Past editions

The German lady carpenter has arrived

paulcoyote@gmail.com (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:38:33 +0000

Women are making more and more of an impact in projects. This has been revealed recently in Nicaragua when a carpentry graduate from Germany, integrated into the work of SofoNic. The German lady carpenter is working with the carpentry team that builds roofs in different rural communities. Hanja Frites has also has found time to give basic carpentry courses to the masonry apprentices, as well as to two groups of farmers.

A roof that covers the world: MicroConcrete Roofing tiles

paulcoyote@gmail.com (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:41:25 +0000

EcoSouth has published a book about MicroConcrete Roofing tiles, a book that familiarizes one with an ecologically and economically sustainable roof. The book “Un techo que cubre al mundo: la Teja de MicroConcreto” is in Spanish and responds the interest expressed by many people over the years.Similar to an encyclopedia, the book is the effort of various EcoSouth colleagues with more than 15 years of experience with MCR technology.....in the field with producers, in the laboratory, with other experts in seminars and conferences.

Through a sea of vaults on a ship of a desert

paulcoyote@gmail.com (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:43:07 +0000

Long-time work colleagues celebrated 25 years of Grupo Sofonias with a private trip to Egypt. Not only did the ancient wonders capture their attention, but also the living history revealed in Nubian architecture. They visited a Nubian village near Aswan. The technique of building vaults and domes of sun-dried clay came from Nubia and has been used since ages. To look out over the village from atop a camel gave an especially strong impact of the architectural rhythm, a virtual sea of vaults and domes.

Nubian architecture is still alive

paulcoyote@gmail.com (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:45:01 +0000

The city of Aswan in Upper Egypt is the center of this ancient culture that has given to the world the famous Nubian vault, built of adobes (sun-baked clay bricks). The Egyptian architect, Hassan Fathy, has disseminated this knowledge throughout the world through his famous book Architecture for the Poor, that for many has been a great intellectual and technical inspiration. Great was the surprise of EcoSouth colleagues to see in Aswan an endless number of modern buildings covered with these characteristic vaults on schools, mosques, churches, shopping centers, office buildings, etc.

Jorge Garcia receives journalism prize

paulcoyote@gmail.com (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:46:30 +0000

Jorge Garcia of Santa Clara was honored at a National Festival of the Written Press, in Havana at the end of 2004. A front page that he designed for the provincial newspaper Vanguardia where he works, received the first prize at the competition, to which contributions from all the national and local daily newspapers of the country. Congratulations Jorge!

Raffle of houses in Diriamba

paulcoyote@gmail.com (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:47:15 +0000

The first 24 houses in the Practical Apprenticeship project in Diriamba were raffled in order to match the house with the new owner. In full view of all a number for each house was placed in a closed envelope and deposited into a box. Between smiles and tears after choosing its envelope each family ran to see their house and who would be their neighbors. Afterwards they received a signed document indicating the house and, together with the designated plot in the owner´s name, they will receive the title of property when the houses are formally handed over.

Self-builders in El Descanso

paulcoyote@gmail.com (Administrator) — Tue, 15 Feb 2005 18:47:50 +0000

CECAT trained farmers to produce pressed earth blocks and MCR tiles for a housing project in El Escanso in the province of Granma in Cuba, in cooperation with the Architect of the Community team from Manzanillo. The tile workshop is operated by women, who put all their energy and enthusiasm into producing tiles of good quality, while the men produce the pressed earth blocks and build the walls. Today the fruits of the efforts of these self-builders´ can be seen in their beautiful houses.