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TEAM 2
Dec 7, 2014 14:18:59 GMT -6
Post by Nka on Dec 7, 2014 14:18:59 GMT -6
FUNDRAISING ON A CROWDFUNDING PLATFORM
If the concept is new to you, begin with www.crowdfundingguides.com/The%20Crowdfunding%20Bible.pdf (Crowdfunding Bible). The first step is to begin to research crowdfunding platforms to gather information about which platforms will be best suited for what we are trying to achieve. The goal is to know what works and what does not in this particular crowdfunding platform. The guiding question would be: What are the best practices out there in light of your crowdfunding campaign for proposed project?
The second step is to recognize: “You can’t do it alone”. Use viral marketing strategy, meaning ask people in your cricle of contacts to help spread the word via email, word of mouth or any other ways you can think of. You need help from a friend, family members, colleagues or a team of online volunteers to help you create and successfully run a crowdfunding campaign to generate money for your project. Your team will use information about our organization and project site together with detail on your project, social cause and professional objectives behind your participation in the project to create a compelling funding campaign and promote it via social media and other e-resource.
Then, comes the most technical part, which is crafting your message to get people to support your cause, while staying true to your own personality, spirit or character. Keep in mind that writing a crowfundraising campaign is way different from the formal writing style. Yes, in the social media world, traditional messaging simply doesn’t work. Another important tool for crowdfunding is video appeal. Some crowdfunding platforms require that you create fundraising videos with photos of the host program and other projects that you have accomplished, as a pitch about why the viewer should support you project. The video needs to be under 3mins, it is said to work best for average human attention span today. I imagine you (the project initiator) would be ideal as narrator to explain and present the context, the 'why', the 'how' and the benefits, as well as mention previous success on Kickstarter or similar. Following which, you need to incorporate social media. We think it's vital to have Twitter, Facebook and a blog going for a few weeks before you launch anything on Kickstarter (or any other platform).
However, the message must be persuasive, whimsical and must present a sense of completeness to the potential donors. If you are the funny person that can use humor to fundraise then go for it! Most of your potential donors are careful not to engage in conversations without understanding the context of that conversation. And remember, fundraising is a conversation and people will need a reason to give. After you have asked and received, it is essential to THANK those who gave and try to INCLUDE them in your work.
Remember this is a campaign, so: BE ACTIVE. BE ENGAGING. BE AUTHENTIC. If you need photos of our sites, see our photostream on Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/nkaprojects; it has over 200 images. Some of our past project participants were successful at raising funds for their projects via crowdfunding. Here are two examples:
LIST OF CROWDFUNDING PLATFORMS United States: www.kickstarter.com, www.indiegogo.com, createthegood.org, startsomegood.com, UK: www.sponsume.com/, www.crowdfunder.co.uk, www.peoplefund.it/, wedidthis.org.uk, www.wefund.co.uk, Portugal: www.crowdfundingnetworks.com, ppl.com.pt, www.massivemov.com, bescrowdfunding.ppl.pt, catarse.me/en/guidelines_start, Ireland: Germany: www.visionbakery.com/, www.startnext.de, and www.startnext.at, www.mysherpas.com, www.inkubato.com, www.pling.de, www.friendfund.com, www.betterplace.org, www.einfachgeben.org, Austria: www.respekt.net, France: www.ulule.com, www.kisskissbankbank.com, Spain: www.verkami.com, www.fandyu.com, www.lanzanos.com, Netherlands: www.crowdaboutnow.com, www.onepercentclub.com, www.voordekunst.nl, www.cinemareloaded.com/en; Sweden: www.crowdculture.se, Denmark: Italy: www.starteed.com, www.eppela.com, Romania: www.wearehere.ro www.kazuu.ro multifinantare.ro crestemidei.ro UK/Europe wide: www.sponsume.com, goteo.org, Worldwide: www.kapipal.com, fundanything.com, www.mawwell.com/landing (English and Arabic), www.btplc.com/mydonate/index.aspx
NOTE: If the goal is to raise funds for your site-based volunteering/project visit then use Kapipal is a free (no commission) international crowdfunding platform. It's a generalist and so it allows you to fund any legal project.
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TEAM 2
Dec 7, 2014 13:50:11 GMT -6
Post by Nka on Dec 7, 2014 13:50:11 GMT -6
SPORTS TOURNAMENT FUNDRAISER
How to Do a Sports Tournament Fundraiser Competitive sports events are great for fundraising. What's the big sport around you? Figure it out and make a fun fundraiser with it! Baseball tournament fundraiser? Soccer fundraiser? Bowling fundraiser? Skee ball tournament fundraiser? Ask around to see what what would draw the biggest (and most fun) crowd to your event and have a tournament. You can do an entry fee for the sports tournament fundraiser per person or per team and then have a bunch of little fundraisers inside the fundraiser. For example, you could have 50/50 raffles or just general raffles giving away prizes donated by local businesses. People like to be competitive so if they can do that AND be giving to a good cause, it's a win-win for you and your donors at your fundraiser!
Example 1: Club Soccer Tournament Bring together a group/league of soccer teams and host a fundraiser tournament. If each member on the 11 person team donates, at a minimum, $10, that’s $110 per team. The more teams the better! If possible feature a celebrity soccer player as a guest of honor, high-end silent auction and more. You may also include a concession stand that had been set up for the event.
Example 2: Ping Pong Tournament - Benefit Fundraiser Invite your friends, family or co-workers for a friendly competition! Either play as doubles or singles. You could do both simultaneously if you think it’ll bring in more donations! Charge an entry fee to participate per team and gate fee for spectators. Teams compete for top bragging rights! Get someone to donate prizes. Getting your prizes donated by a vendor can assure your donors that 100% of the entry fee money is going to the cause.Attachments:
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TEAM 2
Dec 7, 2014 0:29:05 GMT -6
Post by Nka on Dec 7, 2014 0:29:05 GMT -6
MARKETING THROUGH FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
We received numerous inquiries from ambitious architecture students and volunteers who wish to come to Ghana to take part in the project, and some of them say that fundraising is their major constraint. Some of our prospective participants have little experience in doing trip-based fundraising to cover the costs of the project, airfare, land transportation and subsistence while in Ghana. This is why we are posting these fundraising tips.
We think it is best that you choose the fundraising approaches that you are likely to have most success with, and personalized the examples below to your project and self. Before you ask for money and/or other resources for your Ghana Project, it is necessary to have in place the following programmatic components: (1) A clear vision of what you want to do and why. ("If the cause is right, the means will come.") (2) A clear and logical plan for how the vision will be achieved and who will play which roles in the project realization from conception to completion. (3) A clear and explainable idea of how much your project will cost and how the funds will be managed, as well as a commitment to excellent management and clear reporting procedures to your donors.
In general, we suggest diversity in your fundraising activities by combining two or more methods as possible such as email fundraising letter, press release, crowdfunding, art exhibition/arts performances, project deputation involving presentations or speaking engagements, and others out there. For example, it is advantageous that you raise a part of the total cost of your Ghana Project through email fundraising letter or project deputation and use the amount realized as a base and validation to raise the rest through a crowdfunding platform.
However, a blog or a fundraising web page about your Ghana project will be in order to provide detail and updates on the project to potential donors. And this is a blog about a design-build workshop at Abetenim by Giulia Fortunato: rammedeartharchitecture.wordpress.com/info
PROJECT CAMPAIGN BY FUNDRAISER LETTERS Writing a fundraiser letter is one of the most simple and effective methods of raise funds and grow a community of supporters around your project. A variation of this is a fundraiser poster (see an example by Solterre below) sent with a personalized note to the recipient. Presented properly, a fundraiser letter works surprisingly well! Go with a heading, such as KENDRA'S GOING TO GHANA and GET MARWA TO GHANA, and explain how your project bears a significant innovative content or cultural or social impact. Then, explain the ways they can help you reach your target.
