Bartlett Environmental Design Prize 2018: 'Hydro-environmental Transformation Project in Niger' by Anna Andronova

The winner of Bartlett Environmental Design Prize 2018 is 'Hydro-environmental Transformation Project in Niger': Anna Andronova. 

How can we help Niger, a country affected by extreme weather conditions, get better access to water? This is the question Anna dedicated her thesis to. Researching the current situation in Niger, she looked at applicable technologies that could support a more sustainable water system for local communities and developed a water system strategy.

In judging the prize, we selected Anna's work because in our view the project, above all others this year, demonstrated the greatest level of ambition, originality, technical innovation and philosophical rigour in the field of environmental design. The work focusses on hydrology in Niger, where there are major challenges around basic access to water and Anna's thesis sets out research on the current situation, looks at applicable technologies that could support a more sustainable water system for locals, and goes on to develop a water system strategy that underlies the design studio project. The design drawings clearly convey how the water strategy is integrated with considerable sophistication into the architectural language and design, and how the resultant architecture might be inhabited.

Climate change is a global challenge produced mainly by developed countries, but, paradoxically, it affects the least developed nations the most. Under extreme weather conditions, African Sahel’s rapidly growing population, living on narrow margins of survival, is facing an emergency, which will trigger one of the largest migrations in history. Climate justice for all nations, introduced by the Paris Agreement, must become a guilt redemption act of the West.

The lush sublime oasis of the Grand Paris on the major human trafficking route aims to empower local communities, whilst discouraging their migration dream to Europe. Regeneration is made possible through the holistic water management approach of harvesting, usage and treatment. Paris urban grid is translated into conservation landscaping strategies. Through time, overtaken by natural forces, this grid dissolves as a metaphor of forgiveness.

Through site climate and hydrology research project challenges (dry spells and flash floods increases, high evaporation levels, topsoil erosion, waterborne diseases, and uranium contamination) as well as opportunities (non-perennial river streams and underground aquifers, CO2 yields increase) were identified. Water management technological overview of harvesting, usage and treatment stages informed possible architectural and landscaping solutions. Estimating population dynamics and their needs further refined the design proposal, whilst cost estimate testified its procurement.

There are definitely possibilities for the integrated hydrological architecture, and they are available at low cost and low tech. The roject is possible to be constructed with local knowledge, workforce and materials.