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Decoding Indigenous Intelligence
Recovering the Lost Environmental Science of West African Architecture
Recovering the Lost Environmental Science of West African Architecture
THE PROBLEM - The Double Erasure
THE PROBLEM - The Double Erasure
West Africa is losing its architectural heritage to climate volatility and rapid urbanization. But the greater loss is the intellectual erasure: the forgotten knowledge of how to build sustainably in the tropics.
THE MISSION - Forensic Recovery
THE MISSION - Forensic Recovery
A|WA is not a preservation society. We are a research lab. We use LiDAR, environmental simulation, and oral ethnography to analyze pre-colonial structures as high-perfomance technologies. We document the past to build the future.
THE ATLAS
THE ATLAS
Mapping Material Intelligence
Mapping Material Intelligence
CONTEXT: A|WA treats Nigeria not as a nation-state, but as a climatic transect of the West African Atlantic. From the arid Sahel in the North to the humid Rainforests of the South, we identify and analyze indigenous architectural responses to extreme environments.
CONTEXT: A|WA treats Nigeria not as a nation-state, but as a climatic transect of the West African Atlantic. From the arid Sahel in the North to the humid Rainforests of the South, we identify and analyze indigenous architectural responses to extreme environments.
Currently, the initiative operates through three primary research nodes, each representing a distinct material technology.
Currently, the initiative operates through three primary research nodes, each representing a distinct material technology.
NODE 01: THE NORTH (SAHEL)
NODE 01: THE NORTH (SAHEL)
Location: Zaria / Kano, Climate Context: Hot-Arid / High Solar Gain, Primariy Technology: Thermal Mass & Tubali Masonry
The Investigation: We are analyzing the structural and thermodynamic properties of Tubali (pear-shaped mud bricks). Unlike modern concrete which traps heat, this indigenous masonry system utilizes high-density thermal lag to delay heat transfer until nightfall.
Target Data: Thermal conductivity rates, structural load paths of conical bricks.
Status: Phase 1 Documentation.
NODE 02: THE SW (TROPICAL)
NODE 02: THE SW (TROPICAL)
Location: Ife / Lagos / Benin, Climate Context: Tropical Wet-and-Dry, Primary Technology: Hydrology & The Impluvium Courtyard
The Investigation: We are examining the Afin (Palace) courtyard typologies as sophisticated hydraulic machines. These structures do not just collect water; they create passive convection currents that lower micro-climate temperatures within high-density urban clusters.
Target Data: Airflow velocity (CFD), rainwater catchment capacity.
Status: Targeted for Field Studio 2026.
NODE 03: THE SE (RAINFOREST)
NODE 03: THE SE (RAINFOREST)
Location: Owerri / Nri, Climate Context: High Humidity / Heavy Rainfall, Primary Technology: Dehumidification & Modular Earth-Timber
The Investigation: We are reverse-engineering the Obi and Mbari structures, focusing on "breathable" earth construction (wattle-and-daub / cob) and decentralized structural logic. This research challenges the use of non-porous cement in humid zones, which leads to mold and structural decay.
Target Data: Porosity metrics, timber tensile strength, carbon lifecycle.
Status: Active / Design-Build Application (Holy Ghost College).
BEYOND THE PILOT
BEYOND THE PILOT
Nigeria is the analytical entry point. Our long-term objective is to trace these materials lineages across the Black Atlantic, and connecting the Tubali of the Sahel to the earthen architecture of the Americas.
THE LAB
THE LAB
The Mobile Field Studio
The Mobile Field Studio
The Challenge:
The Challenge:
Standard architectural surveys are static. They measure length and width but miss the invisible dynamics of indigenous architecture—airflow, thermal lag, and craft transmission.
The Solution:
The Solution:
The Mobile Field Studio is an agile, multi-scalar forensic framework designed to capture the "Total Performance" of the West African built environment. We treat the field site not as a ruin, but as a live experiment.
LAYER 01: DIGITAL FORENSICS (THE HARDWARE)
LAYER 01: DIGITAL FORENSICS (THE HARDWARE)
Objective: Capture the geometry and the physics.
We deploy a suite of compact, high-fidelity tools to document structures before they are lost to climate volatility.
LIDAR Scanning: Generating point-cloud models to analyze structural load paths and masonry deformation over time.
Environmental Sensing: Deploying portable sensors to log temperature, humidity, and airflow velocity within Tubali walls and Afin courtyards.
Photogrammetry: Creating texture-mapped 3D assets to preserve the visual fidelity of material weathering.
LAYER 02: ETHNOGRAPHIC RECORD (THE SOFTWARE)
LAYER 02: ETHNOGRAPHIC RECORD (THE SOFTWARE)
Objective: Capture the code, not just the container.
A building is a crystallized process. We interview the builders, not just the occupants.
Oral Histories: Documenting the recipes for Tubali mortar, the harvest cycles for thatch, and the ritual maintenance schedules that keep these buildings standing.
Guild Mapping: Tracing the lineage of masons and carpenters to understand how knowledge was historically transmitted across the Sahel and the Coast.
LAYER 03: SIMULATE & TRANSLATION (THE LAB)
LAYER 03: SIMULATE & TRANSLATION (THE LAB)
Objective: Convert raw data into design intelligence.
Back in the studio, field data is processed to prove performance.
CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics): We run wind tunnel simulations on digital twins of the Afin courtyards to quantify their passive cooling capacity.
Thermal Stress Testing: We simulate solar gain on earth-wall models to validate their superiority over concrete in tropical zones.
Prototyping: We prepare data for 1:1 fabrication testing—translating ancient dimensions into modern CNC and brick-pressing workflows.
"We do not go to the field to find the past. We go to the field to download the updates for the future of sustainable housing." — Chinaka Njoku, Founder A|WA
"We do not go to the field to find the past. We go to the field to download the updates for the future of sustainable housing." — Chinaka Njoku, Founder A|WA
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