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Post by Nka on Jul 11, 2014 21:47:04 GMT -6
Response to: LOCALLY SOURCED WOOD IN GHANA FOR BUILDING CONSTRUCTION Some forest timber for construction include Bonsamdua, African Walnut, Utile, Yaya, Akasa, Mansonia, Mahogany, Odum, Sapelewood, etc. See full list of timber species and description on the website of the Forestry Commission of Ghana:
www.ghanatimber.org/species.php and their applications: www.ghanatimber.org/applications.php
You can purchase wood for house construction from the local forest
And have the timber cut by a local chainsaw operator
Or buy the wood from a local timber market in Kumasi, Ghana
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Post by Nka on Jul 4, 2014 10:57:44 GMT -6
ON DAPHNE'S QUESTIONS
Daphne, thank you for your questions. I think that it is best that you name the client for your design entry. Are you designing for a civil servant such as a school teacher, an office worker, or a trader, an arts/design practitioner, etc. Then design the house with the client and Ashanti architecture traditions in mind. For example, a school teacher would have a bachelor’s degree, so would be receptive to more contemporary design features. A trader may be a high school graduate or 6th grade graduate and is most likely to gravitate toward the traditional architecture.
Daphne, you asked: (1) “What is a typical family unit composed of? Three or more generations, a nucleus family, generally how many children?” As noted, a typical family in the Ashanti area has 2+ children and one or two members of extended family in one housing unit. The proposed single-family unit of about 30 x 40 feet on a plot of 60 x 60 feet would be for a family size of 5 to 7 persons. (2) “Kitchen: is there any use of open flame or is it typically a modern kitchen with running water a regular stove and a refrigerator?” Some families use gas stove, some use modified wood stoves, and others use the open flame type. (3) “Are all family members away from the structure for most of the day? Or do people have businesses they run from the family house/compound?” The wife may have a business she runs from the family house. Here are examples:
Small-Scale Food BusinessSmall-Scale Food Business A typical Petty Trader's Kiosk (a small trading kiosk that sells beauty products and basic household commodities, including preserved food items. CULTURE OF THE ASHANTI PEOPLE
In Ashanti, as in much of Ghana, the village is a social as well as an economic heart of society. Everyone is expected to participate in the major ceremonies. The most popular ceremonies are funeral celebrations which typically last several days. The extended family - no matter where they live - will travel home to attend a funeral. The entire village/town and the inhabitants of its environs will also come to pay their last respects. Thus, the funeral expenses can be a huge burden on the family. Having gathered family and friends from far and wide, many often take the opportunity to conduct business or land transactions at funerals.
In each village there are people of particular importance. The Chief together with the Elders maintains traditional customs and ceremonies and deals with disputes. The traditional priest and the herbalist provide a medical service which can be partly paid for in local produce (a hen, eggs etc.) as opposed to Western medicine which requires cash payment, and usually a considerable journey to the nearest hospital. The priest, when possessed by the gods, is particularly powerful at dealing with spiritual problems. The herbalist relies on local medicines to effect a cure. Many of these cures are now being investigated by research institutes both in Ghana and elsewhere as alternative remedies for many ailments, including Malaria. The linguist has no corresponding role in western society. A man wishing to consult the fetish priest or the Chief addresses his remarks to the Linguist, who then passes them on and returns the reply (even though all three people are present together). The linguist is an intermediary, acting as a buffer to reduce the severity of utterances and so save delicate situations. If the Chief should make a harsh pronouncement, it is the duty of the linguist to paraphrase and clothe the statement in proverbs.
The Ashanti Family unit As in most developing countries, there is a strong extended family system. Poorer members may seek financial assistance from their better off relatives for school fees, medical expenses etc. But visitors are always welcomed, even if their arrival may be a cause of financial concern. In Asante, the family line is matralineal - in that it passes through the mother to her children. A man is strongly related to his mother's brother but only weakly related to his father's brother. This must be viewed in the context of a polygamous society in which the mother/child bond is likely to be much stronger than the father/child bond. As a result, in inheritance, a man's nephew (sister's son) will have priority over his own son. Uncle-nephew relationships therefore assume a dominant position. (Legislation was introduced in 1984 to change this traditional pattern of inheritance.)
Proverbs The official language is English but this is not spoken by many villagers. The Asante are part of the Akan tribes who speak various dialects of Twi. The language is very rich in proverbs, the use of which is taken to be a sign of wisdom. Euphemisms are very common, especially about events connected with death. Rather than say "the King has died", one would say "a mighty tree has fallen". Proverbs are often used to express ideas indirectly as can be seen from the following: "Obi mfa ne nsa benkum nkyere n'agya amanfo" - this is literally "Do not point to the ruins of your father's house with your left hand" - which is equivalent to "Do not scorn culture inherited from your forefathers".