The key is to start early, write a persuasive letter, and send it to 10 times the number of people, businesses and institutions needed to reach your goal. Make a list of relatives, friends, colleagues and local companies you know who may support your fundraising campaign. Include everyone you can think of. Then, write a letter (we can send you an example) and send your letter to each person in your list. You can send out your appeal letter the old-fashioned way- via snail mail. Write a fundraiser letter, print it, sign it, mail it to all in your list, and include a self-addressed, stamped return envelope so people can easily respond.
Online fundraising through Facebook or via email is more popular than ever; you can send out email appeal letters to your online network with the click of a button. Consider your social networks, your professional colleague, your email address book, even the various email lists you are on. Perseverance is key- spread the word as it as far as it can go. Tell everyone you know about your campaign. Ask them to e-mail out the campaign letter to everyone they know, and to ask their entire network to donate to your oversea trip-based project. Put it on the front page of your website. Link to it on your Facebook page, through Twitter, etc. Try to get your local media involved by suggesting story angles. Take every opportunity to spread the word and get people talking about your Ghana project. The more people know about your fundraising campaign and the project, the more likely you are to reach your funding goal.
If are going to use social media such as Facebook or via email for your fundraising campaign, we recommend www.eventbrite.com to enable you collect the donations. On the platform, such as Eventbrite.com, you can create an event page and it is actually a web page which you can share with your networks and others can google-search to find it. Here is our event on Eventbrite: www.eventbrite.com/e/mud-house-design-competition-tickets-10697036123
Many people will donate to your cause if they see that you are real and it is of common good. And it is hard for people who do not know you to part with money without an incentive in return. What can you do to prompt many people to give to your project? Provide incentives, offer meaningful rewards at different levels of donation.
SAMPLE FUNDRAISING LETTER Dear ...,
Greeting! As you may have heard, I am traveling with a team of Italian architecture students to Ghana in a few weeks to use my architectural knowledge and design skills on a project which will positively impact hundreds of lives in an impoverished village in Ghana. We will be in Ghana for ten weeks months from ..., until ..., 2015. Our project will be at Abetenim, a village in the Ashanti Region and is organized by a local NGO called Nka Foundation. In our time at Abetenim, we will design a modern mud house and build it with the villagers. Our design will be an example to the villagers to help them overcome local stereotypes about buildings made of earth because they have several examples of mud homes that have eroded over time due to poor construction and water damage. I feel truly honored to be given such a worthwhile opportunity and looking forward to an overseas experience that is bound to change my life.
As you know, the travel will involve paying for plane fare, food, housing, passport fees, immunizations, clothing, my project with the villagers, and others costs. Our design team will need to raise €6,000 for the construction of our design before (insert deadline, example July 1, 2015) for our team to go to Ghana. At first, the amount seemed overwhelming. After considering my circle of friends, relatives, and colleagues, however, I realized that if everyone in our team just reachs out, we could meet our fundraising goal.
This is why I am reaching out to you to ask you to sponsor me to this trip. I really need your support on this endeavor. No amount is too small; anything you can give to help and will be greatly appreciated. If you would like to donate to our Ghana Project, please e-mail or call me with the amount you will be pledging, and you can send a donation, payable to (…), to me at the address below. Attached are photos of our destination and detail of our project there. If we raise the fund to go, we will return with lots of thank you gifts for our sponsors. We have made a selection of gifts we will bring home in exchange for the amount of money you gave to our Ghana Project. If there is a specific souvenir that you prefer to have; let me know before the trip.
If you would like more information, please contact me, or e-mail to the project organizers via info@nkafoundation.org / www.nkafoundation.org. Thanks in advance for your thoughtfulness and generosity!
[YOUR NAME HERE]
[YOUR ADDRESS HERE]
PS – One of the most valuable ways you can support our Ghana Project is to forward this email to as many people as possible with a note vouching for me. Thank you for your help!
EXAMPLES OF REWARDS FOR A FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN Select a Reward for the amount of money you are giving to the Ghana Project:
____ PLEDGE €20 and MORE: We will receive a picture of the village
____ PLEDGE €40 and MORE: A short film documenting the project in Ghana
We will receive a copy of a short film documenting the challenges and successes of this project from beginning to end. And we'll list you as a donor in the credits line in the video documenting the project.
____ PLEDGE €50 and MORE: Glass Bead Jewelry handpicked by us from a beadmaking workshop in the region or I will take a picture of whatever you would like to see of Abetenim and nearby villages i.e. the sunrise, moon as it looks, children at play, a laughing/smiling face, palm oil processing, cocoa trees, a shadow … so go ahead send us your request. We exhibit all of the pictures on our blog as updates... we will also email you the picture you requested.
____ PLEDGE €100, you will receive a length of traditional hand-woven kente cloth (about the size of a typical shawl), made in the region and a copy of the film.
____PLEDGE €400: For your generous contribution, you will receive Akuaba Fertility Doll, carved in wood and used by the Ashanti tribe to promote fertility, and a copy of the film.
____ PLEDGE €700 and MORE – an African Mask, carved in wood from the Ashanti tribe, and a copy of the film.
____ PLEDGE €1,370 and MORE – The famous Ashanti Stool an Akan Stool carved by a wood craved in a wood carving workshop in the region, and a copy of the film.
____ PLEDGE €400: For your generous contribution, you will receive Akuaba Fertility Doll, carved in wood and used by the Ashanti tribe to promote fertility, and a copy of the film.
____ PLEDGE €700 and MORE – an African Mask, carved in wood from the Ashanti tribe, and a copy of the film.
____ PLEDGE €1,370 and MORE – The famous Ashanti Stool an Akan Stool carved by a wood craved in a wood carving workshop in the region, and a copy of the film.
____ I do not want any reward
An Example from a LIBRARY PROJECT 2015 by Solterre Design All donors will have their names enscribed in a book housed in the library.
Library Naming Rights - $10,000 GUEST OF HONOR Personal invitation to visit us during or upon project completion to see the product of your giving. The invitation includes one-week accommodation and guided-tour of the regional sites. Flight tickets and land transportation not included.
Library Front Door - $2500 You will receive a mixed-media painting on canvas by an African artist, a keepsake from Nka Foundation. The minimum resale value of each painting is $1,500 (limit to 5)
Circulation Desk - $1000 The famous Ashanti Stool craved in a wood carving workshop in the region AND a certificate of appreciation.
Computer - $500 You will get a carving from a Ghanaian Village AND a certificate of appreciation
Bookshelf - $200 Wishing you were here with us. Your choice of an exclusive e-photo album (min. 50 images) detailing the building workshop, OR a length of traditional hand-woven kente cloth (about the size of a typical shawl), made in the region AND a certificate of appreciation
Literary Classic - $50 An official - beautifully designed - certificate of appreciation, an acknowledgement in your name.
Library Card $20 We will take a picture of whatever you would like to see of Abetenim village i.e. the school, the sunrise, moon as it looks, children at play, a laughing/smiling face, palm oil processing, cocoa trees, a shadow, the arts center, etc. A special page will be set up on our facebook page to exhibit all of the pics... we will also email you the picture you requested.
____ I do not want any reward
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TEAM 2
Dec 5, 2014 2:50:42 GMT -6
Post by Nka on Dec 5, 2014 2:50:42 GMT -6
Fundraising for Your African Project
You can promote your workshop through some fundraising strategies. Here are some examples: African Film Night: Hold a film night showing a best film about Africa, with invitation to everyone you know and Africa oriented business and groups – charge entry fee and sell drinks or popcorn (or some African snacks) to boost your fundraising. Display the presentation boards about your Mud House Design entry. Challenge a donor to match the funds you raise or ask a corporation to match the funds you raise.
