GRAPHISOFT Case Studies The Magoda Project: Innovative Architecture for Malaria-Free Housing
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The Magoda Project: Innovative Architecture for Malaria-Free Housing

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The Magoda Project was born out of a meeting between a Danish architect and a German doctor, both passionate about combating malaria, a disease that is particularly prevalent in Africa. The World Health Organization reported that in 2015, over 200 million cases of malaria were responsible for more than 400,000 malaria-related deaths. The challenge was to develop malaria-free housing in a local community in Tanzania. Traditional housing in the region often resulted in poor indoor climates due to lack of ventilation, leading to high indoor temperatures. This made it unbearable for residents to use mosquito nets, thus increasing the risk of malaria transmission. The goal was to create a solution that would not only reduce the risk of malaria but also improve the overall living conditions of the residents.
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The customers in this case are the residents of the small village of Magoda in Tanzania, a region highly prone to infectious diseases, particularly malaria. The residents were living in traditional houses that had poor ventilation, leading to high indoor temperatures and an uncomfortable living environment. This made it difficult for them to use mosquito nets, thus increasing their risk of contracting malaria. The residents needed a solution that would not only reduce their risk of malaria but also improve their overall living conditions. The Magoda Project aimed to provide this solution by designing and building prototype houses that focused on natural ventilation to decrease indoor temperature and make it more comfortable for residents to use mosquito nets.
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The solution was to design and build prototype houses that focused on natural ventilation as a means to decrease indoor temperature, making it more comfortable for residents to use mosquito nets and thus reducing the risk of malaria transmission. Ingvartsen Architects, led by Jakob Knudsen, employed students to survey traditional housing facilities in Africa, India, Thailand, and the Philippines. They used these surveys to create 3D models of the buildings, which were then used for temperature simulations. They also tested design changes and developed digital prototypes for new, malaria-free housing types. Seven different prototypes were built in the small village of Magoda, along with three refurbished existing houses for reference. After testing, they used their findings to build a final house, which was the culmination of their efforts.
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The Magoda Project has resulted in houses with improved temperatures and improved indoor climates. The project has also addressed issues with kitchen facilities and latrines. The improved conditions have increased the number of people sleeping under mosquito nets, which has significantly reduced the number of malaria infections. The project has been internationally recognized and has been shortlisted for the WAN Awards, won a prize at the World Architecture Festival, and was featured at the Danish Pavilion/Venice architecture biennale 2016. The project continues to be showcased at an international traveling exhibition and has been featured in The Financial Times and ArchDaily.
Traditional African homes only have an indoor temperature in the comfort zone approximately 50% of the time, and conventional malaria-renovated houses 20% of the time due to the poor circulation of air; the new homes by Ingvartsen had an indoor temperature in the comfort zone approximately 80% of the time.
The new house types are only 10-50% more expensive to build than traditional houses, making it economically feasible for ordinary Africans.
There were fewer malaria-carrying mosquitoes in the two-story houses, indicating a decrease in the risk of malaria transmission.
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