• 10x10 Housing Initiative / MMA Architects

Architects: MMA Design Studio  
Location: Mitchells Plains, Cape Town,  South Africa
Project Team: Luyanda Mpahlwa, Uli Mpahlwa, Sushma Patel, Kirsty Ronne
Interior Décor: MMA Design Studio
Project Year: 2009
Photographer: Design Indaba, MMA Architects
Website: www.mmastudio.co.za

Is it possible to develop a low cost house without using the conventional brick + mortar + concrete mix? This was the question posed by the Cape Town based [design Advocacy] organization, Design Indaba,  through the 10 x 10 housing project competition. The competition invited 10 teams, each consisting of one international and one South African Architect to design for a family in freedom Park Area. 

10x10 Housing Initiative / MMA Architects

The winning entry was a design by MMA architects led by Luyanda Mpahlwa where they innovatively used sand bags as a sustainable, affordable and effective building material. Though they were not the first to use sandbags in Cape Town to build houses as other houses built for the wealthy had used the same material to put up the walling, It gave them an edge over the other entries.

Luyanda Mpahlwa

Not only does the use of sandbags provides adequate insulation through thermal lag, it is a material that is readily available on site thus it has low embodied energy and reduces the carbon footprint during construction. When it comes to maintenance, during the life span of the building, the material is available on site.

10x10 Housing Initiative / MMA Architects 

Nylon bags which are otherwise considered to be pollutants to the environment have been used as the containers housing the sand. The project also used existing technology; eco beams, a product of South Africa based company to frame the house. The vertical beams are made of timber connected with a galvanized metal element. 

10x10 Housing Initiative / MMA Architects

The bags are then stacked within the Eco-beam frame which is then covered by chicken –wire mesh which plaster is applied onto achieve a smooth wall finish. With this structured walling mechanism, there is no need for foundations as the sandbags act as anchoring elements to further reduce construction costs.

      • archiDATUM

      © 10x10_Housing Initiative_Luyanda Mpahlwa_02

      • archiDATUM

      © 10x10_Housing Initiative_Luyanda Mpahlwa_01

      • archiDATUM

      © 10x10_Housing Initiative_Luyanda Mpahlwa_07

      • archiDATUM

      © 10x10_Housing Initiative_Luyanda Mpahlwa_06

      • archiDATUM

      © 10x10_Housing Initiative_Luyanda Mpahlwa_05

      • archiDATUM

      © 10x10_Housing Initiative_Luyanda Mpahlwa_04

      • archiDATUM

      © 10x10_Housing Initiative_Luyanda Mpahlwa_03

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

  • If you want your own avatar and keep track of your discussions with the community, sign up to

SELECTED WORKS

View More

CONTEMPORARY AFRICAN DIRECTORY

View More

ARCHIDATUM ARCHIVES

RECENT NEWS AND EVENTS

OUR PARTNERS