Rammed Earth Technique Training
Innovation and Sustainability
Senegal, Africa
Innovation and Sustainability
Senegal, Africa
At Balouo Salo, we believe sustainability must be concrete, tangible, and accessible to all. With this spirit, we promoted an intensive training course on Rammed Earth, an innovative construction technique using compressed raw earth to create solid, efficient, and environmentally friendly buildings.
Through months of theoretical and practical training, we transferred fundamental skills to our team and the local community, laying the foundation for conscious, economical, and sustainable self-construction. A project that unites innovation, culture, and empowerment.
— Mamadou, team member
Promote the use of natural materials to reduce environmental impact, improve housing wellbeing in communities, and contribute to the fight against climate change.
Transfer technical skills to enable communities to build independently and safely, strengthening economic and social resilience.
Introduce innovative construction technologies that stimulate local ingenuity and address the real needs of the African context with accessible solutions.
Strengthen the active role of beneficiaries in construction processes, promoting inclusion, responsibility, and community pride.
In Senegal, where housing challenges intersect with the need for ecological solutions, Balouo Salo launched a pioneering training project on Rammed Earth technology (compressed raw earth). This approach not only promotes environmental sustainability but also transfers concrete skills to local communities, strengthening their self-sufficiency and resilience.
Through an intensive course lasting nearly two months, the site team and local beneficiaries were guided by expert instructors from Italian academic institutions, learning both practical and theoretical aspects of all phases of rammed earth construction. The project is designed not only to build sustainable structures but also to activate processes of social and cultural innovation.
Application of the technique in projects:
- Center for Combating Child Malnutrition, Baghere, Senegal
- Women's Training Center, Baghere, Senegal
- Balouo Salo Community Center, Baghere, Senegal
The intensive course provided comprehensive and interdisciplinary training covering all phases of the rammed earth construction process. The instruction included both theoretical and practical modules, enabling participants to gain skills ranging from material selection to the creation of architectural elements.
Training contents:
Topics covered include material analysis, geometry, floor plan design, site safety, compaction techniques, equipment management, dimensional calculations, project visualization, and activity coordination. On-site exercises allowed immediate application of concepts learned in the classroom.
Collaborations:
The project was carried out thanks to the collaboration of industry experts, including Raoul Vecchio, F. Sebastiano D’Ursò, Simona Cirami, Giada Giuffrida, and Dario Distefano.
See photos
