Global Design Competition to combat Malaria

For more details visit the Competition Website: www.archiveglobal.org/cameroon

Extended Registration Deadline: July 20th, 2012

Introduction

The goal of CONSTRUIRE LA PRÉVENTION DU PALUDISME is to retrofit 24 housing units in the community of Minkoaméyos in Yaoundé, Cameroon. The design of the housing units should combine the use of common sense principles and innovative ideas to minimize the transmission of malaria. Our campaign is unique in that we not only seek design excellence, but design that truly integrates architectural construction with community health improvements.

Project Timeline

April 25th – World Malaria Day Competition Launch
May 25th – Round 1 Questions Submission Deadline
June 1st – Round 1 Questions Answered
July 20th – Registration Deadline
July 27th – Round 2 Question Submission Deadline
August 3rd – Round 2 Questions Answered
August 20th – World Mosquito Day – Submission Deadline
September 17th – Round 1 Jury Review – 20 Finalists Announced
October 3rd – World Habitat Day – Round 2 Jury Review – 3 Winners Announced
November 11th – Construction Drawings Due for Winning Designs

Who can participate?

International and local professionals and students are welcome to participate. Architects, medical practitioners, environmental engineers, urban planners, entomologists, product/industrial designers, public health specialists, and other interested individuals are especially encouraged to submit their ideas to the competition.

Who are we designing for?

The housing units to be retrofitted are all located in the community of Minkoaméyos, an informal housing settlement in Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon. There are approximately 42,000 inhabitants in this community with the majority living in single-story houses of about 70m2, generally built without the consultation of an architect or engineer. The malaria burden in Yaoundé is significant, with 30% of medical visits being malaria-related.

How can housing/environmental design reduce the transmission of malaria?

Malaria affects millions of people around the world each year and is one of the top causes of mortality in Cameroon, particularly affecting children and pregnant women. The Anopheles female mosquito transmits this vector borne disease when it bites human flesh.

Currently, the most effective methods of preventing transmission are through the use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), indoor-spraying, and anti-malarial medication. ITNs play a crucial role as a protective barrier from mosquitoes at night, however they have limitations. Although they may protect people sleeping under the nets, the rest of the house can remain an active breeding ground for infectious mosquitoes.

Thus, housing materials and open space between these materials greatly influences the potential number of malaria cases. Locally available materials and building methods such as iron and tiled roofs, concrete block and plastered brick walls, closed eaves, screened doors and netted ceilings can greatly reduce the number of mosquitoes indoors as well as create a more sanitary living environment.

CONSTRUIRE LA PRÉVENTION DU PALUDISME presents an opportunity to utilize these existing housing materials and building methods as well as new, innovative architectural or product design solutions to strengthen protection against malaria. ARCHIVE believes that better housing is the key to significantly improving health conditions and lowering disease transmission.