Letter Party: Pick a letter from the alphabet and base everything around that letter such as dress code, quiz, food, drinks and music. Party the day or night away, inviting everyone you know. Charge an entry fee and make it double for those not in dress code. Your choose of letter can orient Africa such as "M" as in mud, "G" as in Ghana, "Z" as in zebra, etc.
Tournaments: Organize a tournament of your favorite sport, charging teams some fee to enter and offer prizes to the winners.
Yummy Cake Sale: Bake some tasty treats to sell to friends, family, colleagues and community.
Car Boot Sales: Raise money while getting rid of all those unwanted bits and pieces.
Ebay: Sell all that stuff in your attic on the ebay auction website.Then donate 10–100% of the profits: www.ebay.co.uk/community/charity
The Ripple: Ask ten friends to each ask ten friends to donate $20. Attachments:
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Post by Nka on Dec 1, 2014 13:54:47 GMT -6
EARTH ARCHITECTURE WORKSHOP MUD HUT DESIGN IN GHANA January 12th to April 10th 2015
JOIN US AT ANY TIME TO BUILT THE SANKOFA HOUSE AND HELP TO REINVENT THE TRADITIONAL MUD HUT Why & Where? The main goal of this workshop is to built the 1st price winning design in Nka Foundation's Mud House Design 2014 competition by the French design team M.A.M.O.T.H.
The workshop will be held in the village of Abetenim, located 40 km South East of Kumasi, in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
This is an earth construction workshop through use of traditional techniques and local construction methods. You will immerse in the Ashanti’s culture and lifestyle to explore and learn by collaborating on the building project.
EVERYBODY CAN PARTICIPATE Architecture students, architects, sustainable practitioners and volunteers from around the world. Students can use the opportunity for internship, personal research or thesis. Minimum participation of 1 month. 20 places available.
PARTICIPATION | 400 € FOOD | 60 € / week ACCOMMODATION | 60 € / week Personal expenses, airfare, visa and vaccination are on your behalf
How to Apply? For more informations & inscriptions email to mamoth.collectif@gmail.com
M.A.M.O.T.H. is a group of architects and designers from all over who are wondering about the place of naturals and untransformed materials in construction. Inspired by ingenious and pragmatic vernacular architecture, M.A.M.O.T.H. likes to reinterpret techniques, practice and old skills to offer a contemporary architecture between «lowtech» and «high tech». Here their web site: www.mamoth.fr
See recent project in Morocco by M.A.M.O.T.H:
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Post by Nka on Nov 28, 2014 18:07:01 GMT -6
KENTE HOUSE BUILDING WORKSHOP
By Angeles Hevia
Everybody is welcome: Graduates and students of architecture, engineering, interior design, landscape architecture and sustainable practitioners from around the world. Students can use the opportunity for internship or thesis. • IMMERSE in the Ashanti culture and lifestyles for personal development or professional growth.
• EXPERIENCE how to build with earth from foundation to roofing. Design, budget, site-specific issues, and construction strategy are all debated in an effort to uncover the mechanics of sustainable architecture through collaborative building and the exchange of knowledge.
WHERE: Abetenim Arts Village in the Ashanti Region of Ghana
COST: Accommodation is €60 per week and food is €60 per week plus project contribution of €400. International participant is responsible for her/his airfare.
HOW TO APPLY: Contact Workshop Leader, Angeles Hevia at angeles.hevia@gmail.com for application form.
Angeles Hevia holds MSc in Environmental Design and Engineering from the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies at the University College London (UCL) in the UK.
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TEAM 2
Nov 9, 2014 1:05:09 GMT -6
Post by Nka on Nov 9, 2014 1:05:09 GMT -6
Social Networking Strategies Goal: To create a community of supporters for the purpose of achieving more than you could on your own
How do you use social media to build a community of potential participants in your mud house workshop for Ghana? The first step in social networking is to build a community of people who care about what the mud house project has to offer. You can do this through use of a Facebook, Twitter, Travbuddy, LinkedIn or Google+ page or all of the above. But you must provide share-worthy and useful content that’s relevant specifically to the audience you want to reach. The more your content (on any social network) gets shared, the more eyes see it and want to be a part of the community. Be aware that if you consistently produce enough engaging content, people naturally gravitate toward your cause. A starting point is to take an activist perspective by publish detail about your workshop and the cause behind it, keeping in mind the design problem the mud house design competition seeks to resolve. Posting the announcement poster and its text may not be enough. State your own cause! They would wish to know: What is your own cause? What is your philosophy of architecture? Why should we care? What’s in it for you and for the rest of us? For Nka Foundation, the design problem behind the Mud House Design 2014 is a part of Nka’s ongoing project of “tapping of local resources for sustainable development” in underserved communities in sub-Shara Africa. Since 2008, Nka has been exploring this topic through use of the arts and earth architecture projects.
Most popular social networks across countries
www.meetup.com Meetup is an online social networking portal that facilitates offline group meetings in various localities around the world. It makes it easy for anyone to organize a local group or find one of the thousands already meeting up face-to-face. More than 2,000 groups get together in local communities each day, each one with the goal of improving themselves or their communities.
www.travbuddy.com Travbuddy is a social networking website specializing in connecting travelers. The site allows users to find travel buddies planning to travel to the same places at the same times, create travel based blogs, upload travel photos and review bars, restaurants, hotels and attractions.
www.facebook.com Use a Facebook page to create your event and add your personal profile as a host. Creating your event through Facebook is one of the easiest way to publicize your gathering and to get as many people as possible to sign up to attend. Clarity! The most important thing is that people actually know what they're signing up for. If you can, make everyone involved in the event a host to your event. Invitees can see all of their friends who are attending. Those hosts can help spread the word about your event. The true attendee number can be seen a lot easier. A post into your event wall notifies everyone who has been invited. Post pictures, past videos, reviews and articles written about the event. Share the Facebook event with all of the local event bloggers such as Patch, Scoutmob, Waze, and local newspapers.
How do I create an event and invite participants to my event? There are two basic ways to create an Event on Facebook: 1) via your personal Profile and 2) via your fan Page. If you create an Event from your personal Profile, you will have the ability to message all invitees directly into their inbox. To create and invite people, do as follows:
1. Begin by creating a Facebook account and then, create an event page Click on the "Events" tab 2. Click Invite Friends 3. Search for and select friends to invite and then click Create
Two thing to note about Facebook Events: (a) The image on your Facebook event banner is prime real estate. The maximum dimensions are now 180px by 540px. We recommend taking up all that space. And (b) you’ll want to make it clear there is a link that Facebook users need to click in order to register for the event. Some people might think that by clicking the “I’m Attending” button they have signed up for your event. Write periodic updates and messages on the Event wall to encourage everyone to engage and share. Facebook requires that you use the click, click, click approach. Mass inviting people with no relevancy to the event is considered spam. Include a “Share on Facebook” badge in all your promotional emails!
Google Plus Google+ is mostly used to share web related content. It combines the best features of both Facebook and Twitter. Google+ allows you to create your own web identity, connect with friends and follow other interesting people. Google+ lets you to easily sort your contacts into groups which allows you to control who sees what, create a group for your family, a group for your friends and put your boss in his or her own circle.
www.linkedin.com
LinkedIn is an online social network for business professionals, which is designed specifically for professional networking, to help them find a job, discover sales leads, connect with potential business partners. There are more than 75 million professionals registered on LinkedIn.
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TEAM 2
Nov 8, 2014 23:11:17 GMT -6
Post by Nka on Nov 8, 2014 23:11:17 GMT -6
GETTING THE WORD OUT...
- Via Workshop Announcement Poster &
- Free Listings: in newsletters, newspapers, websites, discussion boards, blogs, radio (as public serve announcement), magazines, etc.