Religion There is a universal God (Onyame) but this does not exclude gods associated with a particular region or spirits (obosum) by whom a priest may be possessed. (This lack of exclusiveness makes it possible, say, for a traditional priest to be a Roman Catholic). But there is no doubt of the existence of the Kingdom of the Dead(Samanade) so custom requires that great attention is paid to the proper conduct of burials and funeral celebrations. Death is the one great certainty. Traditional religion does not require regular attendance at particular buildings. Religion is not something that is remembered for one hour a week. The Gods and the spirits of the ancestors are always present.
- Culled from AGC
The Ashanti Way of Life (An Excerpt from "Family Life Among the Ashanti of West Africa" by Peter Herndon)
The Ashanti king was no figure-head ruler. All power was given to him. He was the maker of all executive decisions and the power behind all Ashanti laws. He was chief justice, and commander in chief of the Ashanti army. In order to choose a new chief, those who were eligible through the Queen Mother's relatives were assembled, and the clan leaders voted on a successor, chosen on the basis of qualifications of leadership and political ability.
The inheritance rights of the Ashanti pass through the mother's side of the family. Land belongs to the woman, not the man. Children belong legally to the mother, since they belong to the mother's clan, called the matriclan. When a man marries a woman he agrees that he will take responsibilities if there by any, but her assets and property should return to the matriclan. (Tufuo, p. 44) The woman also recognizes her dependence on her husband for protection, and his right, while he lives, to claim what is hers. There is an Ashanti adage which refers to possession of property: if a woman weaves a shield, she stores it in a man's room. (Tufuo, p. 45)
There are strict rules about marriage partners. A person cannot marry within his or her matriclan. Parents must approve of the mate a young man or woman chooses, and the girl is expected to be married soon after her coming of age (Puberty) ceremony, in which she is officially displayed as eligible to the rest of the village. A man is allowed to marry several wives, as long as he can adequately provide for them; this demonstrates his wealth and generosity. Also, among the Ashanti there are fewer men than women, so that polygamy helps to assure that all women will become married, with children, the fulfillment of an Ashanti woman's goal of success.
When a baby is born, whether it is male or female, there is great rejoicing among the clan. A few days after the baby is born, the mother carries the baby around the village on her back. The people of the village give gifts and money; they wish the mother congratulations and the baby a long life. A special drink ceremony is held to create the voice and imbue him (or her) with wisdom and intelligence, so that the baby will resemble "a true Ashanti". (Tufuo, p. 54)
Everyone joins in the child's training as the child begins to walk and talk. Aunts, uncles, cousins and brothers and sisters are always there to encourage and instruct the baby in Ashanti ways. The child is never alone and knows he will always belong to the people of his family and community.
The child has a great deal of freedom at home, with parents seeking to guide rather than discipline the child. Children are reasoned with and parents tend to be very patient, even indulgent with their young ones. The home is where customs and traditions are learned and practiced, stories told, and the past relived. Home is a secure place, where everyone is accepted and respected, where values and attitudes are molded. If a child misbehaves, it is considered the parents' fault, and a shame and an embarrassment to them. In court, it is Ashanti custom to penalize parents equally for serious crimes committed by their children. The Ashanti believe that "parents are responsible for the training of their children and if they were trained well they would have behaved well". (Tufuo, p. 35)
Boys are trained by the fathers to be farmers. From the time they are old enough to walk, they are taken out into the fields to help to weed the garden and learn the names of the plants. Later, they are taught to hunt and fish, and learn the ways of the forest. When young, boys and girls play together, but girls are discouraged from playing rougher games and sports. Fathers have regular story times for sons and daughters each afternoon. Girls spend most of their time with their mothers and other women, learning to carry water, prepare meals, keep a clean house, and, in general, take on domestic responsibility. They sing while preparing bath water and helping to prepare the evening meal which is shared by many relatives. They are expected to become active in the community social life and to join a dance group or a musical society. Mothers carefully instruct their daughters how to use special herbs and spices which keep the body smelling clean.
The men eat a communal dinner together. The wives take the food to the father-in-law's house for the men, who eat out of a common dish. Boys can dip their hands in too, as soon as they are old enough to wash their own hands; until then they eat with the women. Unmarried men go to their uncle's house to eat, where all the cousins and nephews gather. Women in the same house eat together, but not from the same dish. Women who are having their menstrual period eat separately from all the others because they are believed to be unclean until their period is over.
Each day at dusk, it is time for stories, games, dancing and singing. Everyone is in bed by ten o'clock because work begins the next morning before sunrise!
When a girl has her first period, it is cause for celebration. The old women of the village sing special songs commemorating the occasion, and the girl's mother pours wine and says a special prayer. The next day the girl's body is shaved and she is dressed in a special dress and adorned with gold necklaces, hair ornaments and leg and ankle beads. Young girls sing songs to her, and friends and relatives give presents. She is given a special bath in the river, followed by dancing and singing. Special traditional foods are prepared and more traditional rites performed. Five days later, she dresses up in her best outfit and goes around the village to thank everyone who had attended the ceremony. (Rattray, Religion, pp. 69-74) There are no similar customs for males among the Ashanti.
