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The Ethiopian cultural Gojo is a circular domed dwelling constructed from a central vertical beam and a surrounding structure of curved beams made from wood or bamboo. An exterior covering of dried grass and mud completes the exterior design.
These structures are found everywhere in rural areas due to their ease of construction and inexpensive materials. The main problem dwelling in rural areas in developing countries is low access to water. Anteneh Gashaw, an Ethiopian inventor, understands the practicalities of living in a developing nation and has come up with traditional Gojo.
The concept is to change the outer layer with pipes’ potential of conserving rainwater. A plate on the top of the roof stores directs rainwater into the lines — with a few small balancing tubes connecting them at the bottom — distributing the stored water evenly. A tap at the bottom of the structure allows the pipes to be emptied when necessary. Another fascinating point about this design is that the water adds some extra weight for free, giving the system much-improved stability in high winds and increasing safety.
He notes that proper water infrastructure is costly and hard to build. Digging well, installing underground water tanks, and other such stop-gap decisions are tremendous. Still, they require huge investment, and he assumes that the modified Gojo idea will help reduce the problem of storing water during the rainy season and reduce the pressure on centralized wells.