To accomplish these, you need your message to be persuasive and consistent. Consider the following while writing the message: What is the cause that the workshop advocates? What makes this project a big deal for you and for the people in rural Ghana? Be clear, have a consistent message.
Start by identifying the relevant resources in your city such as architecture schools, earth building associations, guild of architects, sustainable practitioners, as well as organizations/groups who have a heart for Africa. Then, send them the announcement. Ask them to post the poster and pass on the information to others in their networks. After a week or so, follow up with another email, phone call, skpye call, or a visit.
It’s now much easier to post a community notice using free Online bulletin boards. Someone started a community of + 1000 job seekers by posting a four line ad in the classifieds. Here is a prompt: (name of your workshop) is looking for graduates and students of architecture & design, sustainable practitioners and volunteers! Interested candidates, contact: (your email). Read more: (insert your blog or website..)
And here is an example: Ghana Project: MUD HOUSE BUILDING WORKSHOP With Anna Webster From 9th February - April 19th, 2015. Join a diverse, international team of architects, designers and artists to uncover the mechanics of earth architecture through collaborative building and exchange of knowledge. This is a workshop to construct one of the Top 20 designs in the Mud House Design 2014 competition for Ghana. The workshop will be based on site at Abetenim in the Ashanti Region. Interested candidates, contact: anna-webster@hotmail.co.uk / anna-webster.co.uk/Mud_House.shtml or sign up for this event via www.facebook.com/events/669436459838794
Once you have several people who are interested, it is time to have a group meeting to answer their questions, and take applications. Fix a time and a place for the groupmeet. What time? Lunch time? After dinner? Weekends? Pick a time when the majority of people can make it. You may even announce the meeting in newspapers, radio, campus media, and other resources that will cost little or no money to attract more participants who would like to participate now they know about it.
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Post by Nka on Nov 4, 2014 11:47:47 GMT -6
HANDMADE HOUSE POURED EARTH WORKSHOP IN GHANA 12th June- 15th August 2015
Abetenim, Ejisu-Juaben, Ghana IMMERSE This is a workshop to construct one of the Top 20 designs in the Mud House Design 2014 competition for Ghana by Louis Mayes, a graduate student of architecture in London. Together we will look at the local architecture, review the design entry, complete the design process and build our proposal with local builders. Our goal in workshop is to design and build with the readily available laterite (local red earth) to alter the local perception that mud house is only for the very poor because local mud houses are poorly constructed.
Join us for three to ten weeks and contribute to the design and building of the house. You’ll gain valuable practical experience as we immerse, explore and learn abroad. The Handmade House: Poured Earth Workshop in Ghana is designed for learning-by-doing; so, no prior experience is necessary.
EXPLORE Volunteers will live on site in the village of Abetenim, 40km south east of the city of Kumasi- a choice of guest house or with a local family. Food is by co-operative kitchen where everyone shares in the planning and cooking. Most evenings will be used for reviewing workshop progress along with informal discussions and presentations by Workshop Director and international participants. Design, site-specific issues, and construction strategy are all debated in an effort to create useful structures that are environmentally sustainable and meet local needs.
LEARN The design itself is a house which can sleep 5-7 people on a plot of 12x9m. The idea of natural ventilation in accordance with orientation to the prevailing wind and natural shading are key, and all materials used are readily available. Poured earth is the method of construction. By engaging in field trips to observe local architecture and working on the building project with local builders, the international participants are exposed to Non-Western ways of thinking and doing in earth architecture. You will experience how a design problem, budget and site-specific dynamics such as materials, indigenous technologies and community can provoke resourceful thinking and hybridization.
Participation fee €250-400 Food/week €60 Accommodation/week €60
CONTACT Louis Mayes at louis.mayes@hotmail.co.uk +44 (0) 7855012858 www.HandmadeHouseGhana.co.uk
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Post by Nka on Oct 25, 2014 20:16:57 GMT -6
MUD HOUSE BUILDING WORKSHOP
With Anna Webster
9th February - April 19th, 2015.
- Build a best design in the Mud House Design 2014 competition
- Join a diverse, international team of architects, designers and artists to uncover the mechanics of earth architecture through collaborative building and exchange of knowledge.
- Work with local craftspeople to learn traditional practices and experience the rich culture of the Ashanti Region
- Learn about traditional Ashanti architecture and local building traditions through site-specific tours.
- Expand your knowledge of vernacular architecture and sustainable building techniques from evening lectures.
- Become part of the local community enjoying evening meals and accommodation in the village.
Cost… accommodation €60 per week, food €60 per week, project contribution €200
How to apply… contact workshop leader: anna-webster@hotmail.co.uk / anna-webster.co.uk/Mud_House.shtml
Anna Webster is a master's degree student in the school of architecture at London Metropolitan University in the UK.
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Post by Nka on Oct 18, 2014 9:08:02 GMT -6
GHANA EARTH BUILDING WORKSHOP
(Reinventing the African Mud House Together)
DATE: February 5 to April 5, 2016
WORKSHOP DIRECTOR: Richard Rowland of Atelier KOE (www.atelierkoe.fr) Join us for a workshop to build the 2nd prize winning design in Nka Foundation's Mud House Design 2014 competition by Atelier KOE. The workshop will be held at Abetenim Arts Village located approximately 50 km Southeast of Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region in Ghana. Join us and help build a modern mud house that will be an example to the local people that mud architecture can be durable and beautiful. Cultural orientation is throughout the workshop stay. Route-specific tours and sightseeing include guided tour of the nearby village, day-trips to experience any of the regional attractions, and lush forest hikes. You will learn new skills, enjoy the international community on our construction site, explore environmentally friendly building techniques, and discover the beauty of Ghana.
EVERYBODY CAN PARTICIPATE: Enthusiastic architecture students architects, designers, sustainable practitioners and volunteers from around the world are encouraged to participate. Students can use the opportunity for internship, personal research or thesis. For the professionals, you will find the hands-on, fulls-on experience with local materials a pause from your office work to rediscover the rudiments of design and artistic nuances that can refresh your practice. Minimum participation of 1 month.
COST: Food and accommodation 80€/week; project contribution 400€ (flight costs are not included).
The workshop is a collaboration between Nka Foundation and Atelier KOE. Contact info@nkafoundation.org / www.nkafoundation.org for application form.
Atelier KOE’s web site: www.atelierkoe.fr
SOCIAL MEDIA
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Post by Nka on Sept 28, 2014 14:48:46 GMT -6
NKA PROJECTS: MUD HOUSE BUILDING WORKSHOPS
(Reinventing the African Mud Hut Together) Prototyping and Usability Testing: Be part of it!
