Warka Tower

Warka Tower is a vertical structure designed to harvest potable water from air, giving an alternative water source to rural populations

Long Description

Warka Tower is an alternative water source for rural populations that face challenges in accessing drinkable water. It collects water from the rain and harvests fog and dew. Where infrastructure doesn’t exist and communities are isolated, a system like Warka Tower, that is light weight, passive, easy to be constructed and not dependent on infrastructure, can be installed. In addition to water, it provides a social place for the community, where people can gather under the shade of its canopy for education and public meetings. In its latest version, it is equipped with solar panels, which provide energy for the community to charge their devices and get an illuminated social area during night-time.

The project finds inspiration from nature, insects and plants have developed the capability of collecting water from the air to survive in the most hostile environments on earth. We also studied local craftsmanships and construction techniques, African vernacular architecture and ancient forgotten traditions.

Warka Tower is realized with biodegradable and 100% recyclable materials. Our philosophy is to use, as much as possible, local materials and traditional techniques. It is also designed to be easily built with simple tools without the need of scaffolding and electrical tools and maintained by local villagers. Additionally, can be constructed in 3 weeks and installed in one hour with a team of 14 people. It is constituted of 6 modules that are mounted from bottom up, one after the other.