African Design Magazine September 2016 | Page 10

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 10 africandesignmagazine.com