Join the Musafir for a 28-day intensive training in bio-construction & sustainable architecture to build the first superadobe earth home in Kilifi, Kenya
November 12 – December 10, 2023
The Musafir is organizing its first bio-construction and natural building course in collaboration with Distant Relatives Eco-Lodge & Backpackers, led by expert practitioner, Tommaso Bazzechi. Nestled in a lush, tropical community on the Indian Ocean, the training will take place in Kilifi, Kenya. Built utilizing local, natural materials, we will build a superadobe semi-vaulted house in nearby Fumbini village for a local Kenyan family.
Superadobe construction utilizes natural materials to build resilient and sustainable homes. Utilizing the earthbag technique, this construction style is disaster-resilient and durable against many natural disasters. Through this course, you will learn about the background, design principles, and theory of superadobe construction and gain hands-on experience on the entire superadobe building process, including:
- Fundamentals of superadobe and stabilizers
- Practice and discussion on different soil types
- Geometric principles of arches and vaults.
- Management of the land, building orientation, passive cooling strategies
- Site preparation and stakeout for semi-vaulted dome
- Foundation, drainage, and insulation
- Earthbag building
- Development and use of doorway and window forms
- Opening of doorways and windows
- Construction of walls and buttresses
- Closing of vaults
- Natural coatings for waterproofing, finishing, plastering
- Makuti roofing and thatching with coconut leaves
Who is the course for?
- Those who want to gain practical and hands-on experience in green, energy-efficient, natural building techniques
- Those who want to deepen their knowledge on superadobe and earthbag construction to build their own home, eco-village, or craftsmanship
- Those who want to work together with a group of diverse people from all over the world as a team and contribute their skills and resources for a community project
- Those who want to explore a new country and culture and apply superadobe design techniques and principles to an African context
- Those working with communities that would benefit from disaster-resilient building techniques in limited-resource settings
Course Details
DURATION: 14 days or 28 days
- The entire training program will take place over 4-weeks, of which 10% will focus on foundational theories and 90% will be extended practical training to construct a 35m2 semi-vaulted, single family home. Participants can choose to join for the entire 28 days or opt for one of the 14-day options:
- — Full course: November 12 – December 10
- — Half course – Part 1: November 12 – November 25
- — Half course – Part 2: November 26 – December 10
NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS
- Maximum group of students: 25 people. Registrations by order of arrival.
COST
- Full course: $1,450 for 28 days – $1,350 early bird discount if you register by September 15
- Half course: $850 for 14 days – $800 early bird discount if you register by September 15
- The total cost includes training, diploma, drinking water, mid-day snacks, and lunch for the duration of the course
- *Part of your fee will be dedicated to sponsor the course for 5 trainees from the local Kilifi community
PAYMENT AND DISCOUNTS
- To reserve your place, complete the registration form below, and jump on a call with a member of the team. The course fees can be paid through bank transfer, Wise, or mPesa. You can make a one-time payment or request monthly installments, with the full course fee due before the first day of the course.
- *Group of friends: If you want to come in groups of a minimum of 4 people, a 15% discount will apply for each member of the group.
- *Couple: 10% discount will be awarded to your partner. If your partner does not wish to take the training but wishes to travel with you, they can book accommodation options below.
- *African Citizens: 50% discount on course fees – We’re committed to equity and inclusion and are excited to offer discounted rates to citizens of Africa.
Meet your Teacher, Tommaso Bazzechi
Tommaso Bazzechi is an architect, permaculturist, and expert in the design and construction of eco-buildings with natural materials, specialized in Superadobe and Earth Building. As a Board of Director with New Earth UK, he teaches Earth architecture workshops based on permaculture systems. With over 13 years of experience, he has managed the development of numerous projects across the world in Italy, England, Kenya, Turkey, Greece, Spain, and Bangladesh. As co-founder of 4-People, he applies his earth-based design thinking to humanitarian aid contexts to support capacity building and knowledge transfer of disaster-resilient and sustainable solutions. With 4-People, he designed and built a 2-story Earthbag orphanage in Kenya and developed sustainable water, solar power, and biomass solutions. Tommaso is guided by his years of work that has taught him that innovation requires returning to essential traditional techniques in order to find new horizons.
Accommodation Options & Pricing
The Musafir and Distant Relatives Eco-Lodge & Backpackers are offering the following discounted accommodation packages for course participants. Both options are within a 20-minute walking distance to our construction site in Fumbini Village.
Musafir – up to 15 people max; breakfast included
- 2-weeks: $210
- 4-weeks: $420
Distant Relatives Eco-Lodge – Private room with shared toilet and ensuite shower; breakfast not included
- 2-weeks: $425
- 4-weeks: $700
Distant Relatives Eco-Lodge – Private banda with ensuite toilet and shower; breakfast not included
- 2-weeks: $570
- 4-weeks: $940
Dinner is not included in the cost of the course or accommodation. There are many meal options in the Kilifi area in addition to local, Kenyan food to accommodate a wide range of budgets. Some recommendations of popular restaurants:
- Distant Relatives Eco-Lodge & Backpackers
- Tribe Bandas
- Salty’s Kitesurfing Village & Bar
- The Food Movement
- Twisted Fig
- Apache restaurant
- *The Musafir also has dinner menu options that can be organized for members of the course by request throughout the duration of the course.
About the Musafir
The Musafir is the largest traditional sailing dhow in East Africa anchored in the Creek of Kilifi, Kenya. With a 21-meter open-air, covered deck, the Musafir is not just an accommodation but a unique and remarkable experience on the Swahili coast promoting eco-conscious and sustainable living. During the course, participants will sleep on the deck and share the space with each other, learning to live in community while getting to know local culture. Many of our communal activities will also be on board together.
The Musafir is equipped with solar energy with charging outlets for your phones, tablets, and laptops. We have water tanks on board with fresh water and a shared shower/toilet. Guests will sleep on the top deck in the open space, with each person having their own twin mattress, blankets, and pillows. A crew member is on board 24/7 to securely store belongings.
About Distant Relatives Eco-Lodge & Backpackers
Designed as an experimental model of environmentally and socially conscious living, Distant Relatives is an affordable ecolodge, bar, restaurant, venue and digital nomad hub aiming to bring a message of optimism and inspiration to visitors from all walks of life. Intertwined with the surrounding environment, all of our spaces and accommodations were designed over many years with all the love and care in the world to offer guests the utmost comfort and peace while minimizing our footprint wherever possible.
FAQ
OTHER USEFUL INFO
- Transportation in and out of the country are not included, but we can provide contact information for local transport to Kilifi
- Kilifi is 1.5 hours away from the international airport of Mombasa and one hour from Malindi airport
- Based on your country of citizenship, please check government guidelines about visa, COVID-19, and vaccination requirements to enter the country
- The languages spoken are: English, Italian, Spanish and Swahili.