Nka Foundation seeks graduates and students of architecture, design and others from around the world to participate in the prototyping workshops to build the best design entries in the Mud House Design 2014 based on site in Ghana. The prototyping workshop is a full-on, hands-on experience. It promises high-impact learning practice, ideal for motivated university students or recent graduates seeking real-world learning opportunities to explore and generate a contemporary mud house type through use of earth and other materials from the environment. The objective of the prototyping workshop team is to IMMERSE in the Ashanti culture to EXPLORE and LEARN by doing site analysis, field trips and building the design solution with local labor. The team will use the Abetenim site to build the prototype (demonstration unit) and through open house garner feedbacks from potential clients for the design to roll out, regionally. Specifically, the workshop will start with site-specific tours of the local Ashanti architecture and talking to the local people to gain awareness and knowledge of the local building traditions. And taking into account the site conditions and discussions from site-specific tours, the workshop team will review the design entry, complete the design process and build their proposal. We aim, as we go, to change the way young architects and social designers go about their work and who benefits from their design. IMMERSE in the Ashanti culture and lifestyles and gain global experience for personal development or professional growth. The experience of “being there” in another culture and responding to the people, places and lifestyles create the means to self-awareness, heightened cross-cultural communication skills and cross-cultural understanding to better prepare students for jobs in the global marketplace. Thus, cultural orientation is throughout the project stay. Participants live and work on the project at Abetenim in the Ejisu-Juaben District. Following introduction to the community, the international participants are encouraged to attend some of the Abetenim community events such as community environmental day, weddings, naming ceremonies, and festivals. Accommodation will be of guest house and camp style at the village. EXPLORE and have fun... You will have short breaks from the construction works to visit the Boabeng-Fiema Monkey Sanctuary or a cool off all day at the Kintampo waterfalls at Sunyani. Along the way you will be further exposed to architecture in other parts of the country. Over the weekend, participant can explore the nearby cultural sites such as Bomwire Kente Village, Bobiri Forest Reserve, or the cultural centres of the historic city of Kumasi that bring cultural tourism to the region. Or, you can spend the rest of the period collaborating with indigenous musicians, weavers, storytellers, or teach some of the lifeskills you know to the local school children. After the workshop, it is your time to relax and be a tourist. You may take your time to visit other places you really would like to see of which the region is known, whether for your academic interests or sightseeing like vacationers. LEARN by doing on a collaborative project. The prototyping workshop is a collaborative process. We seek to offer life-changing experience for our workshop participants. It takes recent graduates and students out of the classroom and into an intense learning-by-doing process that challenges them to interact, creatively and physically, for cross-fertilization of ideas and skills. Most evenings will be used for reviewing workshop progress along with informal discussions and presentations by Workshop Director and international participants. Design, site-specific issues, and construction strategy are all debated in an effort to create useful structures that are environmentally sustainable and meet local needs. And by engaging in field trips to observe local architecture and working on the building project with local builders, the international participants are exposed to Non-Western ways of thinking and doing in earth architecture. By alternating work and dialogues, the participants will experience how a design problem, budget and site-specific dynamics such as materials, indigenous technologies and community can provoke resourceful thinking and hybridization. In the process, the student will learn to design what is buildable to make a well-rounded graduate. For the professional, you will find the hands-on earth building experience a pause from your office work to rediscover the rudiments of architecture and nuances that can refresh your practice.
Project will come to closure with a Community Day, a public celebration of the completed project by way of open house exhibition of the built unit and associated works, public performances, and foods. At the end, you leave with real skills and experience that employers and clients value.
COSTS: Accommodation at Abetenim is €60/$80 per week and food is about €60/$80 per week plus project contribution of €400/$540. What are Included: 1. Cultural Orientation throughout the program; 2. Local meals: lunch and dinner daily; 3. Accommodation in our guest house; 4. Support: Pre-trip written guide, onsite staff available 24/7. The international volunteer/participant is responsible for her/his airfare. Project organizers will provide €2,000 toward building materials based on 16 to 20 international participants enrolling in the workshop.
WHO CAN PARTICIPATE: Everybody is welcome: students and recent graduates of architecture, design, advocates of sustainable practice, and volunteers. Students can use the workshop opportunity to fulfill the academic requirements for their stage/internship, thesis, or volunteer just for learning-by-doing on a vernacular architecture project.
DURATION: Each prototyping workshop will run from 8 to 12 weeks, depending on the building method. International volunteers can join at any time and participate from a minimum of 2 weeks.
ACCOMMODATION: Accommodation will be of guest house at the village. Food is by cooperative kitchen in which we all work together in sharing the planning, cost and shopping. Most evenings will be used for reviewing workshop progress along with informal discussions and presentations by Workshop Leader/Director and international participants. This time is usually while dinner is being cooking for the team.
Got a question, concern or something to share in light of the above information? (1) “Is health insurance cover provided for participants by Nka?” No. Past participants readily get subsidized medical attention at a nearby government clinic for minors incidental issues. There is the KNUST university hospital in the region for critical issues. To purchase a coverage, we suggest that you call the study abroad program office in your local university to obtain a list of companies that provide affordable international health insurance plans for global travel. If you are not affiliated with any school, World Nomads travel insurance (http://www2.worldnomads.com) offers insurance deals designed specifically with volunteer travellers in mind. (2) Do you know exactly where the house will be built? Yes, we have a 6-acre site to build the units on. It is in Abetenim, located 40 km Southeast of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The site has 4 dwelling units, where your workshop participants will stay and build your design. Here is the Google map of the site and the site plan for the build:
Google Map of Abetenim Site Plan for the Build
(3) "Also, do you have any idea what the earth is like where we will build the building please?" On the site, the top soil is of red earth mixed with gravel, which is an ideal proportion for rammed earth, mud brick, cast earth or cob construction. For images of what the local earth is like, see: nkaprojects.boards.net/thread/18/soil-map (4) Workers: local people? who finds them? Construction supervision on site? Yes, we have local builders who work on our projects in the community. Our site has a Community Coordinator, who facilitate the building workshop process including cultural orientation, language translation, sourcing building materials and local labor, negotiation, and supervision. (5) Do we know who it will be built for? It will be a prototype (a demonstration unit) and will be used by international volunteers who come to Abetenim to help with rural development works. (6) "What info do you have about accommodation? We have 4 guest houses already built on the site where your group will stay. (7) "It would be nice to send people a starter pack when they sign up, are there any you have used in the past or shall I make one?" Yes, I agree with you. We have a pre-departure pack, Arrival Instruction for International Participants. It provides answers to questions of port of entry, airport transfer, and arrival at project site. We will send it upon request. (7) "Do you have any guidance on organising the workshop? How you have done so in the past, or do you have preferences in how we organise ours?" We have not preferences in how the design team organizes the workshop to realize their design. Here is the general frame that works for us:
The workshop will start with site-specific tours of the local Ashanti architecture and talking to the local people to gain awareness and knowledge of the local building traditions. And taking into account the site conditions and discussions from site-specific tours, the workshop team will review the design entry, complete the design process and build their proposal with local builders. Accommodation will be of guest house at the village. Most evenings will be used for reviewing workshop progress along with informal discussions and presentations by Workshop Director and international participants. By alternating work and dialogues, we hope to uncover the technicalities of building with earth namely financing, site analysis, construction and landscaping to blend with the local context.
