It was a pleasure to host David and Kéan of Bauhaus Earth on both our 32 Degrees East and Budondo EcoPrefab Pilot sites.
The two are travelling East Africa on a fact finding mission into the real-life application of bio-based materials, and we are grateful that they squeezed us into their busy schedule. (All photos by Kéan Koschany).
Localworks is proud to be recognized by the @aidawards for the ARCHITECTURAL DESIGN OF THE YEAR 2026 | WINNER 2026 ARCHITECTURE: Cultural Building Architecture; Bidi Bidi Refugee Settlement, co-designed with @hassell_studio and constructed by Localworks.
This project represents our commitment to contextual, purposeful, and community-driven design. Thank you, African International Design Awards, for championing design excellence across the continent. And thank you to @to.org_ and @sinaloketa for giving us the opportunity to work on a truly meaningful project.
#localworksug #architects #architecture #construction #building #uganda #eastafrica
We are making rammed earth walls in Phase Two of 32 Degrees East. A reinforced plywood formwork box is built, and soil is sieved and mixed with lime, sand and cement. Each loose, earth-moist material layer is poured into the formwork and compacted using a backfill tamper, repeating until the wall reaches full height, forming a dense, solid, homogeneous wall when dry.
When dried, the result is a hard, durable wall with exceptional thermal mass, passively regulating indoor temperatures and naturally absorbing humidity.
#localworksug #architects #architecture #construction #building #uganda
A big thumbs-up to the Architectural Association of Kenya and DuraCoat, not only for hosting an annual awards ceremony that celebrates architectural excellence, but also for embracing the entire East African region rather than limiting participation to Kenya alone. That kind of regional spirit is something we need more of!
We’re truly humbled to have received three recognitions:
– The Bidi Bidi Music and Arts Centre for ‘Best Empowerment and Social Equity Through Design’;
– Our Lady of Victoria Monastery for ‘Best Religious/Monumental Project’;
– An honorable mention in the ‘Best Residential Project’ category.
Thank you!
#localworksug #architects #architechture #construction #building #eastafrica
The momentum is building on the Localworks Foundation’s Bamboo Prefab Project.
On April 11th we wrapped up our second bamboo fabrication workshop at the CEDAT courtyard at Makerere University, and it’s been great to see the progress. From first cuts to more confident handling of tools, volunteers are quickly building skill and familiarity with bamboo as a construction material. The energy, curiosity, and collaboration in the space are exactly what this project is about.
It’s encouraging to see everything starting to come together, with ideas translating into real components and a growing community forming around more sustainable ways of building.
The next workshop is coming up on April 25th, and we’re looking forward to pushing things even further.
A big thank you to everyone making this possible: the @studiocedat team for hosting and supporting the workshops; architecture and engineering students from Makerere, Kyambogo, the dedicated students who made the journey from UTC-Lira; the artists and built environment specialists from @kraftor.studio and the wider community of volunteers contributing their time, skill, and energy to this effort.
It is especially meaningful to see so many young people come together around a shared interest in exploring bamboo as a viable approach to more sustainable and adaptable housing solutions, including for refugee contexts.
📷: @franklinsumbas
#Bambooprefab #LocalworksFoundation #FoundationFridays #RefugeeHousing
The Olangama pavilion is taking shape, quite literally! This complex egg shaped, semi – open performance and exhibition space is being built entirely from bamboo for a small Batwa community.
Three types of bamboo are being used for this project:
Oxytenanthera abyssinica (30 – 40mm) for the battens, bundled arches and rings
Dendrocalamus asper (70 – 80mm) for the rafters
Yellow bambusa vulgaris (90 – 100mm) for shingles and cores of rings and arches.
Compared to our previous experiences with bamboo roofs we are excited about the improved quality of the bamboo shingle roof. Our bamboo master builder Sam has cleared mastered the art of roofing with bamboo shingles.
All bamboo used in this project is treated with a 10% Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate solution. No protective coating is needed because bamboo naturally develops a protective wax layer that guards against fungus. Mild steel hollow sections anchored into concrete pedestals keep everything lifted off the ground.
We can't wait to share the photos of the completed project!
#localworksug #architects #architecture #construction #building #uganda #bamboo
Here's a #32Thursday #ConstructionUpdate on the rammed earth walls our contractors @localworksug are currently installing 🏗️🚧
The first course/layer of rammed earth is done!The rammed earth walls are installed in a series to ensure their strength as load bearing structures. The ratios of soil, sand, lime and cement are equivalent to the Compressed Earth Bricks however, rock aggregate is added to the mixture that forms the walls for additional strength. As the course cures for 3 days before the next one is added, it is kept damp with water and jute sac.
