Project Title: Past, Present & Future | Bio-Adaptive Desert Housing in Afar, Ethiopia Overview Located in Berhale, one of the hottest and lowest regions in Ethiopia, this project is a response to the extreme desert conditions of the Sahel. The design serves as a bridge between the bold cultural history of the Afar people and a sustainable future, creating a "survivable" present through climate-responsive architecture. The Concept: Biomimicry & Subterranean Living To combat the extreme Saharan heat, the spatial arrangement takes inspiration from desert fauna. By mimicking the thermal regulation of desert animals, the design buries active living spaces (kitchen, living, dining) below ground level to utilize the earth’s natural thermal mass for cooling. Private sleeping quarters are kept at ground level within reinforced dome structures, traditional to Afar culture. Key Architectural Features Aero-Dynamic Domes: Utilizing local materials, the dome structures maximize airflow and minimize solar radiation absorption. Annex & Interactive Neighborhoods: Intermediate spaces between residential units act as public interactive nodes, preserving the traditional communal lifestyle of the region. Water Autonomy & Harvesting: The project addresses the critical water shortage in the Sahel through a multi-tier system: Atmospheric Water Towers: Collecting humidity and fog from the air. Surface Collection: Integrated channels that funnel rainwater into a central reservoir. Drip Irrigation: Using stored water to support reforestation efforts in the arid landscape. Eco-Sanitation: Implementation of waterless "Eco-San" toilets utilizing the region's abundance of sand and potash to create fertile soil for future greenery. Technical Execution Sectional Analysis: (As shown in the technical drawings) Designing complex subterranean levels and structural domes. Sustainability Planning: Integrating low-tech, high-impact systems for water and waste management. Clustering Logic: Designing circular residential clusters that mirror traditional Afar settlements, fenced with local stone.