Event Description
Africa, to date, has been a relatively small contributor of greenhouse gas emissions, but is expected to build more than any region in the world in the next 40 years. Despite this imminent challenge, there has been a lack of global attention towards preparing the continent for building practices that align with climate goals. Fortunately, Africa boasts a wealth of imaginative designers who have been actively addressing this issue.
MASS, honoured as the AIA Firm of the Year 2022, has been deeply engaged on the continent for nearly 15 years, undertaking diverse projects ranging from hospitals to universities. Since 2016, we have been reducing embodied carbon, and we are eager to showcase award-winning examples from around the continent.
In the last five years, our work has evolved into comprehensive research and policy initiatives with a dedicated emphasis on understanding and promoting low-carbon construction solutions. This session will highlight the outcomes of three years of collaborative research involving the University of Rwanda, Arup, and Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios. Our presentation aims to provide valuable insights to practitioners worldwide who seek inspiration for regenerative building practices.
We look forward to sharing our experiences and contributing to a global dialogue on climate-positive construction.
Speakers
Anton Larsen, Principal, MASS Design Group Africa Studio
Aimable Mukire, Structural Engineer, MASS Design Group
CES: Estimated 1 LU/ HSW for AIA Members
Speaker Bios
Anton Larsen's journey in sustainable architecture and urban planning spans over a decade, reflecting his dedication to social and environmental justice and his deeply held belief that it takes inclusive collaboration to create spaces that are attentive to the needs and aspirations of the communities they serve.
As a Principal at MASS Design Group's Africa Studio, Anton embraces the disciplinary and cultural diversity of the teams he leads across multiple countries. Since joining MASS in 2017, he has curated an extensive portfolio of transformative projects in the education, civic development, workspace, and affordable housing domains.
Anton's accomplishments include the revitalization of a historic site into Norrsken Kigali House, Africa's largest hub for entrepreneurs. This groundbreaking project was recognized as the winner of the prestigious 2023 Monocle Design Award for Best Business Campus. He also led the design of the Rwanda Institute for Conservation Agriculture’s climate-positive campus, winner of the 2023 Landezine International Landscape Award in campuses and corporate landscapes.
As an accredited EDGE Expert and AIA International Associate, Anton advocates for sustainable design within and beyond MASS. His thought leadership as the Green Gicumbi Climate Resilient Settlements Expert and his involvement with the Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Rwanda Urbanization Policy has shaped sustainable urban development practices. Anton's contribution to envisioning the expansion of the Volcanoes National Park highlights his ability to integrate sustainability with design.
Anton graduated from the UIC Barcelona School of Architecture and has been recognized as one of the school’s esteemed alumni.
Aimable Mukire is a structural engineer at MASS with a background in natural material research and development. Most notably his role on the Rwanda institute for conservation agriculture included upfront research and testing of different soils on site. This research provided the structural team information to design all walls of the campus to be constructed from CSEBs or Rammed Earth.
As a structural engineer working on various projects in Rwanda, he aims to promote awareness of embodied carbon in the Rwandan built environment with objectives to adopt carbon reduction strategies on projects across the country.