The rest of the workshop content is up to you and your participants. You are free to mix the above (tours, discussion and construction) with your special interests (music, theatre, working with children, cooking, nature hiking, etc) or best practices in your area of specialization. If you play an instrument, you may bring it with you and ask others in your workshop to do the same for group and impromptu performances. If you love to cook or sample food from different countries. Then, you may include food in the program. For example, dinner may be by cooperative kitchen in which we all work together in sharing the planning, cost, shopping and cooking. Participants take turns. This way the team will taste examples of cuisine from the countries represented by the participants. (8) "We hear about the Ebola issue over and over in the mass media?" Much of it is sensational. The outbreak were in three countries, which are Liberia, Sierra Leone and Guinea. Eboloa is contained in the rest of the world. Read more: www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/worldviews/wp/2014/11/03/map-the-africa-without-ebola/(9) Why is the cost of participation of this workshop (400€) higher than the ones of precedent and on-going workshops (mentioned below)? Project contributions 400€ from international participants and 3000€ from Nka cover materials and local labor. The Project Leader may use a percent of that toward air fare to come and run the workshop. In some of the workshops, such as MUD HOUSE BUILDING WORKSHOP, the workshop leader is a graduate student, so she is able to get travel funding to build her project. Because she does not need fund from the workshop, she chose to reduce the project contribution to €200.(10) I need photos from your previous and current projects to update my social media pages. Can you send some? Yes, let us know and we will send the latest images. You may select images from photostreams on our previous projects:(1) www.flickr.com/photos/nkaprojects (site photos)(2) www.flickr.com/photos/artinprocess/sets/72157621992680241 (500 photos from our 2009 "The Kumasi Symposium: Tapping Local Resources for Sustainable Education through Art", we commissioned Bello Benischauer of Artinprocess.com to take the photographs. Curio Kiosks Project, an artistic invention that integrated art and architecture, and view www.artinprocess.com/curio-kiosks-project/ which is a 05:56 minute video on the Curio Kiosks Project.(11) What tools and equipment do you have on site for the building the house? The tools we have are basic. We have gas-powered concrete mixer, manual brick making machine, circular saw, sander-grinder, electric drill, trowel, and a few other barefoot tools such as 2 wheelbarrows, 5 shovels, 3 pick axes, 1 mattock, 4 barrels and a 50-feet water hose.Our Wish list: (1) Pneumatic Rammer - We would like to have Pneumatic Rammer for make rammed earth construction quicker and of better compaction of the layers. (2) Sprayer for Plasters - Hand Pump Sprayer or Electric Sprayer for Earth Plasters. In some countries it can referred to as: Sprayer for Lime Plaster, Texture Sprayer, Stucco Sprayer, Sprayer for Earthen Plasters, Mortar Plastering Machine or Mortar Spray Machine.NOTE: About your building workshop, if you have a power tool (such as electric saw, power drill, planer, etc) that you don’t use and it still works- please bring it with you as your donation to our project. We will take anything, 20-year old or new power tools; this way, we will have a pool of tools you and others can use. And if there is a special power tool or small equipment you must have for your workshop and able to purchase and bring it with you, we will refund you the cost when you arrive Abetenim. But you must inform us of the exact cost of the equipment ahead of the purchase to be sure our budget can bear the cost.
(12) “I have received only a few applications for my workshop. It worries me. What do I do?” I understand that you are yet to have a half of the number of participants needed to fill your workshop. Here is my suggestion: It is about “Widening the Circle of We”: Get everyone who applies to be involved in the promotion and planning of the different activities of the workshop. It will take a bit of your time but it works. Talk with each potential participant on the phone or via Skype to find out what skills and professional interest/experience they have and are willing to bring into the workshop. Thus, you should assign a task/role to the person. For example, an interior design person can be responsible for both the cost and doing the interior design of the unit. Likewise, a landscape architect can be responsible for the landscape design and landscaping of the unit. This way, they feel they are valued and will be much committed to the successes of your workshop. Then, begin to use the term, “our workshop”, other than “my workshop”. Now, they can help you in recruiting others in their circle of influence even fundraising. This is what I mean by “Widening the Circle of We”. You can’t do it alone.
(13) What if my team’s budget for materials is not much to complete our build and it is the raining season? I am concerned that, if not roofed, the mud wall can collapse because of the heavy rains. If the available funds may not be sufficient to complete your design, consider the following: First do the house foundation and then do the roof. For the walling and fittings, do the best your team is able to.
Yes, some people build houses with mud in the thick of the rainy season by first doing the roof. The roof is done on poles (not the final poles), once the walling is complete, the poles are removed and the roof is lowered into position with the wall, and them clamped down. The space between the wall and the beam may need to be plastered a bit to seal the deal.
IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR UPCOMING WORKSHOPS, PLEASE SCROLL DOWN TO THE BOTTOM OF THIS PAGE, AND COMPLETED PROJECTS ARE LISTED AT TOP OF PAGE.
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Post by Nka on Sept 19, 2014 8:35:39 GMT -6
Three+Two represents a change of perception. It represents an unconventional beauty in a material that is typically associated as outdated and primitive and brings it into the spotlight. Three+Two gives new purpose to contemporary African architecture by balancing and integrating culture and tradition with contemporary living. It highlights mud construction not only in its authenticity of material and craft but also in its interaction with space, wood tectonic, context, and its inhabitants.
Where: Our project is sited in the town of Konongo, located about 50 km southeast of Kumasi, the capital of the Ashanti Region in Ghana. Konongo is a gold mining community with a population of approximately 25,000, and it is not as dense as Kumasi but urban enough for a single family to thrive and an unconventional mudhouse to gain attention.
What: Three+Two is a balancing act. We aimed to create a contemporary earth architecture that is sensitive to surroundings – culturally and environmentally – but also invites change. Our proposal draws inspiration from traditional courtyard houses in the Ashanti Region – conceptually, voids within a mass – rather than the multi-story modern villas, which were essentially one mass within a void.
The proposal is arranged with three covered masses and two walled courtyards. These courtyards bring out the life of the household as it draws the family and loved ones together for various activities – cooking, playing, dancing, doing laundry, etc. They are encompassed by covered outdoor circulation to give a larger and more dynamic sense of space and a more fluid movement from outside to inside space. Environmentally, the courtyards are arranged allow the northwest summer wind to circulate in and out of the house. Trees and vegetation add further place-making within the courtyard and creates an additional filter of summer and winter winds.
An exterior mud wall of both rammed earth and perforated brick wall encompasses the entire property to act not only as security but also as a “bulletin” for mud architecture through simply the purity and beauty of the material and craft. The wall pushes in and out and varies in fenestration and construction between rammed earth and stabilized hand-pressed mud brick to express the spaces internally. The interior is lifted by a plinth – filled with gravel and mud and surfaced with stabilized hand-pressed clay tiles - to not only separate the interior and exterior but also ground the house both physically and culturally, as plinths are often used in traditional construction and acts socially as a place to rest on the exterior of the house.
The covered outdoor circulation is lined with columns that support the corrugated metal roof. These columns are 6 x 6” wood posts cladded halfway from the bottom with mud brick that act only for structural support but also conceptually, a movement from stereometric mud material to a lighter tectonic material. We’ve implemented a double roof system to allow wind to pass through the house with the ceiling of the rooms comprising of mud brick arranged in the same perforated pattern as the brick wall. The roof is pitched in a T formation and runs continuously over a dynamic arrangement of rooms keeps the house from appear broken up. It allows one to say “all of this under one roof.”
Why: Every design intent move is based on both a respect of Ghanaian tradition, culture, and lifestyle and a responsibility to the wellbeing of the inhabitants. Ultimately, we are proposing a home that is comfortable, spacious, and compositionally and aesthetically beautiful. By embracing earth architecture and contemporary design, we are creating balanced relationships that are specific and contextual between built form and nature, space and inhabitant, interior and exterior, mass and void, culture and modernity – all through the inspiration of mud. BUDGET: Total $6,000
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Post by Nka on Sept 17, 2014 10:34:59 GMT -6
ENTRY # 328057811
The project is designed for a tailor's family composed of 5 persons. It is situated in Ejisu, close to Kumasi. The first and main goal is to propose a mud house that can resist and give a new vision of earth architecture. This proposal try to respect and give more importance to the Ashanti building tradition. At first it is inspired by several building shapes of the region. The goal is to mix the high and well decorated Ashanti traditional houses with the courtyard that is common today in the compound houses.
The earth construction method is inspired by what was already in use in the area as well. The Ashanti people built in wattle and daub. This light construction method is well adapted to warm and humid climate, where you don't need the thickness and the thermal inertia of heavier earth constructions. The temperature doesn't vary a lot so everything is about ventilation and thermal insulation.
The house is composed of a wooden structure and a light straw-clay panels skin. All the elements are repeated modules and follow a specific grid, easy to build and to extend. The house takes advantage of the main winds to ventilate the bedrooms during the night. The main living rooms are closed to the outside but open to the courtyard. It develop a way of life turned to the outdoor spaces and allow more usable private surface for the family. The courtyard refer to the Ashanti buildings aesthetic. One part of the house is dedicated to the business of the family. Open to the street, this room can host the tailor workshop for example.
