WATER NO GET ENEMY

Housing Competition

Lagos: City of Water - Voen Foundation

- International winner -

“Live in harmony with nature, and you will live longer and wiser. Be as inevitable and indespensible as water, because water..... “WATER NO GET ENEMY” - Fela Kuti

Due to the impact of climate change, rising sea levels, increased rainfall and flooding are becoming a day to-day reality for people in Lagos. The proposal embraces this inevitable future. Envisioning a new form of urbanism that enhances a symbiotic relationship between man and water.

Adopting the monopile construction system that is utilised in offshore wind farms as a deliberate choice in stark opposition to the typically used floating technique, which has a short life span and often fails after heavy rains. The sturdy nature of the pile provides a secure and solid base for communities to flourish, free from flooding.

Each community cluster is supported by Service Platforms, Biorefineries and Market/Sports fields. The Clusters grow organically over time, adapting to the ever increasing demand for housing in Lagos. Each home is envisioned as an enclosed loop, in which the circular economy and metabolism of the home is of primary importance.

The structural elements that make up the proposal each is vital to the healthy functioning and operations of the urban metabolic system. Creating a completely self sustaining ecosystem. The clusters, enable a positive interaction between neighbours and food production.

Interspersed between the clusters are rooftop water harvesting farms. Capable of capturing enough water to supply 3 household water demands. Brown water waste is diverted to the Biodigester in the Floating Platform. This produces enough Methane to supply the family with constant cooking gas.

The major source of food is the Rooftop farm, 60m2 of highly arable land with uninterrupted daylight hours. An integrated Aquaponics system built into the floating platform, produces up to 65% of the daily protein needs of the family.

The main source of energy comes from the interspersed Wind-generators. Capable of supplying 5 households. The proposal is completely self sufficient will produce enough wind energy to support the majority of Lagos’s energy requirements.