Nusa-Wood Tower, Durban Africa by Budi Pradono Architects

Nusa-Wood Tower, Durban Africa
by budi pradono architects

Transforming Nusantara architecture to Wood tower

Wood tower is designed to transform the ‘Nusantara’ architecture, by using traditional methods, of wooden house like a shipbuilding method that has existed since hundreds of years in several islands of Nusantara, and spread on thousands of islands in Indonesia. In each island has its own technique but the system adopted has the toughness to defend themselves from earthquakes, typhoons and even tsunamis.

In this proposal the basic techniques that combine traditional and makes a system such as a honeycomb structure that is able to stand ten floors.

Interlocking honeycomb structural system

Some traditional wooden structure relationship of Batak Toba, the island of Nias, the island of Ternate and the island of Java are the main inspiration for creating a system of interlocking honeycomb structure and connected to one another.

Honeycomb structure consists of laminated wooden beams (measuring 30 cm x 30 cm) are connected to one another and form a structure like a bridge.

Wood boards measuring 3m long, 30 cm wide and 5cm thick arranged in rows. Between the board and the other one has a fish-shaped bond that allows the boards of these reinforce the floor structure and function as well as a space for line pipes plumbing. The wood boards can flatten gravity to all parts and transferred through the column down to the foundation base.

On the outside the whole structure of the honeycomb is tied to a wooden cross that serves as a bond of wind and becomes an outer shell that binds all these buildings.

Urban strategy

Rather than creating a massive and enclosed building we wanted to create a building that is more open. The building has an urban void and create a larger public space on the ground floor. Imaginary this urban strategy is to connect the wood tower with sea and urban park close by. In this building we want to connect the inside space as public space with the outer space of the city. It is also to reinvent the new relationship between building and the city of Durban.

Wood Tower as a social housing 

Wood Tower as social housing that provides flexibility for users to form the space they want. In addition to the wooden structural system which is certain, good sanitation system by providing toilet and kitchen on each of its units as one integrated system basis, the rest in the form of an open plan that provides flexibility for the user unit to build their own a space.

One system consists of a honeycomb structure of the wood with an area of ​​each system strrukturnya is 20 m2; There are three types of dwelling with an area of ​​40m2 each (2 x module), 80m2 (4 x module), and 100m2 (5 x module)

Program

At its mass composition around the structure that connects opened in the middle so that it becomes void that align with communal space program and commercial on the ground floor.

On the roof is made like traditional roofs that can withstand the heat but also absorb solar energy and as well as collecting water to be stored on the bottom side of the building. It is also made tree nurseries, every tree that is cut is replaced with ten times the seeds of the same tree, and so it can be sustainable in maintaining and preserving wood structure.

Interior

With open plan the interior building systems will grow such as organisms, by relying on a toilet and pantry, which will grow following the needs of each occupant.

Utility

In one module are arranged in vertical honeycomb can be filled with a pair of lift, so in this building consists of 4 lifts, while the other modules can be either continuous emergency staircase from top to bottom.