In order to marry, a young man must get permission from the bride-to-be's parents, and offer gifts to any members of the clan to whom his bride-to-be directs him. These gifts may be fish, tobacco, salt or gold dust. Once the customary "bride price" is paid, along with the consent of the girl and her parents, a wedding day is set. On the morning of the marriage, the bride dresses up in her best dress adorned with gold ornaments, and is led by her mother to the bridegroom's house, where they thank him for all his gifts. They leave, later to return, when the chief of the village says a few words and performs a short ceremony, including a sip of customary wine. (Rattray, Ibid., pp. 84-85)
As stated above, polygamy is traditional among Ashanti, one wife being the senior wife, who would be consulted if any additional wives were contemplated. The Ashanti word for co-wife means, jealous one, although there were apparently families where everyone seemed to live rather peacefully. Whichever wife sleeps with her husband cooks for him, usually for a week at a time. Disputes among wives are not the responsibility of the husband, although he is expected to administer an orderly household. Both husbands and wives can divorce each other. Reasons for divorce among the Ashanti include: adultery, sterility, drunkenness, physical abuse, and refusal to give support (husband). In case of divorce, a married woman's property is totally separate from her husband's; he has no claim on them. The children also, are the mother's, since they are of the mother's clan. (Rattray, Ibid., pp. 97-98) Often, however, in case of divorce, the sons stay with the father.
Generally, private arbitration is the approved manner for legal settlement among the Ashanti, since they do not wish disputes to come to public attention. A minor complaint is usually judged by a family member; a serious matter would have to be taken up by a head of the clan plus two other community members. Juries are not used; the only need for a large group of arbiters would be in the case of two members from different clans, when the village chief, his elders and a local priest may be called in. Young offenders are often excused from guilt on grounds of ignorance. Even adults can be excused from legal punishment if they can reasonably prove that "the commission of the offense has been without deliberate intention and knowledge". (Tufuo, p. 71) The Ashanti believe in justice, but justice with mercy.
The Ashanti culture strives to benefit everyone through the efforts of the individuals who make it up. Competition is seen as something healthy; power and wealth are not to be despised, but ultimately the test to a true Ashanti is to strive toward a unity which benefits everyone. Struggle and disagreements, even jealousy are built into the Ashanti way of life, and the Ashanti proverb says it this way:
Funtumfuru afu,
Denkyemfuru afu
Yenyuina y'afruru ako
Nanso yedidi a, yeko.
Which means: "We are two crocodiles sharing one common stomach; yet when it is mealtime, we struggle with one another." (Antubam, p. 193) Struggle and strife are necessary, but unity born of diversity is worth the price!
Source: yale.edu/ynhti/curriculum/units/1991/2/91.02.04.x.html
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Post by Nka on Jun 28, 2014 0:42:57 GMT -6
FORMWORK DESIGN BY MARTA GRACIA
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Post by Nka on Jun 15, 2014 1:15:40 GMT -6
ONLINE RESOURCES: Biogas as Renewable Energy Source
How does a Biogas Digester work? By Scitech
A video by Richard Field. A biogas project in Uganda
The Biogas Project, part 2 By Mr Muasa (Report from the construction of the 48 m3 biogas-digester at Katulani Secondary School, Kitui, Kenya).BIOGAS DESIGNS
Source: bio-gas-plant.blogspot.com/ Here is a relevant article: www.snvworld.org/download/publications/biogas_stoves_and_lamps_test_report_2009.pdf "Popular Summary of the Test Reports on Biogas Stoves and Lamps prepared by testing institutes in China, India and the Netherlands" by SNV Netherlands Development Organisation OTHER RESOURCES
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Post by Nka on Jun 14, 2014 22:02:36 GMT -6
A BIOGAS KITCHEN The task is to collaborate to design a low-tech formwork for construction of a courtyard of mud houses together with a sewage pit and a cooperative kitchen to serve the courtyard for Abetenim Arts Village in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
The following architects and engineers will collaborate on the task: (1) Animesh Shrestha (animeshshrestha11@gmail.com), an architect in Nepal (2) Vlasta Jeftic (vlasta.jeftic@gmail.com), an architect in Australia (3) Mariano Ronquillo (mrj1976@hotmail.com), a mechanical engineer in Spain (4) Meghna Dave (meghna_dave@hotmail.com), a civil engineer in Kenya (5) Rana Bachir (ranabachir30@gmail.com), an emerging architect in Lebanon
You are welcome to join the discussion. Introduce yourself and you can post images/sketches or videos (1 MB or less per image), texts and links to any Online resources that can help the design process. Or just email it email the material to info@nkafoundation.org and we will post it on this page.
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Post by Nka on Jun 9, 2014 23:50:14 GMT -6
MUD HOUSE CONSTRUCTION"Opportunity for the Increased Use of Clay Pozzolana – The BRRI Experience" by K.A. Solomon-Ayeh
"A manual of Cost Cuts for Strong Acceptable Housing" by Laurie Baker
STABLIZED MUD BRICKS BY MIGRATING CULTURE With Ghana's tropical environment, it is important to create buildings that perform well under the sun and heat of the harmattan while staying dry and protective throughout the rainy seasons.
