USI community pavilion

MATERIA supported and hosted the January 2016 ‘Building Realities’ University of Svizzera Italiana (USI, Mendrisio) Students Workshop in Mozambique at its project Benga Riverside, in partnership with the Atelier Francis Kéré.

The workshop has seen 20 students travelling across Mozambique for five weeks to explore MATERIA’s projects in the country and study the best possible local construction solution in terms of materials and climate sustainability. The workshop has involved over 60 people form the community of Benga, and has collectively designed and built a community centre located within the mixed-use project Benga Riverside.

The project was featured in an international exhibition at the USI Campus in Switzerland and was featured in various international architectural magazines.

The design and construction processes worked simultaneously as one inspired and derived from the other, resulting in the construction of a Community House responding to the prerequisites of local materials, environment and available construction skills.

Project size (BUA)

500

Start date

2017

Status

Completed

Program

Full Development

Location

Tete, Mozambique

Client

Proprietary

Collaborators

Kéré Architecture, Università della Svizzera Italiana (USI)