This SA-designed zero-energy house excelled in African solar design competition
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Women from the Plastic Project, a social and ecological initiative in Franschhoek, crocheted 250 square metres of cladding for the house from recycled plastic bags.
The house was clad in recycled plastic bags, which were turned into yarn and crocheted into 250m² wall panels by unemployed women at the Plastic Project, a social and ecological initiative in Franschhoek, in the Western Cape.
The Plastic Project’s crocheted cladding goes up on the side of House Mahali outside Marrakech, Morocco.
“These designs have been used for centuries for their exceptional performance in terms of climate control, security, privacy, flexibility and adaptability,” said senior lecturer Michael Louw, of UCT’s School of Architecture, Planning and Geomatics.
A tensile structure covered the building, providing shade and collecting water from rain and condensation. This filtered into the central pond before being pumped into a storage tank.
House Mahali’s design was based on a traditional Moroccan riad, with a central courtyard and pool.
An artist’s impression of House Mahali.