Earth Blocks also known as Soil Blocks are made of a mixture of clay soil (orange/reddish clay that is common throughout the country) mixed with sand, stabilized with cement or lime and these blocks are molded and compacted in a manually operated press.
Locally the conventional method of construction utilizes modular blocks for building; the block creates a standard size unit that can easily be laid to specification by skilled masons. Block buildings account for the majority of construction projects throughout the country and is a familiar accepted process.
The standard block molded locally is a mixture of sand or quarry dust stabilized with cement. Research indicates that these blocks, often solid, absorbs the suns heat like stone and radiates it back into the buildings. There heavy mass often requires structural system to be over engineered, raising the cost of construction as well. By replacing the standard block with an Earth Block in your building project, you will get the Eco-benefits of a cooler, better performing wall system while maintaining a familiar construction technique.
Source: migratingculture.com
Roofing a House Build by Atakpamé (Cob) Construction Method
Notice how the beams are inserted into the mud wall made of laterite, the red earth
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Post by Nka on Jun 9, 2014 22:43:41 GMT -6
MUSGUM MUD HOUSES
The Musgum is an ethnic group in far north province in Cameroon
Maintenance of a Musgum Dwelling Musgum Mud Houses resembling the shape of beehives or shells.
Vaults built in this way can be very slim and use a minimum of material for maximum strength.
The Site Plan of a Compound of mud houses. A characteristic settlement form is the compound, which is a cluster of units linked by walls. The domed huts of the Musgum people are built in shaped mud, a variant of cob. Cob building is the most widely used technique in the world, since no tools are needed- just bare feet, earth and water.
Musgum Mud Houses are Built Using Nature's Arch... The Catenary
The house is created from compressed sun-dried mud. The dwelling has walls that are thicker at the base than at the summit. The reason for this kind of wall is to provide stability to the structure. it is customary to lay the mud spirally in lifts of approximately half a metre, allowing each lift to dry before adding the next.
The name of these houses (‘cases obos’) comes from their similarity with the profile of shells. It is very close to the catenary arch, the ideal mathematical form to bear a maximum weight with minimal material. This profile also reduces the pressure effect of the impact of water drops on the walls. Furthermore, the extraordinary height (up to 9 meters) of these houses provides a comfort climate during hot days. The top of the house is pierced with a circular opening, allowing the air to circulate, resulting in the sensation of freshness. Today, these buildings have become somewhat obsolete, with only a few groups still practicing this ‘cases obos’ type of construction.
Curves and grooves are the language of natural forms. The Musgum house follows the profile of shells – the arc of a chain. Bows and vaults obtained in this way can be very slim and allow the use of a minimum of material for maximum rigidity. The arc adopting the inverted profile will only work in compression and does not produces parasitic twisting or bending moments.
Source: designboom.com
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Post by Nka on Jun 9, 2014 0:46:08 GMT -6
EXAMPLES OF EARTH BAG DOMES
Karl's Root Cellar
Mindfulness Project site plan -- dome cluster and gazebo, Thailand
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Post by Nka on Jun 7, 2014 12:42:45 GMT -6
AN INTRODUCTION TO VAULTED STRUCTURES: Arches, Vaults and Domes (AVD) have been used to build durable structures across time. The advent of reinforced cement concrete, tensile and steel structures brought THE GREAT FORGETTING of the making of vaulted structures with earth under the feet. Read more about AVD: 1-introduction-avd-en.pdf (724.59 KB)
Nubian Vault Roof Economic earth construction designed by Ray Meeker
The structure was built with mud blocks and mortar, stuffed with ceramic products, and fired. The house itself would get fired as a consequence. The fuel required for firing would be largey accountable to the products inside. Mud mortar joints would be made possible as they strengthen after firing. And further economy would result. Ray Meeker's technique offered the possibility of a moderate-cost, yet strong house. Environmentally sound; climatically appropriate. Pucca, yet made of the very basic elements - earth, water and fire.
The simple requirements were accommodated in an equally simple plan - a central dome surrounded by four vaults covering a 700 sq.ft area. There were only two main additions after firing - the entrance canopy as a fifth vault in fired brick and lime mortar, and a partial loft within the highest of the four vaults. Nubian vault construction was followed for all five vaults.
Read more: www.auroville.org/thecity/architecture/agnijata.htm
Segmental vault, in “Free spanning” mode, meaning without formwork. This was previously called the Nubian technique, from Egypt, but the Auroville Earth Institute developed it and found new ways to build arches and vaults.
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Post by Nka on Jun 7, 2014 12:36:29 GMT -6
CAN THE HOUSE BE BUILT ENTIRELY WITH MUD?
YES, OF COURSE! ACROSS TIME, DIFFERENT FORMS OF ARCHES, VAULTS AND DOMES HAVE BEEN BUILT. AS FOLLOWS ARE SOME SUCCESSFUL EXAMPLES FROM AROUND THE WORLDS. BUT THE CHALLENGE IS RATHER HOW TO DESIGNED SUCH A MUD TYPE TO APPEAL TO THE LOCAL POPULACE.