Are you interested in observing the rammed earth process? You can reach out to [email protected] to schedule a visit. 🔗#linkinbio
Design architect: @newmakersbureau
Throwback to one of our earlier projects; the Rural Community in Development College, which still resonates with us 10 years later.
This was our first experience constructing with stabilized compressed earth blocks. Soil was collected on site, sieved and mixed with sand, compressed using a machine to make a block. The result was a low carbon regenerative construction material used for the project.
#localworksug #architects #architecture #construction #building #uganda
Last Friday we gathered in Budondo, Jinja for an on-site edition of Localtalks, marking the launch of the Ecoprefab pilot at St. Stephen’s S.S. Budondo.
Thanks to our co-host @enabel_be , we travelled on a @kiiramotorsofficial EV bus, linking mobility, energy and construction in one shared story of sustainability.
We opened with Dr. Philip Misselwitz the ED at Bauhaus der Erde and professor at TU Berlin’s Habitat Unit, who challenged us to confront a key reality: the built environment is one of the largest drivers of climate change and resource depletion. His call was clear; we must move toward a regenerative built environment that benefits both people and planet.
Bongiwe Shongwe a program manager at Climate Smart Forest Economy Program (CSFEP) brought this into the Ugandan context, highlighting both the potential of our forest economy and the urgency of forest loss, and pointing to sustainable forestry as a path to resilient ecosystems and livelihoods.
Felix Holland, Co-Founder and Principal Architect at Localworks, grounded these ideas through Ecoprefab, showing how bio-based, prefabricated timber systems can deliver classrooms faster while supporting local value chains and reducing environmental impact.
Thank you to everyone who joined us and made this possible.
📸 @franklinsumbas
Localtalks is a quarterly series by the Localworks Foundation. Our next session will be on Wednesday, 17 June 2026. We hope to see you there.
#Localtalks #Ecoprefab #FoundationFridays #SustainableConstruction #TimberConstruction #Prefabrication #RegenerativeDesign #SustainableForestry #ElectricMobility #Localworks
Papyrus offers an interesting alternative to traditional grass thatching. It is a widely available material, native to wetlands in Africa and a few Mediterranean regions, making it both accessible and locally appropriate. Like grass, papyrus can be harvested and bundled for construction.
In our application, it is arranged in stepped layers and fixed to eucalyptus battens, which are mounted onto corrugated metal sheets. This creates an air gap between the metal and the papyrus, allowing the material to dry effectively after rainfall and improving its durability.
In this system, the papyrus does not act as the primary waterproofing layer. Instead, it functions as a protective, sacrificial layer; reducing solar heat gain, dampening noise during rain, and softening the overall appearance of the building. Papyrus has long been used in construction for roofing, matting, and other building elements due to its flexibility and availability, and it is known to improve thermal comfort and acoustic performance in spaces.
As a natural material, it does require maintenance and is typically replaced every five to ten years, depending on exposure and detailing.
Beyond seeing it as an interesting thatching material, are there other uses for papyrus in construction?
Could it be crushed, heated and pressed, similar to say rice husk? Could it be used as insulation? Any other ideas?
#localworksug #architects #architecture #construction #building #uganda
The Localworks Foundation has officially commenced work on its prototype low-cost bamboo relief housing project.
The project explores participatory construction, prefabrication, and incremental building, while investigating bamboo’s potential as a regenerative material.
We had an onboarding workshop of the volunteers at the Localworks office. Participants were introduced to the Localworks bamboo portfolio, highlighting built work that demonstrates the material’s performance and potential. This was followed by a presentation of the prototype, outlining its design intent, system logic, and construction approach. A physical mock-up provided a practical entry point into bamboo construction, covering tools, jointing strategies, and critical considerations, and how these have been addressed within the project.
What stood out was the level of engagement. Volunteers approached the session with curiosity and rigor, asking focused questions and actively engaging with both the technical and conceptual aspects of the work.
As we move into the fabrication phase, we look forward to continuing this process collaboratively; building not only the prototype, but the knowledge that supports it.
Through this project, the foundation continues to contribute to ongoing conversations around material innovation and sustainable construction in Uganda.
#localworksug #architects #architecture #construction #building #uganda #bamboo #foundationfridays
The upcoming edition of Localtalks is a special one: held on site, to showcase and celebrate the construction of pilot buildings of EcoPrefab, Localworks’ proprietary system of prefabricated timber school buildings. Uganda’s Ministry of Education and Sports, with support from Enabel, is currently constructing two EcoPrefab pilot projects in Budondo and Kyegegwa, each consisting of a classroom block and a teacher’s accommodation block.
The project is in a stage where all critical elements of the technology can be seen in action.
This Localtalks session will focus on constructing with timber, the status of the regional forest economy, and the critical role prefabrication will play in addressing East Africa’s building deficit.
#localworksug #architects #architecture #construction #building #uganda #foundationfridays
