Sub-Sahara Interstice

Sub-Sahara interstice is a prototype that seeks to generate a scalable urban condition. At the core of this urban condition are a series of interconnected programs, materials and site conditions. These include the orientation of each massing block in relation to the trajectory of the sun, solar heat gain, flow of rain precipitation, local source material (laterite) and courtyards. The first phase of the project is to orient the housing blocks in the trajectory of the sun; thus, reducing solar heat that affects the units. In the second phase, we extend the sloping roofs and redirect the rainfall towards the shaded zones. In doing so, additional courtyards are generated that make the land fertile for the growing of plants. This interstice is a catalyst that generates many courtyards that are equidistant from the modular housing units. The expansion of this sprawl becomes the village, town, and city. Sub-Sahara Interstice is a site-specific condition, that generates an urban topology that is modular, scalable and responsive to the site.