A River City
By Hazoe Weng
About
Freetown, Sierra Leone, is a place that suffers from heavy precipitation, no sewage system, and
chaotic city layout issues. This project creates the cheapest sewage system and reservoir in
poor areas by making the road into a temporary river system and connecting every roof to a
water collection system. These two systems rely on topography and gravity to work efficiently,
and the shape of the river forms communities that adapt to the old city layout.
Project Insights
Cost-saving community
To deal with the cost and the transportation inconvenience, the government first built the
rammed earth part of the community. After receiving the reservation from new residents, the
inner structure of local bamboo will be installed swiftly.
Technical Drawing I
The kitchen area, the dining area, and the water collection system together allow residents to communicate and cook more efficiently with a water tank at the center. A slightly tilted M-shaped corrugated roof will dissipate smoke. The bathroom also has a water tank on the ceiling to harness the gravity.
Technical Drawing II
This building system will adapt to different slope angles with plenty of room for the first floor. With bamboo screens, residents can adjust room sizes to fit their needs.