Please, add your comments/suggestions/questions to this page and post other examples you come across.
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Post by Nka on Jun 6, 2014 22:54:55 GMT -6
CULTURAL DATA POOL
Adinkra Symbols As Inspiration for Design
Adinkra are visual symbols, originally created by the Ashanti people of Ghana and the Gyaman of Cote d’Ivoire in West Africa. They are metaphorical sayings to convey traditional wisdom, social aspects of life and their views of the natural world. In Ghana, adinkra symbols are everywhere: on stools, buildings, house walls, pottery, and clothes. Adinkra symbols have been adapted to contemporary designs ranging from logo design to floor plan of buildings. Read Learning Math and Science through Adinkra.doc (632 KB) and below are a few images to inspire you. Gye Nyame by the architect, Giuseppe Calabrese from Australia
Adinkra Symbol, Mate Masie meaning "I consider and keep what I learn" "... the lesson to be learned from Ashanti architecture is how well these symbols, embedded in its architecture, connect the building to the people living within it. The designs are not only art, but also literally speak to the user."
Adinkra symbols, physics and my doodles by Ronald D. Isom Sr.Ronald D. Isom Sr.
Adinkra symbols, physics and my doodles by Ronald D. Isom Sr.Ronald D. Isom Sr
Wood Carvers carving Wooden Stools
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Post by Nka on May 31, 2014 15:09:30 GMT -6
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TEAM 1
May 31, 2014 9:47:25 GMT -6
Post by Nka on May 31, 2014 9:47:25 GMT -6
We invite you to post an introductory statement to briefly introducing yourself and any professional experience and connections you are bringing to the successes of the Mud House Design 2014. You can then go on to post a question, your suggestions or comments.
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TEAM 1
May 31, 2014 9:33:41 GMT -6
Post by Nka on May 31, 2014 9:33:41 GMT -6
INVITATION TO JURY We appreciate your availability to serve as one of the judges of the entries to the MUD HOUSE DESIGN 2014. The judges for the competition consists of a Preselection Jury and the Grand Jury. The Preselection Jury includes architects, arts and design professionals, international development practitioners and academics. The Grand Jury involves established practitioners in earth architecture and architects/designers associated with the academy. This is an Online competition; the jury sessions will, in that way, be via Online. We will provide a link to all the submitted design entries. The jury procedure is explained in the attachment above. The task of the jury will be in September 2014, after the submission deadline.
As a member of the Jury, you will help us through use of the Judges Scoring Sheets to evaluate the entries in line with the judging criteria: (1) FUNCTIONALITY: Space patterns and usage, climatic performance, and sustainability over time; (2) AESTHETICS: Visual / aesthetic appeal; and (3) TECHNICAL: Adaptive / creative use of abundant local materials and labor to the degree they enhance the design, resource efficient construction process, and attention to scalability. Decisions of the jury will be final and binding.
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TEAM 2
May 30, 2014 18:29:18 GMT -6
Post by Nka on May 30, 2014 18:29:18 GMT -6
ROAD MAP FOR THE WORKSHOP LEADER
- Set the workshop date
- Design the announcement poster and other promotional materials for promoting the workshop
- Recruit 16 to 20 international participants and engage in preparatory dialogue
- Arrive at the workshop site to observe the local architecture & lifestyle and refine the design entry
- Build the project
- Promote the results on professional platforms via published project report, conference presentation, etc.
NOTE: Event promotion is about reaching potential participants and driving them to the event. To maximize the results, we want to use both traditional, offline tools and and online resources. How can your team promote your workshop to attract 16 to 20 international participants? On this page, we have listed some common ways to accomplish this task. As you will read below, some workshop teams would be able to recruit participants by creating a page on Facebook event, www.travbuddy.com, or www.meetup.com and inviting the target population to visit the page and register to participate in the workshop. Even so, your choice of marketing strategies to reach the goal, would be according to your preferences and in line with the specific skills or knowledge you are brining to the table. At the moment, we promote our workshops by designing an announcement poster, emailing to our mailing list, listing our program in websites including career services website at some universities, and by publishing the project report. Often, we publishing a press release.
In light of this, your workshop team will have to share the announcement through your own networks- Facebook, email, and other ways of organizing a community around your Ghana workshop. Ask if you can pin the workshop announcement poster on community bulletin boards in local grocery stores, schools of architecture & design, or similar places in your city.
It will help if you position yourself as an expert (or one on verge of it) in your industry in light of your greatest strengths and best practices that you are bringing to the workshop. Read your local newspapers to identify a reporter who covers the community beat. Pick up the phone, ask for the reporter and make your 1 minute pitch based on your checklist. They may want to come out and interview you.
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TEAM 3
May 19, 2014 9:16:23 GMT -6
Post by Nka on May 19, 2014 9:16:23 GMT -6
TRAVELING EXHIBITION OF DESIGN ENTRIES On this page, we will discuss the design concept for the traveling exhibition of the design entries and set the necessary conditions before inviting the venues to host the exhibition. The exhibition will be available for traveling beginning in November 2014. I invite you to the conversation, keeping in mind the submission format.
