Maa-Bara : catalyzing change in Nigeria's Niger delta

Abstract

Can architecture catalyze economic growth? This thesis serves as a design contribution to the war against poverty by proving that small-scale architectural interventions can propagate large-scale economic growth. It demonstrates how by 'rethinking relationships'- which is the essence of design thinking- synergistic innovations are created, capable of unleashing economic growth of pandemic proportions. Case in point: Nigeria's Niger Delta, home of the nation's oil wealth, and paradoxically home of the nation's poorest citizenry. Where over 85% of the populace are without access to safe water and an average of 13 million barrels of crude oil annually spill to contaminate the soil and water. Obviously, this is no architectural problem. Through the Maa-Bara (translated: Water-Farm, from Ogoni language) which is a careful splicing of aquaculture technologies, local building technologies and capacity-focused development strategies with design thinking, innovation of great economic potential is born.