In sub-Saharan Africa, many infectious diseases, including malaria,
are acquired in and around the home. In these resource-poor settings
there is a need for architectural modifications to improve the health of
residents. Prevalent low-cost African houses in rural settings tend to
have mud or brick walls with few windows. Airflow in such houses is
minimal. Cooking facilities, safe water supply and sanitation tend to be
absent or rudimentary. The Magoda Project has systematically explored
the design elements in Asian and African homes. Based on the research
findings, a spectrum of novel designs were developed which integrate
Asian architectural features to optimise airflow with the locally accepted
traditional African building methods.
A project by Jakob Knudsen, Lorenz von Seidlein, William N. Kisinza,
Konstantin Ikonomidis, Emi Bryan, Salum Mshamu and Kiondo Mgumi in
Magoda Village, Tanga, Tanzania.
Better house
less disease in rur
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africandesignmagazine.com