A roof over your head is probably the most important necessity of life; poverty should not be the reason that you get deprived of it. This sentiment is well understood by Jennifer Margell, which is why she has designed affordable homes for slums of Nairobi that are made from recycled materials. Called Makao (Swahili for home), each house can be customized and configured according to individual needs. The roofs of the homes collect and filter gray water; the roof panels also open to release heat. The hollow plastic walls are filled with mud on site for insulation and parts of it are made from recycled frosted panels.
An optional bathroom (with a self-composting toilet) and kitchen module can be added to the home. It’s been designed in such a way that the bathroom is on the inside space and an open kitchen wraps around the outer wall. The water storage tank is placed behind the bathroom, and keeps the utilities in one central area.
Over all a very well thought out plan that do a lot of good for the under-privileged community.
Designer: Jennifer Margell
