House of a Thousand Knots - the Bentwood Architecture of the Orma Women Builders.

This is a previously undiscovered African house, from east Kenya,. It is almost on the edge of extinction, with the tradition being preserved by one remarkable young woman, Ramadan. The tiny home, a beautiful example of organic architecture, is constructed by around twenty women builders over three days, usually just before a marriage. The house is unusually high, with a raised up bed, and this is to protect the occupants from the occasional flooding of the river Tana. All the natural materials are gathered from within a few kilometers of the village. Essentially it is a bentwood frame lashed together into a gridshell. The whole structure is strong as it is a natural parabolic dome. The area is undergoing rapid change as modern materials and electricity are being brought in, so we were very fortunate to be able to record this building before it disappears completely.

COMPETITION: We tried to count how many knots were actually used in making the building. We have a small competition. The person who is closest to our answer, within three months of the video uploading will receive one of the very last copies of my book, free of charge. Leave a comment with your number, and how you estimated it (even if it is just a random guess). As long as we can then contact you to get your address we will send you a book all about nomadic architecture. There are only about 20 left unsold and this will never again be printed.

FUNDRAISER: This high building has evolved out of a very lightweight and mobile architecture that the same tribe use in the semi-desert regions to the north. We need to raise $5,000 to return to make a full record of this building type. We are open to sponsorships, or would even take a guest with us if you will cover the costs, fancy a trip of a lifetime working on a really important research project?

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MUSIC: I write all the music for our more recent videos. If you like it let me know, I know it is not perfect, but I enjoy it!