Straw bales, a by-product of the mechanical harvesting and threshing of grain, are produced in large quantities in mechanised agricultural areas. The traditional rectangular bales, which are cheap and can be manhandled individually, are appropriate for building.

Standard bales are produced within the baler by compressing quantities of straw into flakes about 100 mm thick. These layers are built up along the length of the bale, which is then automatically tied, usually with two polypropylene strings. There is inevitably some variation in length, and the ends are slightly rounded.

For construction, the bales should be well compressed in manufacture, dry (maximum 20% moisture) to prevent the growth of moulds and fungi, and with the minimum amount of remaining grain, which might attract rodents. In building construction, bales are stacked, large faces down, making the orientation of the straw fibres predominantly horizontal. At ground level, straw bales must be protected from rising damp and from any risk of saturation from surface water. Additionally steel mesh protection from rodents is necessary.

Adjacent bales must be firmly packed together to ensure stability and to reduce settling under load both during and after construction. Bales are normally secured with metal spikes or hazel rods from coppiced timber and may be sprayed with insecticide for added protection. Externally, lime render on wire mesh is appropriate as it is flexible, self-healing, and will breathe to prevent the build-up of trapped moisture.

Alternatively a rainscreen, separated from the external face of the bales, may be used. Internally, straw bales are usually finished with gypsum plaster on wire mesh. Openings in straw bale construction may be formed with timber framing, but careful detailing is required to prevent water penetration at these locations. Roofs are normally set onto a timber wall plate fixed through the top bales for stability.

An alternative approach to using load-bearing straw bales is timber- or steel-frame construction with straw bales as the insulating infill. While fire is a risk during straw bale construction, the non-combustible internal and external finishes and the compact nature of the straw make the completed construction resistant to fire.

With the country facing an acute shortage of modern houses in major cities, especially Dar es Salaam, the real estate market is hot cake for developers. The National Housing Corporation estimates that this country has a housing deficit of three million units. Yet very few Tanzanians can afford to engage in real estate development.

According to analysts, the monthly rates for a two-bedroomed fully furnished apartment located in places like Masaki, Mikocheni and Oyster Bay range between $3,000 (Sh4.8 million) and $8,000 (Sh12.8 million). Data gathered by the global real estate firm, Knight Frank (T) Ltd, indicates that office space in top grade areas stands at $21 (Sh33,600) per square metre. At lower levels, it is $16 (Sh25,600) per square metre. Prime areas for office rental in Dar will go for between $31 (Sh49,600) and $40 (Sh64,000) per square metre.

These figures are way beyond the reach of ordinary Tanzanians, so houses of inferior quality mushroom in locations like Manzese, Tandika, Msasani and Mwananyamala.

Comparing Dar to other East African cities raises many questions. In Kampala, the monthly rent per square metre in the centre of the city stands at $20 (Sh32,000) to $25 (Sh40,000). In Nairobi, Knight Frank pegs prime rents for office space at $15 (Sh24,000) per square metre per month. There are two ways to explain these figures. The first is lack of a mechanism to regulate rents in Tanzania and the second is the speculative tendencies of agents.

Unless these factors are dealt with, ours will remain a country where decent houses are reserved only for those who are blessed economically

This article is from darproperty.co.tz 

Project: Tanhouse

Architect: Epitome Architects Limited

Client: Eng. George Alliy

Status: completed, 2014.

Photographs: Epitome Architects Limited

Tanhouse is 13 storeys office building located on plots 34/1 Urisno along Ali-Hassan Mwinyi road Kinondoni Municipality, Dar es Salaam. The building looks elegant with exceptional character from surround buildings.

The building has dedicated space for commercial activities such as banking, at the ground floor, parking bays at basement, mezzanine and first floor totaling to 97 parking bays. All other storeys are office spaces. Due to limited plot area for vehicles to maneuver and access mezzanine and first floor, two car lifts have been provided to support vertical circulation for vehicles.

Construction started back in 2011. “The client wanted to get the best of the best, something of his own, symbolism. That is all he wanted, so innovation was a key tool on our drawing boards and came up with that building” David Kibebe from epitome.

“We designed the building which can communicate in all four sides. From any side you approach the building, it display the same characters and catch the eye.” David Kibebe.

The curved columns at the corners and curved aluminum fins, both are non-structural members; bring the illusion of an egg and basket or whatever someone decide to define.