SUBMISSION FORMAT: (1) Along with the design entry, submit a text file (Word format) containing the design statement (600 words max) for publication purposes. The design statement should include material description, budget in USD, and the entrants’ personal information including name, profession, address, and email address. (2) Three A1 presentation boards submitted as JPG files of high-quality resolution to be printed in landscape format. The file size of each presentation board must not exceed 3MB… Required submittals include the site plan, floor plan, elevations, sections, perspective views, roof plan, construction details and sequences (as appropriate) and project statement explaining the design.”
There are several ways a traveling exhibition of this kind can be organized: (1) All the design entries could be printed out and mounted professionally for the traveling exhibition and shipped from venue to venue. This may include models of some of the submitted entries. If this is the option, we can invite a collective such as DesignCorps (http://www.corcoran.edu/designcorps) to take up this task. (2) We can also approach it as venue-participatory act. By this, each venue would look at all the submitted design entries. The venue will select what they want to exhibit and how they wish to exhibit it- to best enable their targeted audiences access the messages, stories and objects of the exhibition. The display could be electronically or in a three-dimensional space.
In general, exhibition designs endeavor to communicate a message by engaging the audiences in meaningful and compelling interactions. In light of this, the question we need your answers/feedbacks is: Which ways of exhibiting do you think would work out best in creating experiences that engage and educate audiences in the context of Mud House Design 2014? Why? Is there any one us teaching a design or architecture course, who would like to (with his/her students) participate and design the exhibition in their own language for exhibition in their school/region, as a part of the course in 2014 or 2015?
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Post by Nka on May 17, 2014 11:46:39 GMT -6
THE DESIGN OF POUR-FLUSH SEAL LATRINES Hello Giacomo Cassio, Thank you for your question and concerns. You asked: “Are there any jurisdictional guidelines for the placement of the latrine?” No open sewage. The cistern flush toilet system and pour-flush toilet type are the convention. Either of these could be a room within the building or an out unit, as long as the toilet system has the water seal to avoid the problems associated with oudor and insects.
Within the budget of the Mud House Design 2014, here are successful examples: The Easy Latrine system is a best example, see it on YouTube: by www.ideorg.org It is a simple, pour-flush latrine, with an offset tank to collect the feces and urine. Easy Latrine system consists of of three precast concrete rings that are dropped into a six-foot hole to act as a reservoir; a concrete slab on that; and a pan”. The goal was to design a latrine that is effective, inexpensive and attractive to user.
There are other examples of Pour-Flush Latrines, such as pdf.usaid.gov/pdf_docs/PNAAV617.pdf, www.unwater.org/downloads/EHB_Sanitation_EN_lowres.pdf, and journeytoforever.org/farm_library/VITAlist.html (under Sanitary Latrines) and www.sswm.info/category/implementation-tools/wastewater-treatment/hardware/user-interface/pour-flush-toilet (executive summary of Pour-flush Toilets). And this is a link to a blog about a Microbial Fuel Cell Latrine (MFCL) project in Ghana: jasonknutson.wordpress.com Attachments:
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TEAM 3
May 8, 2014 9:12:47 GMT -6
Post by Nka on May 8, 2014 9:12:47 GMT -6
Discussions About the Exhibition Content and Nomination of Venues To Host a Traveling Exhibition of all Submitted Design Entries at Universities, Architecture Associations and Influential Architecture/Design Firms.
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TEAM 2
May 8, 2014 9:00:04 GMT -6
Post by Nka on May 8, 2014 9:00:04 GMT -6
STRATEGIC MARKETING AND PROMOTIONAL PLAN FOR MUD HOUSE DESIGN 2014 PROTOTYPING WORKSHOPS
Because new workshop teams are emerging, we thinking that one approach to the task is to compile some Do-It-Yourself Promotional/Marketing strategies that each workshop team can use as a guide to promote and raise fund for their workshop by themselves. So read on, go through all of the posts below. Choose the strategies that you are likely to have most success with, and personalized them to your workshop. Then create a press release to announce your workshop.
CREATING A PRESS RELEASE One way to let your entire community know about the life-changing adventure you are about to embark on is to create and send out a press release. This can help to bring in financial support, while drawing much needed public attention to the cause you will be working on during your stay in Ghana. Send the press release to your local newspapers, radio stations, Online media and newsletters asking them to help spread the word, direct people to your fundraising page and encourage the community to support your Ghana Project. The press release should be written by you and needs to contain all the pertinent information about your endeavor. A press release is a written statement to the media about your Ghana Project in a way that is newsworthy, while seamlessly soliciting donations- such as availing opportunities for public presentation about your project and saying the amount you must raise to go to Ghana. It should be motivational, a call-for-action. To make your press release impactful, consider the following: How would your design response to the rural/sustainable development issue refresh or change the rural world? Briefly explain your project and the social problem/cause your project is addressing. Include pictures of yourself/design solution and your destination. Why must others care that you go? That is, what global lessons and professional/social implications will your participation in the project in Ghana bring to the global marketplace ideas or practice? Sending out the press release in your home town is an effective way to solicit donations by publicly getting the word out on your plans to volunteer abroad. Follow up with the publication staff to see if they need more information and when the story might be printed.
