Plaster Housing

Nouakchott, Mauritania

The two projects aimed to provide examples of affordable housing for residents of informal settlements in the fast-growing urban environments of Rosso and Nouakchott, Mauritania. Together, the core projects comprised a total of 128 model homes and related buildings constructed between 1977 and 1983, together with a range of related upgrading and income-generating activities aimed at improving the living conditions of the urban population. Locally available gypsum powder is exploited as a building material utilized in construction Nubian vault and domes, the resulting forms and volumes, help offer an alternative to the acute housing shortage. Walls, domes, and vaults are made of locally available gypsum plaster, as are the mortar and smooth render finish. The labour force and materials were entirely local.

Source: Aga Khan Trust for Culture