Architettura e malaria nell’Africa subsahariana. Un’ipotesi di sviluppo di modelli abitativi sanitario-sostenibili

The World Health Organization estimates that malaria is present in 87 countries, with approximately 229 million cases in 2019 and some 409,000 deaths, 94% of which continue to be recorded in Africa, with two thirds of victims under the age of 5. In this complex situation, the design of housing, coupled with environmental works (land cleaning and swamp reclamation, the elimination of peridomestic water, etc.) can represent a valid tool for preventing the spread of malaria and other vector-borne diseases. This text analyses what are, or what can be, the most suitable dwelling situations for Sub-Saharan Africa, including the analysis of built projects. In these situations, scientific exploration proves a valid tool for studying aspects linked to environmental sustainability, technology and the economy of construction, also demonstrating how the use of suitable local materials can contribute to both a heightened efficiency in vector control and increasing a participatory approach to architecture among local inhabitants. To this end, the text proposes a multidisciplinary approach in which the research developed to date by Sapienza University in the field of healthcare can serve as a tool for “encountering” architecture, guiding design toward new dwelling models that can be replicated in other similar contexts.