A rammed earth house designed by a group of four Wellington University School of Architecture students under the name Shift Design has won nomination for construction on the eastern slopes of Mount Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

Shift Design’s rammed earth design was selected from over eighty entries in the Nka Foundation Mud House Competition. Offered a variety of sites, Shift Design opted to build in the seismically active mountainous region of Tanzania.

Starting in April 2016, the build will be overseen by the Ghanaian non-profit, Nka Foundation, and almost entirely powered by volunteers and local craftspeople. The Nka Foundation aims to produce work that promotes the development of arts and architecture in rural Africa.

Through a workshop format, Shift Design will engage in cross-cultural and disciplinary conversations, using onsite research, prototyping and design development. The expertise of local community members, craftspeople, and international volunteers will strengthen the overall project.

The result will be a strong, attractive and well-functioning residential building that alters the commonly-held perception of earth as an unsafe and unattractive construction material. The house will also create a template for affordable and locally produced dwellings.

As New Zealanders, the Shift Design team is particularly excited to test improved seismic strengthening techniques through subtle and attractive integration with more traditional methods of construction. The team aims to return with open source documentation detailing their findings related to construction, collaboration, and other experiences.

Shift Design is looking to partner with like-minded organisations, companies and people within New Zealand and abroad. The team’s fundraising campaign kicks off later this year.

More information on the project and volunteering can be found on the Shift Design website and Facebook page.