See an example of press release on our previous project: prlog.org/11205664. You can also google “sample press release” as a model for your own fundraising efforts. It should be at the maximum, a page long. If you desire, the staff at Nka would be happy to review your press release before you send it to the newspapers.
As you find successes, we invite you to post examples from the successes of your efforts, documents and useful links to Online resources that will help other teams or participants achieve this objective.
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TEAM 1
May 8, 2014 8:50:27 GMT -6
Post by Nka on May 8, 2014 8:50:27 GMT -6
The Jurying Process
The jury for the Mud House Design 2014 competition consists of a Preselection Jury and the Grand Jury. The Preselection Jury of architects, professors and administrators with relevant expertise will review all design entries and select the overall Top 20 Designs and present them to the Grand Jury, who will then select the winning designs. The Grand Jury consists of architecture professors and others who are established in earth architecture.
_JUDGES SCORE SHEETS.2014 MUD HOUSE DESIGN C....doc (89.5 KB)
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Post by Nka on Apr 10, 2014 9:17:18 GMT -6
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q. Do you have a website with detail about the competition? The the competition website is www.nkafoundation.org/competitions.html. Registered participants will get invitation to an Online forum, which is: nkaprojects.boards.net, where the participants can interact and exchange ideas with other users and team up with fellow designers to complement their skills to achieve best results.
Q. What do I need to do to participate in the design competition? Pay the entry fee online here: www.eventbrite.com/e/mud-house-design-competition-tickets-10697036123 to get your entry ticket, create a design proposal, and submit your design via mudhousedesign@mail.com.
Q Should every member of the design team be a student or a graduate since 31st Jan 2010? The Mud House Design 2014 is open to all, except established architects and designers. We think that it would be an unfair competition to include practitioners with extensive years of professional practice in the competition. By this, the design team can consist of students or recent graduates, or a mixed group of students and emerging practitioner in architecture or design. Non architecture or design practitioners can also take part in this competion regardless of years of practice.
Q. What is next after I have registered? Join us at: nkaprojects.boards.net. It is an Open Forum to stimulate exchange of useful ideas through discussions, responding to participants’ questions and offering feedbacks on their design concepts. We have uploaded many useful documents there to help you generate a more informed design response.
Q. Where is the construction site, is it on the map? There is no specific site for the project; any township of your choice in the Ashanti Region of Ghana is appropriate. So, all I have to do is to use google maps to locate a site in the Ashanti region? Yes, most townships in Ghana are on the map. There are 104 townships in the Ashanti Region of Ghana some of them are: Asiwa, Ejisu, Ejura, Juaben, Effiduase, Bomso, Obuasi, Akomadan,Tepa and Ofoase-Kokoben. Ashanti is the most populous region in Ghana. In townships in the Ashanti Region, there is public water system to the homes provided by the government and paid by tenants per usage . Electric power is also by public grid. Most townships in the area do not have public sewage system; thus, the sewage pit system is a common practice. A low-tech system of recycling bio materials from the kitchen through use of such as biogas digester which would generate methane gas that can be channeled into the kitchen for use as cooking gas.
Q. What is the primary wind direction in the Ashanti Region of Ghana? It is southwesterly; the predominant wind direction in the region is from west/southwest to east/northeast sectors.
Q. What are the amenities that are most needed for a single family unit? Rooms to sleep, kitchen, toilet/bath with sewage pit and a yard are basic.
Q. Please, explain this part: a single-family unit of about 30 x 40 feet on a plot of 60 x 60 feet. Is the 30 x 40 the buildable square footage? The house and yard should be designed on a plot of 60 x 60 feet (3600 sq feet). That will be sufficient.
Q. Where do I find information about the costs of local building materials? Here is a best best site: www.bmghana.com and you may google "building materials in Ghana" to see other sources. In general, to roof the 30 x 40 feet unit you will need about 10 packets of corrugated zinc sheets at $120 per packet. 1 bag of cement is $10.50. Expect to pay the local skilled laborer about $10 per day and unskilled laborer $7 per day. And keep in mind that prizes are subject to change.
Q. Can you tell us more about the climate of the region where the project will be constructed? Ashanti Region of Ghana falls within the warm-humid climatic zone. Air temperatures remain moderately high, between 21 and 32 degrees C, with little variation between day and night. Traditionally, earth-walled courtyard houses are typical with broad overhanging eaves to shade the exterior walls. Pitched roofs covered with corrugated metallic sheets are common in the warm-humid climates of Ghana. Windows are large and fully openable. Fixed windows are not climatically preferable in the warm-humid climates. For additional information, see: www.arcghana.org/architecture_southernghana.htm.
