Incremental Development Manual: The Ger Innovation Hub, Mongolia

Abstract

The traditional Mongolian dwelling or ger has evolved in direct correlation to the demands of nomadic life. However, its mobility, affordability and reproducibility have contributed to a rapid urbanization process in the city of Ulaanbaatar, resulting in the creation of sprawling districts with no basic infrastructure that house over 70% of the city’s population.1 During the cold winters, each household uses coal as their main heating source contributing to toxic atmospheric pollution. The lack of water and sanitation infrastructure is coupled with a lack of community provision in the form of kindergartens, schools and play spaces. As the ger districts gradually transform into more permanent forms of settlement, they are beset with ever-increasing sets of problems that have no easy fix. The implementation of large-scale infrastructure and housing development is unfeasible due to the extent of the settlements and the fact that the majority of residents own their land.2 The aim of the project is to create an Incremental Development Manual as a strategic framework for sustainable and affordable district upgrading. This paper will report o n o one component of t his M anual, T he G er Innovation Hub, a prototype for a community centre that demonstrates a methodology to engage the climate crisis through the intersection between research, design practice, and education. The process includes fieldwork, household surveys, environmental modelling, community workshops, student design-build courses, event programming, financial planning, and in-use performance testing. The paper will explain how the project innovated with passive environmental strategies to provide a low-cost solution to reduce energy consumption and the reliance on coal as a heating source. Operational since January 2020, the article will report on the effectiveness of the prototype in terms of its environmental performance and its capacity to become a model for community provision that can be replicated across other ger district areas.