Italian designer Arturo Vittori believes the answer to water shortages in countries such as Ethiopia lies in a 30 foot tower that harvests atmospheric water vapour.
Inspired by a trip to a remote Ethiopian village where water collection is time consuming and often dangerous, Vittori designed the WarkaWater Tower, which can sustainably and hygienically collect over 95 litres of water a day.
The vase like shape of the tower reflects that of the Warka tree, a large fig tree native to Ethiopia that is commonly used as a community gathering space.
Juncus and bamboo stalks are woven together to form the tower’s structure, while inside a plastic mesh material made of nylon and polypropylene fibers act as micro tunnels for the water condensation.
As droplets form, they travel along the mesh into a basin at the base of the tower.
Vittori hopes to build two WarkaTowers in Ethiopia by 2015 and is looking for financial backers to make it happen.
Courtesy Wired
