture. We started by planting 125 fruit trees that would be the basis for an agroforestry system, and we incorporated organic and human waste into the nutrient cycle. We also developed a water management system that included rainwater harvesting and greywater treatment.

The site had an existing earth house, but we had to build a bathroom and a workshop space. We filtered local earth for concrete, added larger stones for filler and used partially recycled steel for reinforcement. Because of a lack of quality tools and materials, we had to improvise a lot and the local workers could help us a lot with this, being used to doing more with less.

WORKING ON MULTIPLE SCALES

It was important for us to understand how our project fit into the bigger picture of sustainable development in Kenya. We were directly addressing village level problems like lack of employment, but this connected to the bigger picture of rural-urban migration. Another bigger issue was water pollution due to fertilizers and other human activities like bathing.

CREATING RELATIONSHIPS

As we were working side by side with the local workers, we learned about their lives and their skills, slowly creating relationships and breaking cultural barriers. We started giving the men more responsibilities and eventually they took ownership of the project. For our final presentation the workers came to Kisumu city and talked about the project with the public.

SHARING KNOWLEDGE

The relationship we created with the workers made it easier to share knowledge both ways. We shared what we knew about permaculture and sustainable construction, while the men shared their knowledge about local conditions and construction. In the end we created a construction manual that detailed what we had done and how, and we shared it with the workers.

COMMUNITY TAKES OVER

In the end our local co-workers formed a group, Team Rarudi, and they finished the construction that we hadn’t had time for. After we left, Team Rarudi received a microloan from the NGO, and with this they started beekeeping and a tree nursery in order to become financially independent. Team Rarudi has since grown and they are still helping the NGO develop the site.

ONGOING DEVELOPMENT REFLECTION

I returned to Kenya a year later to see the impacts of the project. The site that had previously been unused and not useful to the community was now more integrated with the village, with Team Rarudi doing their own projects on the site. We continued developing the site with Team Rarudi, and the construction of the rescue center continues today.

Because we had very little time, the quality and sustainability of the construction was not ideal. The greatest success of the project was the social side, and it showed me how important creating relationships is for achieving sustainable development. However, the most important thing I learned was to prioritize “starting something” over “doing something”.

RECREATE: CONSCIOUS DESIGN FOR A COLLECTIVE MIND

SUSTAINABLE REFURBISHMENT OF CAMPUS BUILDING

Recreate was a project for Sustainable Building Competition, a studio course with a focus on sustainable design. The task was to design a refurbishment plan for the university’s architecture department, working in mixed teams of architecture and engineering students. The goal was to improve the sustainability of the building in the Swedish context. Our team‘s priority was reducing the building’s environmental footprint as much as possible while simultaneously making the building a more comfortable, inspiring and healthy learning and working space. As I was studying both architecture and engineering, this studio gave me the opportunity to approach a design problem from different points of view while focusing on the tasks where my skills were most necessary.

DEFINING SUSTAINABILITY ARCHITECTURE AND ENGINEERING WORKING AS A TEAM

An important first step was defining the goals of the refurbishment and what we meant by sustainability. We wanted to reduce the building’s environmental footprint through reduced energy and water use and more sustainable construction materials. At the same time we wanted to improve its architectural qualities and turn the building into a meeting place.

Because the studio was open to both architecture and engineering students, there was a heavy focus on finding solutions that would simultaneously solve architectural and engineering challenges. We based our concept on these solutions, for example the placement of studios and offices was done in a way that promoted integration and better thermal comfort.

We were working in a team of six students with different backgrounds, and each of us had to find his or her role in the team so that we could work as efficiently as possible. I started the course not knowing if I would be working more as an architect or an engineer, but I quickly discovered there was more need for my engineering skills and so I took on that role.

PASSIVE SOLAR STUDIES

The focus of the engineering part was on optimizing passive design. Because of this it was important to understand the climate, including the building’s exposure to solar gains. We did detailed studies on how much solar heat each part of the building received, and through this analysis we developed different design strategies for different parts of the building.

MINIMIZING ENERGY USE

I did energy calculations in order to find out where heat was being lost. It turned out that existing lack of insulation was having a very small impact compared to ventilation heat losses and air leakages, and so we decided to give more focus to improving these and only added insulation where it made the most difference, i.e. windows and the colder north and east sides.

MAXIMIZING THERMAL COMFORT

A part of the studio work was conducting a study of thermal comfort in different rooms. Many rooms had problems with being either too hot or too cold, and the amount of fresh air was often inadequate. Through calculations we could further study the thermal comfort and find the best ways to improve it through passive design.

DESIGNING A MEETING PLACE

Since most of us had been using the architecture building for several years, we were well aware of its design problems. One of our goals was to make the building more user-friendly through easier orientation. We also wanted to encourage more integration between students, staff and visitors through different types of spaces and strategic placement of studios.

INSPIRATION AND SHOWCASING REFLECTION

We wanted the design to inspire students, visitors and staff to work together towards a more sustainable future. We also wanted the building to showcase itself and promote the different design strategies behind it. This is one reason why we for example chose to use hempcrete, a less-known insulation material that has a very low embodied energy.

This project showed me the importance of collaborating with people from different backgrounds when designing sustainable architecture. Working in a big group was difficult but rewarding once everyone found their roles. One of the things I would do differently would be to study renewable energy strategies more carefully, even though passive design was my focus.