Back to Earth : Urbanization Without Depletion

The Senegalese building collective Studio Suddo Neuve is calling for a paradigm shift in the West African construction sector. The collective has been focusing on substituting the ubiquitously-present concrete blocks with earth-based materials. While this volume primarily documents the practical aspects of building with earth, it also examines urbanization and construction processes in the region. The detailed manual for the production and application of earth blocks underlines the contribution nature-based products can have for the transformation toward regenerative building practices and suggests its potential for global application. The project showcases how local materials can be adapted to contemporary building demands while retaining a minimized environmental impact.

• A handbook on building with earth blocks
• A West African perspective on the global reorientation of building practices

Studio Suddo Neuve, based in Mako, Senegal, is a building collective devoted to earth-based materials. Against the backdrop of the region’s rapid urbanization, the collective explores regenerative building practices and material assemblies. At the center of their activities is the production of load-bearing earth blocks from local soils. Through its work, the collective seeks to revitalize local building culture, encourage participative design and building processes and highlights the interdependencies between building practices, humans, and the environment. Studio Suddo Neuve is a partnership between the Senegalese construction company NiokoBâti GIE and the nonprofit architectural association Project Mako e.V.