Q. I need more information on architecture of the project area? Here is a list to get you started: (1) www.scribd.com/doc/77284395/The-transformation-of-the-urban-structure-of-Kumasi-Studio-Ghana-2010-2011 (2) collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jsk02ce/3.4.html (3) lib.ugent.be/fulltxt/RUG01/001/887/157/RUG01-001887157_2012_0001_AC.pdf
Q. Can we submit more than one project? Yes, but each project must have a unique registration number.
Q. Do we need to submit hard copies of the boards? No, this is a digital competition. You have to send your boards by e-mail to mudhousedesign@mail.com.
Q. Can we submit our boards in Spanish or French? No, English is the only accepted language.
Q. Can you supply some photos of mud architecture from the region? You will find plenty of great images of architecture from the region if you google African architecture (Ashanti) or Ashanti architecture.
Q What is the "typical family" in Ghana? How many children? How many generations live together? A typical family in the Ashanti area has 2+ children and one or two members of extended family in one housing unit. The proposed single-family unit of about 30 x 40 feet on a plot of 60 x 60 feet would be for a family size of 5 to 7 persons.
Attachments:
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Post by Nka on Mar 30, 2014 22:52:21 GMT -6
Here are more files applicable to mud house design for the Ashanti Region of Ghana. Click on the orange hyperlinks to open the files: (4) GEURTS.pdf (615.08 KB) Working on cities: An experience from Kumasi, Ghana by Ellen Geurts.
(5) Formwork Design - Kamal Habib Said.pdf (416.31 KB) Interlocking formwork for single Bblocks: A formwork design for earth architecture in Ghana by Kamal Habib Said.
(6) Planning Buildings in Warm Humid Regions (1).pdf (1001.72 KB) Planning buildings in warm humid regions: Hints for NGOs by Patti Stouter.
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Post by Nka on Mar 30, 2014 21:40:18 GMT -6
If you need more information on architecture of the project area, here are some files to get you started. Click on the orange hyperlinks to open the files: (1) Design for warm-humid zones.pdf (905.46 KB). Climate responsive building: Appropriate building construction in tropical and subtropical regions (SKAT; 1993; 324 pages)
(2) AAT_NiangSoboyejo_paper web-based publicati....pdf (37.44 KB). On the use of quasi-crystal and fractal concepts in the design of affordable rural/urban landscapes by M. Niang and W.O. Soboyejo.
(3) AAT_Afram_paper web-based publication.pdf (712.47 KB). The traditional Ashanti compound house: A forgotten resource for home ownership of the urban poor by S.O. Afram.
We will post more files of size 1 MB or less. And fell free to do the same. Share!
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Post by Nka on Mar 30, 2014 16:44:09 GMT -6
MUD HOUSE DESIGN 2014: Reinventing the African Mud Hut Together
The challenge is to design a single-family unit of about 30 x 40 feet on a plot of 60 x 60 feet to be built by maximum use of earth and local labor in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The client of your design is the middle-income family in any township of your choice in the Ashanti Region. Total costs of constructing the design entry must not exceed $6,000 (USD); land value is excluded from this price point. The design entry should serve as an example to the local people that mud architecture can be beautiful and durable.
The Design Problem
This is the design problem: In Ghana, as in other countries in West Africa, stereotypes about buildings made of earth persist because of poor construction.
Earth architecture is fast giving way to modern dwellings made of cement blocks and other modern materials that are not simply expensive but thermally and acoustically problematic. From the cities to the low-income villages, use of concrete - despite its dependence on imported resources - is considered indispensable for building. The rising cost of the modern building materials manufactured from imported resources makes it very difficult for low-income families to become homeowners. Yet an excellent, cheap and local alternative called laterite, red earth, is available everywhere in Ghana.
For example, in the Abetenim area, 98% of the homes are made of earth, however local stereotypes about buildings made of earth persist because there are several examples of mud homes that have eroded over time due to poor construction and water damage. That is why there is local stigma associated with mud architecture. The local perception is that mud buildings are only for the very poor. We reason that a design intervention can help generate alternatives to resolve the problem.
In light of the problem, we are running Mud House Design Competition to encourage designers, architects and builders to use their creativity to come up with innovative designs for modest, affordable homes that can be built locally. The design should aim at creating a single family and semi-urban house type that is a place to live, a place to rest, store modest belongings, and feel safe. The first place winning entry will be built on a site in the Ashanti Region.
Join the discussion! The long-term goal is to enable the Ghanaian population and lots of other places, to overcome the stigma that mud architecture is architecture for the very poor.
Design problem: A typical mud house at Abetenim, Ejisu-Juaben District, Ghana
Design problem: Sample Mud houses at Abetenim Viilage, Ejisu-Juaben District, Ghana
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Post by Nka on Mar 29, 2014 9:01:44 GMT -6
This is an open forum to allow participants in Mud House Design 2014: Reinventing the African Mud Hut Together and the stakeholders to have a conversation on the competition, share files, and centralize feedback. On this platform, participants can interact and exchange ideas with other users and team up with fellow designers to complement their skills to achieve best results.
Thank you for your interest and support. -Barthosa Nkurumeh, Nka Project Director
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