As air temperatures drop, the droplets gravitate down into a container at the tower bottom where it passes through a tube to people on the ground. A nylon mesh net hangs inside and collects dew drops that form along its surface. It’s “crown” is designed to deter bird perching. The tower consists of lightweight and flexible bamboo stalks, woven to allow unobstructed airflow and stability in the face of strong wind. One of his first Warka prototypes is pictured above. It incorporates cultural references such as Ethiopian basket weaving, traditional fish trap design, and the Warka tree, an indigenous fig tree whose shade provides a traditional place of village gathering.įog-harvesting devices are not new, but Vittori’s version yields more water at a lower cost than earlier concepts. The biomimetric design, based on passive design, is informed by the natural water-collecting properties of Namib beetles, termite hives, and cacti. With minimal training, a team of four to six unskilled villagers can construct one in a day. Assembly is straightforward, using basic tools. They are made from biodegradable materials that can be sustainably sourced and locally fabricated as ready-to-assemble kits that cost about $1,000 USD to produce. like the tree, the ‘warka tower’ - the team’s first project - serves as important cornerstone for the community, and the future ‘warka village’ to come.Warka water towers collect rainwater and extract clean water from fog and dew. The term ‘warka’ is derived from the warka tree, a giant, wild fig tree native to ethiopia. furthermore, the resultant composting materials can be used as fertilizer for the ‘warka garden’. warka will also help to rediscover some of these lost traditions, inspiring a new generation of architects to incorporate these techniques in contemporary design.’ read the interview in full here.Īs issues of sanitation and hygiene still remain one of the main concerns for developing countries, ‘warka sanitation’ provides composting toilets, which operate without flushing water and energy. looking back, several cultures have been adopting different strategies to collect water in a sustainable way from the air. ‘this not a new invention but an ancient knowhow that we have lost. ‘warka tower is demonstrating that we can harvest water from the sky, so water doesn’t only come from the ground,’ arturo vittori told designboom in a recent interview. the towers’ water-harvesting capacity depends on the meteorological conditions and aims to distribute between 40 to 80 liters (10 to 20 gallons) of drinking water every day. meanwhile, the two ‘warka towers’ will provide the community with an alternative water source. Made from bamboo and other natural materials, the seven ‘warka houses’ reference ancient local traditions, while offering a higher standard of hygiene and comfort for the villagers of such rural communities. the village comprises seven ‘warka houses’ inspired by the region’s vernacular dwellings two ‘warka towers’ designed to collect and harvest potable water from the air ‘warka santiation’ composting toilets that operate without flushing water a ‘warka pavilion’ and a modular edible ‘warka garden’ that provides food for residents. The project, which has been under construction in the congo basin for 18 months - the largest tropical rainforest in the world - will eventually form a community for local artisans, serving as an example of how to live with nature. the ‘warka village’ aspires to transform the landscape of comprehensive human development, utilizing low-cost, sustainable, community-driven, high-impact multi-sector development interventions that are tailored to the village’s specific needs.’ ‘ we are using earth, water, stone, wood and natural fibers. ‘this is a project for an integrated village constructed only by using local and natural materials and ancient local construction techniques,’ arturo vittori tells designboom. the project, which is expected to complete in 2022, is already operative with around 30 people, including both workers and pygmy peoples - hunter-gatherers of the tropical rainforest - living on site.Ĭalled the ‘warka village’, the ambitious development builds on arturo vittori’s previous work in the area, which saw him awarded THE DESIGN PRIZE 2019 in the category of ‘SOCIAL IMPACT’. Warka water, the non-profit organization led by italian architect arturo vittori, has shared images of an integrated village currently taking shape in cameroon.
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