Global finalist entry 2015 - Incremental Construction: Low-cost modular housing scheme

Global finalist entry 2015 - Incremental Construction: Low-cost modular housing scheme

Overview of the prefabricated elements; the colours indicate the grouping for the prefabrication companies and fields of specialization.

Vibrant low income settlement, Lideta, with the second prototype of the SICU building in September 2013.

The SICU prototype is a compact double-story unit comprised of a prefabricated concrete lower structure and lightweight eucalyptus frames for the upper floor. After all parts have been prefabricated, the building was constructed in ten days by 35 students from three countries and now stands erect in a typical neighborhood of Addis Ababa, serving to demonstrate an alternative housing approach and to prompt further discussions between policy makers, industry and academia.

The project is situated in an area earmarked for total renewal in a typical neighborhood of Addis Ababa, one of the fastest-growing cities in Africa. New constructions in the city predominantly use concrete frame and cast in-situ construction; and the city has banned natural materials from being used in buildings since 2009, limiting the solutions available for house construction. It aimed to investigate possibilities for an alternative urban housing unit in this context.

The local community was present at the launch event for the assembly of the prototype.

Students from Ethiopia, Germany and South Sudan participated in the assembly of the prototype.