 In order to achieve the shape portrays, The floor sizes vary from each other. The first floor is bigger than the ground floor, and the second floor is bigger than the first floor. The middle floor (7th floor) is bigger than other floors. The floors above the 7th floor decrease in size to match those below the 7th floor.

The main entrance is emphasized by overhang canopy supported by three columns. The entrance leads to the bank hall and reception area. The building looks much taller because it has headroom of 4m floor to floor.

Vertical circulations (lift and stairs), and all supporting facilities such as toilets, power rooms, kitchenette service ducts are located at the Center core of the building. By doing this all rentable spaces are full of light and air at the edges of the building. “We managed to achieve 75% rental spaces while 25% being service/ circulation”. David Kibebe.

When drawing the initial thoughts of a design we make, as a rule, black marks on white paper. Black represents solids, white the space between the solids, between the enclosure. Yet those white areas are not empty, nor are the solids uniformly the same. Light affects both to varying degrees, and both are there to be manipulated by the architect. We can subsequently check what the effects may be by building either physical or electronic models, or both. At the beginning, however, we have to rely on memory and experience.

That light plays a crucial role in our sensation of space and has been recognized for centuries. Gothic cathedrals are shrines of light and produced some of the most dramatic as well as subtle sculpting of surfaces to direct light.

This is not simply a matter of letting in sunlight; it is a question as to which surfaces are lit and reflect back light. Louis Kahn phrased it poetically as ‘the sun never knew how great it was until it struck the side of a building’ (Johnson, 1975, p.12).

Although light can be described as invisible, its effects are palpable and an inseparable component of architecture. As Richard Meier clearly acknowledged in an interview, ‘. . . For me light is the best and most versatile building material’.

Project: Night-club

Designer: James Mbellah

Client: F. Mbowe

Financier: CRDB

Status: proposal

   It is very rear to see buildings with western culture adopt our local culture, but at this particular building, it happen. The proposed night club which reflects the Tanzanian culture will be built in Kigamboni Dar es salaam.

    The building will have exhibition hall and outdoor restaurant as supporting facilities. “Many existing nightclubs in Dar es salaam and all over Tanzania have adopted the western culture in their appearance, materials, spacial organization etc, but I wanted to create something new, a nightclub which contain our symbol as Tanzania”. James Mbellah.

   Designer wanted to integrate traditional values to the contemporary nightclub. “The building symbolizes our culture in its materials, space organizations and form and shape”. James Mbellah. The form of the building was inspired by African drums. 

   “Playing drums is the major way of entertainment in our societies, since this this building will be used for entertainment then the form adopted the drum form” James Mbellah.

   The façade of the building is cladded with Tanga stones and some spaces are covered by thatches. There are Msonge huts surrounds the building for resting. Spear and shield which are place on the openings bring the sense of culture also.

   Cultural identity continues to the interiors. Materials used are natural (timber, stones etc). In the interior facades there are Masai sculptures and Makonde carvings, all these are employed in order to give richness to the local culture. ”The spaces are organized and arranged in accordance to our culture. In this nightclub there is enough space for ngongoti dance to take place, mduara, and other cultural dances.” James Mbellah.

Building design is the process of providing all information necessary for construction of a building that will meet its owner’s requirements and also satisfy public health, welfare, and safety requirements. Architecture is the art and science of building design. Building construction is the process of assembling materials to form a building.

Building design may be legally executed only by persons deemed competent to do so in which the building is to be constructed. Competency is determined on the basis of education, experience, and ability to pass a written test of design skills.

Architects are persons legally permitted to practice architecture.

Engineers are experts in specific scientific disciplines and are legally permitted to design parts of buildings; in some cases, complete buildings. 

Building construction is generally performed by laborers and craftspeople engaged for the purpose by an individual or organization, called a contractor. The contractor signs an agreement, or contract, with the building owner under which the contractor agrees to construct a specific building on a specified site and the owner agrees to pay for the materials and services provided.

Glass has been used to enclose space for nearly two millennium and is one of the oldest man-made building materials. At the same time continual improvements to the manufacturing and refining processes make glass one of the most modern building materials today, one that shapes the appearance of contemporary architecture unlike any other. Almost any task associated with a modern building skin could be fulfilled with the help of this material.


This made it possible to overcome the contradiction between the fundamental need for shelter from the elements and the simultaneous desire for openness to light, paving the way for building structures that provide shelter.