The Jorejick’s home, located near Karatu, Tanzania

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 “Everyone needs a home, a place to rest, a space to feel secure and services to live comfortably. 

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Entailing this statement, The Jorejik’s home is mainly divided in three volumes in a way that each area is separate to maintain the intimacy of the space and at the same time it is connected to the outdoor surroundings. The location of the home is such that it maintains the proximity to the existing Nico’s hut and is in between the space of existing trees to maintain a connection with the landscape. The central volume in connection with the two diagonal volumes, built alongside, are drawn keeping this idea in mind. The entrance of the house looks welcoming with two spread arms which looks within and outside at the same time.

 

The three volumes are connected through passages that overlook the exterior landscape in a way that different spaces can work both independently and as well as in connection. In the left diagonal volume, all the common spaces are located, that is the living room, indoor kitchen and the outdoor kitchen with storage and sheltered outdoor space in between. The private spaces have been divided between the central volume and the right diagonal volume into six bedrooms, three in each volume, with a common entrance lobby in the center. Shower and latrine are separated from these volumes and placed at the backside of the house for easy maintenance and service.

The entire building design is a climate responsive. Long walls are mainly positioned in east- west direction to maximize shade. Openings with louvered shutters are mostly on north and south direction to let light and air deep inside the rooms. Sloping roof is given to enhance internal illumination, mitigate indoor temperature through natural ventilation, protect from humidity stagnation and for the better run-off of the water during rainy season.

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To ensure simplicity the home is built with traditional building method, using natural and locally available material. Rammed earth for walls, locally available wood for doors and windows, corrugated steel sheets on wooden truss for roof, flooring with stabilized compressed earth and inbuilt and wooden furniture to make it financially sustainable.  

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Since public water supply, drainage system and power supply are not available on-site, rainwater collection system, dry composting latrines are used to reduce water consumption and solar panels are installed for power generation. The resulting home offers a sense of security, permanence, substance and spaces that create moments to rejoice with the family, embodying a way of living to better suit its occupants “The Jorejick’s”​