Innovative new community development in Tanzania, with a timber tension net roof and 3D printed earth walls

Eckersley O’Callaghan have partnered with the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) and Hassell to support the development of New Hope Village, a safe and permanent home for vulnerable girls outside Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. The village aims to improve the socio-economic well-being and human rights of underprivileged girls and marginalised young women by providing housing, education, and recreational facilities. At the heart of the village stands the community hall, designed to serve as a vibrant hub for classes and performances.

The structure employs a lightweight design crafted from locally sourced timber and steelwork. The design development was driven by our digital design team, allowing us to parametrically resolve complex tension systems and generate simplified construction documents.

Our expertise in timber systems enabled the development and coordination of this complex and novel structure. A key challenge was to design a long-span, lightweight roof using materials that could be sourced locally and constructed by the community. Working closely with Hassell, we devised a Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DfMA) focused tensile roof using a combination of timber elements and steel cables. The roof is designed to be constructed in segments, hoisted into position, and tensioned with a series of cables to achieve the desired shape and structural characteristics.

To support this process, we developed a parametric workflow that starts with design intent geometry from the architect. This then uses form finding process and genetic algorithms to optimise the shape, tension cables of the tensile roof and complete design calculation. The output is a 3D model and streamlined fabrication drawings and construction diagrams.

Location
Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Client
One Heart Foundation

Architect
Hassell