Team 1-e Proposed Solution → Raízes do Amanhã, which means "Roots of tomorrow”

Video

PowerPoint Slide Show - [Team 1-e.pptx] 2025-03-29 05-28-07 - Trim - Trim.mp43 - MERGE.mp4

Team Members

Antoine: https://www.linkedin.com/in/antoine-loutte-b14a65280/

Aisha: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aisha-razi-8b26802a8/

Sally: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sally-mbugua

Summary Section

Problem Statement

Low-income families in Maputo face a critical housing crisis, driven by an inflated real estate market. This causes them to construct informal houses build from unsustainable materials, which are unreliable and highly vulnerable to storm damage, resulting in frequent displacement. The absence of regulatory oversight and lack of formal planning restricts the citizens access to essential infrastructure like clean drinking water, sanitation, electricity. This is a vicious cycle perpetuates poverty, hindering any change of the development of safe, stable communities, negatively impacting the health, safety and well-being of Maputo’s citizens.

Proposed Solution : “Raízes do Amanhã” (”Roots for tomorrow”)

Our solution tackles Maputo's housing crisis by establishing a government-sanctioned, disaster-resilient community on strategically chosen land, near existing utility infrastructure. We will empower low-income families with resources and professional guidance to build safe, sustainable homes, employing regenerative design principles. This includes prioritizing locally sourced materials like cement and bamboo, ensuring their sustainable and responsible use. By partnering with the government and clearing the location for the new houses, we will guarantee an expedited provision of essential infrastructure (water, sanitation, electricity). Thus, we will facilitate the development of vital community services (schools, hospitals, offices). Collaborating with NGOs like Engineers Without Borders, we aim to deliver a technically feasible, financially viable, socially acceptable, and environmentally sustainable solution that breaks the cycle of poverty, fosters a thriving, secure community, and stimulates the local economy through regenerative practices.

Practical Humility Clause

Our team recognizes that there is no singular solution to a problem and recognize that collective knowledge and collaboration are essential for success. We are committed to learning and adapting, continuously seeking feedback from our stakeholders, adjusting our approach as needed. We understand that our best ideas have to be revised and improved, and we are open to different opportunities to improve our project through shared insight and constructive criticism as this is a project we have created for our stakeholders, not for ourselves.

Further Explanation Section

Design (Success) Criteria

  1. Use locally sourced, environmentally friendly materials, with at least 70% of materials being sustainable for one house.
  2. Housing costs are no more than 40% of the average household income.
  3. Houses designed to last at least 15-20 years with minimal maintenance, with a rapid implementation and construction process : no more than 6 months to build a little house.

Architectural Inspiration: