Early nomadic shelters, including caves, animal
skin tents, and igloos, were used for protection
against the elements wind, rain, snow, and sunlight.
They provided defence against predators
and storage facilities for a few important possessions.
These early buildings were temporary, and
proximity to a water source was of prime importance.
For the hunters and gatherers, shelter was
for survival. Health and comfort were not yet under
consideration. As civilization evolved, housing
became more permanent, with increasing attention
to well-being. Unlike in industrialised countries,
where piped-in water, indoor toilets, and
sewage systems are the norm, in many developing
countries these facilities are often not available.
Waterborne enteric diseases, preventable
by the supply of safe water, hand washing, and
appropriate sanitation, continue to be a major
disease burden in poor countries.
But a safe, comfortable and healthy home
constitutes a primary need for people around
the world irrespective of their culture or socioeconomic
status.
Throughout the tropics a huge diversity in
house design and use of building materials can
be observed, based on centuries of local experience,
customs, and availability of natural resources
for construction. Consequently, these
differences in building style affect indoor climate
and comfort for occupants, which in turn affect
occupants’ exposure to infectious diseases. In
this book the authors describe the architectural
designs of rural houses in two countries in Asia
(Thailand, Philippines) and two in Africa (The
Gambia, Tanzania), analyse the indoor climate
of local houses in these settings as an outcome
of design and determinant of comfort, and relate
these factors to health, notably the risk of mosquito-
borne infectious diseases such as malaria.
Based on these findings and intimate understanding
of local building styles and preferences,
they describe a series of house modifications
that could enhance comfort whilst at the same
time reduce health risks.
Jakob Knudsen practices architecture as
head of Ingvartsen Architects in Copenhagen.
He is also associate professor at The Royal Danish
Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture.
A recurrent theme in his works is sustainability
and climatic design. Lorenz von Seidlein, son of
the architect Peter von Seidlein, is a physician
who has practiced medicine in Africa, Asia, the
United States, and Europe. He is currently working
on malaria research in Darwin, Australia, and
Bangkok, Thailand.

• Teile dieses Buch auf:
• twitter
• facebook