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    Lagos' Wooden Tower presents an alternative to the city's reliance upon concrete

    Designed and conceptualised by Cameroonian architecture firm, Hermann Kamte & Associates (HKA), Lagos' Wooden Tower is a proposed addition to Nigeria's capital and one of Africa's most populated cities.

    A unique wooden structure that is designed to be a smart and sustainable building, the experimental residential building represents an alternative to the massive concrete buildings that dominate the city.

    Lagos' Wooden Tower presents an alternative to the city's reliance upon concrete

    Built on the roof of Abebe Court, a housing estate in Ikory, the Wooden Tower is composed of mixed residential spaces surrounded by a belt of lush greenery, and is oriented to maximise daylight and natural ventilation. Featuring sky gardens and other amenities to separate the old and the new, the rooftop garden will provide panoramic views of the city and function as an informal gathering space and restaurant.

    Lagos' Wooden Tower presents an alternative to the city's reliance upon concrete

    Designed as part of an international competition in 2016, Hermann Kamte explained some of the project’s aims in an interview with DesignBuild-Network. “Our first goal was to build a new approach to urbanisation and population growth. Our second goal was to incorporate Lagos’s extraordinary cultural diversity. Our final goal was to introduce the concept of wood construction into a landscape dominated by concrete buildings. Nigeria benefits from the tropical rainforest in the central to the southern part of the country. So why continue to confine our city to concrete?”

    Lagos' Wooden Tower presents an alternative to the city's reliance upon concrete

    Though wood is not the only material used, HKA considers their choice of Laminated Veneer Lumber efficient and appropriate for the region. Important for its structural properties, aesthetic, and cultural impact, the building’s designers also consider wood a sensible, warm and soothing material, as well as a powerfully emotional symbol for the city of Lagos.

    Enveloped by a wooden veneer that incorporates traditional patterns from the Yoruba culture, it provides protection from direct sun while giving the project a unique appearance. Already the recipient of an A' Design and Rethinking The Future Award, Lagos’ Wooden Tower would be a serviceable, economical and sustainable addition to the Nigerian city.

    Source: Design Indaba

    Design Indaba inspires and empowers people to create a better future through design and creativity. We are an online publication (www.designindaba.com) with an annual festival and social impact Do Tank.

    Go to: www.designindaba.com
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