EcoTech

Architecture practice building entirely with vernacular materials — earth bricks and typha, a local wetland plant used as insulation and structural infill.

Constraints: imported construction materials unaffordable and climatically inappropriate for the Sahel; conventional buildings retain heat; local craft knowledge being displaced

Resources available: earth (abundant on site), typha (fast-growing wetland plant native to Senegal), local mason knowledge, bioclimatic passive design principles

Solution: earth brick walls with typha infill panels — thermal mass keeps interiors cool, no air conditioning required; zero imported materials; each structure is a product of its exact geography