To summarize, this mud house was designed for people who want to live in a modern and durable house without loosing the link to their traditions. The way of life is adapted to the climate, inspired by the old practices in the area, and try to give a local and comfortable alternative to the occidental modern pattern.
BUDGET FOUNDATION : 610 $ Concrete foundation : 115 sq.ft. X 3 ft = 350 cu.ft. 10 bags of cement = 100 $ 1 truck of sand = 60 $ Rammed earth slab : 231 cu.ft. 5 bags of cement = 50 $
Fired earth tiles : 230 sq.ft. = 150 $ Bathroom core : Brick wall = 250 $ 2 unskilled + 1 skilled laborers / 5 days = 120 $
WOODEN FLOOR : 414 $ Tali wooden floor : 650 sq.ft. = 360 $ 1 unskilled + 2 skilled laborers / 2 days = 54 $
WOODEN FRAME : 3014 $ 2'2' Ceiling lumber : 1166 ft = 388 $ 6'3' Framing lumber : 1820 ft = 1820 $ 4'6' Beam : 188 ft = 376 $ 3 unskilled + 1 skilled laborers / 14 days = 430 $
PLUMBING AND CARPENTRY : 651 $ Plumbing = 150 $ 8 Doors = 80 $ 20 Sliding panels = 150 $ 16 x 36'17' windows with 5 glass blades = 50 $ 15 x 36'39' windows with wooden louver = 100 $ 2 x 34'71' windows with folding wooden louver = 25 $ 1 unskilled + 1 skilled laborers / 3 days = 51 $
ROOF : 1251 $ Corrugated zinc sheets : 1000 sq.ft . = 1200 $ 1 unskilled + 1 skilled laborers / 3 days = 51 $
LIGHT EARTH PANELING COVERING : 700 $ 250 Prefabricated straw-clay panels : 1'6' recycled palette wood + straw = 400$ 3 unskilled laborers / 15 days = 300 $
TOTAL : 6600 $
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Post by Nka on Sept 10, 2014 10:52:33 GMT -6
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Post by Nka on Sept 8, 2014 23:02:43 GMT -6
ENTRY # 327071243
THE MOD HOUSE
modified _ modular _ mudA flexible interpretation of the historic courtyard house that provides a locally embedded solution based on local inspiration
The Urban Module The Ashanti compound house, an urban module represents an historic property system of the Asante Empire, and creates spatial and social framework where the townships are organised. The urban module also organises the space in-between such as streets and voids: the space for social interaction.
Positive/negative Our proposal uses this historic spatial language of the positive and negative dichotomy to organise the urban structure, as well the sequence of domestic spaces. Within the urban module, further domestic modules inform the spatial arrangement of the home. Key elements of the traditional courtyard house are extracted and re-configured: Four protective rectangular pavilions are arranged to form an open court - the focal point of domestic activity. These are raised on a solid podium, creating a defensible threshold, separating the private space from urban/wild life. The traditional thatched roof supported by a timber frame, is adapted to accommodate other roofing materials.
The Domestic Module Just as the courtyard module informs the urban grain, the domestic module representing the traditional mud hut organises a sequence of positive and negative spaces. The various rooms of the house are organised as pods. The space in-between forms the circulation space (negative space). These pods are arranged around a courtyard, rotated by the climatic conditions, such as the prevailing wind (south-west). This spatial movement rotates one of the pods, pushing through the external wall to engage with the community. In this case the pod forms the shop-front from which the family can sell their crafts, such as the local Kente cloth. The structure of the domestic module also allows longterm flexibility.
The organisation of spaces within the home is not only based on the traditional house arrangements, but also the Adrinka symbols, evoking the traditional way of life.
Local Sustainable Materials A simple matrix of local building materials and methods forms a toolkit with which each family can engage with the design of their home. The rammed earth walls are the ideal construction material for the climate. They are simple, affordable and require minimal skill. The tamping method of compressing the soil with a long pole is reminiscent of the method of making the local Fufu dish. The walls have a low embodied energy and are durable, non-combustible and provide good acoustic and thermal mass. The adobe bricks serve as decorative free-form ventilated openings and arranged to reflect the Ashanti craft tradition. The ceramic tiles and cow dung flooring are warm in the winter and cold in summer, with the added benefits of repelling insects and kill harmful bacteria. The pods are constructed in a range lightweight materials, determined by the occupants and use of the space. Woven bamboo/grass screens and Kente cloth bring colour, texture and tradition, creating warm and intimate spaces. A number of roof types could be accommodated within the design, such as mud/reed, thatched or green roof construction. Although a corrugated roof has thermal and acoustic issues, the well-ventilated design of the roof allows this currently widely used material to be used.
The estimated construction costs for 120sq.ft. would be: . foundations _ $550 . walls _ $1450 . fittings & miscellaneous _ $1100 . roofing _ $ 1700 . labour _ $1100
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Post by Nka on Sept 7, 2014 14:35:59 GMT -6
The design of a durable mud prototype which can be easily understood by local labour is needed. The plot surface represents a rough 335 square meters. Primary material can be easily obtained, as and excellent, inexpensive and local alternative known as laterite, or red earth is available everywhere in Ghana. The building’s main shape is given by the 22 degree single pitched ground reaching roof. Made from corrugated sheets, its lower half is covered by grass which collects water rundown while offering good thermal and acoustic proprieties. The structure is accompanied by a circular external staircase formed around an internally accessed bathroom. Its thatched roof also collects water for the shower and toilet. The total effective interior surface measures around 65 square meters and includes a small kitchenette with a dining table, bathroom, an internal living room with fireplace, storage, a small ground floor bedroom and a larger double bedroom at the top floor.
Access inside the house is made from the south side if the shades are to be lifted. Another door on the east side opens up towards the external stairs which lead to the upper level. Top floor access is possible over a small bridge that ends underneath the door. This feature provides a relative amount of safety as the bridge can be removed at night to create a gap between the last stair step and the upper level external door. Cross ventilation is easily achieved both longitudinally and transversally. The upper level floor partition does not fully enclose itself against the roof allowing air to flow through. The top level shares the same mobile window shading system as the ground floor. Ground floor room height measures at 2.35m in the highest point. Stair step height measures at 150mm. Floor partitions are made of cross laid timber battens with a ground lifted floor for moisture protection and ventilation.
Foundations: The lower portion of the foundation is made of medium sized stones bound by a mixture of sand and cement. The upper portion is sand and cement mixed with wattle and daub. Two storey constructions typically need 14 inches of foundation thickness if sun dried mud bricks are used as bearing walls.
Mud walls: The ground floor structure is comprised of sun dried mud bricks of 150mm W x 250mm L and 50mm H size. They are laid on top of the bearing foundation. Linseed oil, turpentine and slurry is used for water proofing and enhanced structural durability.
Timber frame: The second most prevalent material within the construction is wood, namely the African mahogany and walnut variants. The roof is held by two main rafters stabilized using perpendicularly laid battens. Floor partitions are also made of wood with a ground lifted bottom floor.
Prior to European colonization, the Ashanti people developed a large cultural and influential empire in Eastern Africa. Some of the building elements and decorations were inspired by the large pool of wall painting and fabric patterns. The zigzag pattern, specific to Ashanti clothing can be found as coloured bricks laid inside the outer external staircase wall. The same pattern is applied inside the standard stretcher bond of the sun dried mud bricks. African symbol of knowledge can be found within the wooden doors and external windows of the house. The pattern allows for air circulation when doors and windows are closed while creating playful sun cast shadows inside. The pattern can also be found as painting on the inner wall of the external staircase.
