We research, develop and certify sustainable, innovative, robust, construction systems which dramatically lower embodied emissions, reduce construction waste and resource consumption, create low-tech, gender-neutral work opportunities and restore natural ecosystems in the process.
We achieve this by researching, developing and implementing the use of low-carbon building materials, bespoke material mix-designs and appropriate design practices through local and international collaborations within the private, academic and government sectors.
By bringing together like-minded people and organisations around the world, we aim to create and promote interdisciplinary partnerships and collaborations that further these objectives within the engineering, architectural, sustainable design and construction sectors.
Who we are
The work of nonCrete is led by Stephen Lamb and Andrew Lord – designers and environmental activists who have worked in the sustainable construction, design, art, engineering and architectural sectors for the last 24 years.
Their work focuses on the research, development and use of sustainable, alternative, robust, low-cement building materials and restorative, resource efficient, low-tech, socially inclusive building systems.
Emphasis is placed on maximizing opportunities for local, gender-neutral job creation, skills development and training, the creation of low-tech building systems, carbon sequestration in the built environment and the restoration of natural eco-systems.
An overview of prior work
From 2005 – 2008 Stephen lead the design and construction of the Hoerikwaggo Hiking Trails and Overnight Tented Camps along the Table Mountain Chain. This included the upgrading of over 400 km’s footpaths through a large-scale Public Works Program funded by the South African National Government – providing skills development and employment opportunities in the conservation sector for over 350 people. During this time Stephen was awarded the SANParks Kudu Award, for Research and Innovation in furthering the principles of “Touching the Earth Lightly”. Prior to this Stephen initiated and led the establishment of the first High Altitude Teams from 1996 – 2000, through the Working for Water Program where he mentored highly skilled twin-rope access teams consisting of over 120 men and woman.
Prior to this Stephen led numerous shack fire mitigation programs and initiatives for the Sanlam Ukuvuka programme, including the upgrading of the Joe Slovo informal settlement in Langa, Cape Town.
In 2008 Stephen began collaborating with Cape Town artist Andrew Lord on several projects including the conceptualisation and construction of the entrance pavilion to the 9th Shanghai Biennale, themed Reactivation (October 2012 to March 2013). The entrance pavilion was built at the Power Station of Art, featuring 90 artists from 27 countries. Curated by Qiu Zhijie, with co-curators Boris Groys, Jens Hoffmann, and Johnson Chang, it explored four sub-themes: “Resources,” “Revisits,” “Reform,” and “Republic”. A notable aspect was the “Inter-City Pavilions” project, which brought together around 30 cities from around the world.
During this time Stephen also collaborated with Cape Town architects Andre Rademeyer and Stuart Thompson to realise the award-wining Cape Town Climate Smart Pavilion at the Seventeenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 17) in Durban, South Africa (2011) and the Cape Town Climate Smart Campaign Pavilion at the FIFA World Cup (2010)
In 2013 Stephen and Andrew collaborated in the design and building of innovative vertical food security systems in informal settlements with the building of the Gege Creche in Langa and the Green Shack at the Design Indaba, Cape Town International Conference Centre.
In 2014 Stephen and Andrew collaborated with Khoi-San Activist Mr !Xoma Ayob and co-designed and built the “Light House” in Hangberg, Cape Town.
Following the success of this project, they were recruited into the South African Government in 2015 and lead the research and development of the Light House Program, an Expanded Public Works Program funded by the South African National Government. The program explored and developed regenerative building technologies and construction methods using alternative bio-based aggregates and binders.
Prior to co-founding nonCrete with Andrew Lord in 2020, Stephen studied at ETH Zurich with the Chair of Sustainable Construction in D-BAUG as an invited visiting student while writing his masters thesis.
During this time Stephen and Andrew also co-authored the academic paper: “Invasive alien plants as an alternative resource for concrete production – multi-scale optimization including carbon compensation, cleared land and saved water runoff in South Africa”, published in the scientific journal “Resources, Conservation & Recycling”.
Stephen was invited to present his work to the 6th International LafargeHolcim Forum for Sustainable Construction “Re-materializing Construction” in Cairo in 2019 and later that year to The 3rd International Conference on National Urban Policy (United Nations Habitat) in Nairobi. In 2019 he was offered a full-time position at the Block Research Group (part of the Department of Innovation and Technology in Architecture at ETH Zurich) as research associate for two years (2019 – 2021).
During this time Stephen and Andrew were invited to present their work at the Venice Architectural Biennale (2021) funded in partnership with the Block Research Group, ETH Zurich.
Current work
Stephen and Andrew’s work currently focus on demonstrating locally certified, circular and restorative building practices which restore the natural environment and maximise opportunities for low-tech, labour-intensive work opportunities through the free sharing of intellectual property.
More recently they have invited to present a paper entitled “Biomass concrete for low carbon buildings: A circular economy case study in South Africa” at the Sustainable Built Environment Conference at ETH Zurich and partnered with South African based non-profit company Phuhlisani who specialise in practical planning, knowledge sharing and building communities of practice for effective land reform and diversified rural livelihoods.
Their work is currently funded by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), The Block Research Group ETH Zurich, the Chair of Sustainable Construction, ETH Zurich, the Gouritz Cluster Biosphere Reserve, the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF South Africa and Switzerland) and the Nedbank Green Trust.
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