Ahmad Eghtesad, Mohammad Aghaei: Move east more than 500 km from the southeast coast of Africa you will reach Madagascar, a rich country in natural resources. Graphite, chromite, bauxite, coal, and most importantly, renewable energy resources from water are just some of the natural resources of the fourth largest island in the world. In addition, the habitat of various animals type and nature that can’t be found anywhere else on the earth forces any tourist to travel to this amazing country.
But due to the severe lack of access to electricity, the country’s economy has always been in crisis. Although, less than 20% of the population has access to electricity. And this means more than 75% of the population lives in poverty. We know poverty is the most important factor in the significant increase in crime. More than 50% of prisoners are pre-trial detainees and the population of prisoners increased by more than 150% in the last 10 years which means the occupancy level has also increased to more than 230%.
Our team’s solution to the current crisis and to turn it into the best economic opportunities in the future, is the continuous production of electricity from serial and large waterfalls such as Niagara Falls, but this time at the ocean. Large deep waterfalls that surround the prison with a very purposeful approach create another stunning view of Madagascar island as a point of interest for tourists, and many tourists will be traveling there to see this stunning view.
In this touristic prison, after receiving the necessary training and skills, the prisoners interact directly with the tourists. Each prisoner is responsible for his physical needs and the society, which they achieve by farming on the farms in prison and trading with the community. This process reform and rehabilitate prisoners for a healthy economic life in society. That is the reason for reducing crime in the country.
After a few years and decreasing crime, the prison is expected to become a multi-purpose hotel and tourist hub with waterfalls on the ocean to produce green energy.
INFORMATION
Project name: Baobab Waterfall
Project Location: Madagascar
Principal Architect: Ahmad Eghtesad, Mohammad Aghaei
Tools used: Archicad, 3ds Max, Rhino, Grasshopper, Vray, Photoshop, Illustrator
Design team: Ahmad Eghtesad, Mohammad Aghaei, Nastaran fazeli
Built area: 50000m2
Design year: 2020
Completion year: Futuristic Concept
Collaborators: Ali Nazari (Tutor)
Visualization: Ahmad Eghtesad
Competition: The Jacques Rougerie Foundation competition 2020
Status: Concept | Unbuilt
Typology: Infrastructure – Prison
All images with courtesy of Ahmad Eghtesad, Mohammad Aghaei
