Tim Hall (Light Earth Designs)
As a practice we combine architecture, urban design and engineering to explore sustainable design solutions that contribute to societies future development.
As Rwanda is landlocked, limited in its local resource and distant from ports - it faces a huge barrier that could hamper its future development. Currently, as building material and resources are limited, Rwanda has become reliant on expensive and lower quality imports - leading to really high building costs. Yet Rwanda needs to rapidly urbanise and build a huge amount of affordable housing to meet its long term development goals.
We have pioneered the research and application of 'home grown' building technologies - made of locally available material. We have investigated, on a series of projects (some of which we will show today), a variety of sustainable technological solutions - which we hope will contribute to the future growth of a much larger and cheaper building material industry.
Tim is one of the three founding partners of Light Earth Designs LLP, based in Cambridge and Kigali, Rwanda. Over a period of 5 years, Tim has built Light Earth Designs reputation as a leader in sustainable practice in Rwanda - with major urban projects starting on site this year. As a consultant Tim regularly advises on Green City Development in Africa and prior to moving to Rwanda Tim worked with Peter Rich, in South Africa, on a series of important projects across the continent.
Prior to moving to Africa Tim was a partner in Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios - one of UKs leading green architectural practices.