Acqua Warka
is the idea developed by the Italian architect Arturo Vittori and by his Swiss
colleague Andreas Vogler, presented at the 2012 Venice Biennale, as part of the
projects aimed at developing rural populations currently lacking drinking
water. It is a 10-meter high tower, which condenses the humidity present in the
air, and which allows the storage of 100 liters of water per day.
Its
structure is totally eco-sustainable, being made up of bamboo and recycled
plastic. A promising invention, currently already widespread in Ethiopia, and
which is expected to spread soon to the rest of the world.
In the mountainous areas of Ethiopia, women and children make endless journeys every day to provide water for the village.
The water tower has a reticular structure and is made with reeds, easily found in those places. It can also be built by the inhabitants themselves.
Inside the tower, there is textile polyethylene, made from recycled plastics, able to collect drinking water directly from the air, thanks to the phenomenon of condensation.
The entire structure weighs only 60 kg, the side ropes serve to anchor it to the ground. It consists of 5 modules that can be accommodated by 4 people, progressing from the bottom to the top.
The idea comes from the observation of the small Namib beetle, able to survive in the desert by condensing the humidity on its abdomen and transforming it into small drops of water.
From an aesthetic point of view, the architects were inspired by the Ethiopian building tradition, which uses rush as a raw material for constructions of any kind.
Warka in Ethiopia identifies a large fig tree, a symbol of generosity and fecundity. The big trees are the places around which the villagers usually gather.
With the phenomenon of deforestation, large trees are less and less numerous. This invention, taking the same name, aims to be a new element of union for populations in the development phase.
