Malawi Vernacular Architecture
Documentation for Preservation
Ntchisi
Kachitsa village:
This man was strating to prepare his roof to be thatched. Some work had to be completed to repair the wood poles making up the roof structure and now he was beginning to spread out the thatch.
Gwale village:
The structures in this village were constructed both with rammed earth and burnt brick. The white plaster was found near a river bed. A grainery was constructed with whatever reeds and thatch could be located.
Chimombo village:
These men were constructing a home using rammed earth construction. The mud was taken what is now the front yard and was just a layer 3" deep..
Chimombo village:
This compound was having all the roofs redone. The structures were rammed earth . have been around for 15 years and was in good condition. The roof poles were bamboo tied together with vines.
Chimombo village:
This compound has homes built from rammed earth construction. A kitchen, goat pen and pigeon coop are also part of the compound. The kichen door was made of reeds ans slid between two poles on the verandah floor.
Thatch is ready to be laid out and tied down to the reed roof structure.
House constructed of rammed earth, raised on a pedestal and having a decorative black band at the base.
Corner of a house, which has the base and a lower band painted black. Another decorative feature is a painted "bump" at the corners.
A grainery that was constructed with only materials that was readily available, due to economy.
Soil is mixed with water to vreate a mud which is applied to walls as plaster.
Soil, taken on site, is put into form and rammed to compact into being part of the wall.
Close up of a man removing metal poles from the freshly rammed earth block.
Close up of roof structure. Bamboo strips are tied to bamboo poles with strips of bark.
This rammed earth home was replacing the roof. The poles were all bamboo.
Reed door on wood frame.
Side of a home with decoration.
Download all the pictures from Ntchisi district on my Flickr gallery.
