Low-cost Zambian House designed by BII

Based on our experience in Zambia over the past two years working on school and house building projects, Build IT International has drafted a design for a low-cost home.

Working with local women’s groups and a Lusaka based architect we have drawn on traditional features and married these with newer building methods. The result is an attractive two or three bedroom home that costs around £3,000 to build. Key features include:

• Concrete roof tiles and stabilised soil bricks made on site (generating skills and employment)
• Hollow concrete block floor (cheaper than solid concrete)
• Circular ‘bell-end’ as in traditional round houses
• Open kitchen at rear (instead of separate kitchen hut)

The house compares favourably with the standard modern design of a rectangular shape in terms of cost, looks and functionality.

We are hoping to trial the house in 2008 after more detailed design work is completed. Local builders and women will be fully involved.

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