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 17:34:48 GMT -6
Concept Beyond own program contest, featured on this project two main aspects. First, the heavy solid appearance of the earth as a building material. The physical characteristics of cohesion and strength under compression. Balanced traction tension under its own weight through elliptical arcs. Second, the hot and humid climate in Ghana. Wide ventilation and shading. Windows in blocks grid as solution to shade and ventilation. Same type of grids at the ends of the barrel vaults and interior doors eardrums. Combining openings and headroom enough to natural convection air by thermosiphon.
Space Unified space as main entrance, living room, kitchen, and access to and coverage remaining. Other areas are the bathroom, bedrooms and stairs to the roof. The ladder has an integrated fixed part in own construction and a mobile part wooden build that can also use to access other high levels on home. Yard delimited according to specific land configuration.
Construction Earth compressed cast in situ reinforced with dehydrated vegetable fibers. Walls foundations, hard compaction in appropriate depth to subsoil strength. Floor foundations, semi hard compaction, containing plumbing and electricity grids. Parabolic arcs in roofs of vaults dome or cloister dome in case of corner compartments. Windows compressed earth blocks, reinforced with dehydrated vegetable fibers. Wooden doors, two sheets from exterior, one sheet on interiors. Wall finishes in soft earth and hydraulic lime to paint.
Floor and roof finishes with cement mortar pigmented with iron oxide powder or hydraulic lime.
Infrastructures Connection to public grids depending on specific conditions. Possibility of a unit of harnessing rainwater. Possibility of a unit of wastewater treatment. Possibility of photovoltaic power plant unit.
Budget As available free material on site, seeks to maximize the use of earth. It cost mainly hand labor and use some equipment. Item % cost Foundations and structure 58% $3.480 Finishes on walls 10% $600 Finishes on floors and roofs 5% $300 Woodworks 10% $600 Water supply 4% $240 Wastewater drainage 8% $480 Electricity grids 5% $300 Total 100% $6.000
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 17:06:06 GMT -6
ENTRY # 327127717
Our proposal has the implantation site Dadiasi in the Ashanti region of Ghana within, and presents itself as a type T2 developed around an open courtyard to the rear of the lot; This typology is common, since anywhere in the world, however, is presented as a more tropical construction. The steep roof, and something handmade gives you a more territorial image; Predominant use of sustainable materials in construction site reduces imports, energy saving and development of local image. From the point of view of energy efficiency, the whole project is designed in a sustainable way, with natural ventilation, passive solar energy, water management and domestic waste, with a view to reducing consumption.
Mention that aims to promote the local union, security and improve quality of life, in order to claim an increasingly emerging chana. Our project can be constructed by the owner himself or qualified housing worker. From the material point of view the whole construction made in moist earth placed in formwork, large windows with wooden rulers, and a cover made of wood and corrugated sheet metal.
From a budgetary perspective, and based on some information gathered in various areas of expertise inherent in the construction of our project, we esteem-the possibility of building rounds 10,000 / $ 12,000.
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 15:06:39 GMT -6
GHANA ATRIUM HOUSE Created by Architecture and Culture team (interdisciplinary team by an architect and an anthropologist), the project presents a single family atrium house, sharing one master wall with a neighboring house. Nsa Ko. Na Na Aba. – Hand Go. Hand comes. Shared wall as a cooperation project. Spacious atrium in spite of limited costs.
Private garden, source of livelihood, source of main construction material is dividing two pavilions and creates intimacy and a safe space for a family. Entrance leads to a porch with double side oven, an archetypal symbol of home. Porch can serve as a semi-public space where food and products can be sold. Kitchen is on the other side of the oven and woman zone, it is followed by exterior roof-covered space for gatherings (works, singing, eating), dining, living space, men zone. Across the garden lies pavilion of bedrooms and bathroom accessible under a canvas. Moveable toilet is excluded from the main body of the house and is integrated towards the plants as an organic part of a garden.
The whole structure rests on concrete/earth foundations, walls and pillars are rammed earth, gaps above them are frames from local wood filled with textile material. The floors are from cement-adobe screed. The gaps and double roof allow for natural ventilation. Light wooden beams roof construction is covered by corrugated zinced sheets. Ropes stretched between beams from one pavilion to another are used for canvases, which provides shade for work or play without hindering breeze.
Fillings of doors and ventilation gaps (here traditional textile material), layout of the children bedroom, connection between social and sleeping pavilion and front porch shop can vary easily and adapt to each family, time and situation.
The total cost of the construction is 6000 USD.
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 11:50:53 GMT -6
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 11:13:17 GMT -6
ENTRY # 305322587
The idea of this house design is to create a transition between the traditional rural house, characterized by detached huts standing around an open space without clear borders and the urban house, which is typically more clearly separated from the outside by walls on all sides to create a secluded private space on the inside and built on a platform to distinguish private from public space.
In this project, the advantages of both forms are combined, using the more spacious design of rural housing for optimal air circulation and a welcoming atmosphere, which is also emphasized by the ramp at the entry. Building the house on a platform and limiting the view on the inside yard are ideas taken from the urban house to make it more safe and private and also to protect it from rain and flooding.
As in both traditional forms, the courtyard is used as a living room, a place where the inhabitants meet, prepare their meals and eat, wash clothes etc. Building the wooden surface on a slightly lower level than the main platform creates a seating area.
The construction is made of adobe because this technique is less expensive and faster than rammed earth. Most of the parts of the buildings can be produced locally, for example the ventilation parts or the beaters (taken from weaving looms) used to build an air- and light permeable fassade in one corner. This way the costs can be kept low and many local people can benefit from the project.
Location: Abetenim, Ashanti region, Ghana Rooms: 6 BedRooms / Store, 2 Service Rooms, 1 Sitting Area, 1 Courtyard Measure: L: 16,55m | W: 14,95m Bedrooms: L: 10,30m | W:4,60 m Service Area: L:4,05m | W: 4,55m Sitting Area: L:3,07 | W: 4,30m
Foundation: Reinforced concrete Plattform: Stones and cement Walls: Adobe Bricks | Roof Ring Beam Windows and Doors: Wood and Glas Roof: Wood Mono Truss | Sheet Metal
Rainwater for WC | Shower | Washing up
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 10:41:19 GMT -6
ENTRY # 303487625
August Soil Our design strives to be durable, frugal, and enjoyable. We believe: a durable design capitalizes on the natural strengths and abilities of materials to create a safe and lasting structure, a frugal design is efficient in its planning and use of spaces, materials, and resources, and an enjoyable design is both physically comfortable as well as aesthetically harmonious. These three principles work together to create what we propose is every human's birthright, a dignified space to call home. We have chosen Agogo, Ashanti as the location for our site. The fabric of this semi-urban area seemed ideal to accept our design which builds off of the incalculable knowledge embodied in the traditional architecture of the region while innovating and adapting to meet modern needs and lifestyles with contemporary materials and construction technologies. From the foundation to the roof ridge, the intent is to minimize maintenance while ensuring safety, comfort and beauty. With these criteria in mind we selected the following systems for the house construction:
Foundation: Rubble filled trench. This greatly reduces the amount of concrete needed for foundations, yet provides exceptional drainage and excellent bearing capacity. (± $ 950)
Walls: Lime stabilized Compressed Earth Bricks (CEB) have been selected for the overall construction. (± $ 2,800)
Roof: A hybrid roof system has been applied. Both the traditional thatch material and the more modern corrugated metal sheets will be installed and supported by a simple timber system of rafters and purlins. (± $ 1,250)
Floor: Capitalizing on local affordable materials, the floor is comprised of rammed earth sitting on base and sand layers for stability. It is then sealed with linseed oil giving it a lasting and beautiful finish. (± $ 300)
Durable: Durability can be found in all the following features and practices: The compressed earth floor is sealed with linseed oil, giving the house a washable yet lasting floor finish. We have provided generous overhangs on all sides of the house to shield from rain. The bottom three feet of exterior walls have been plastered with a cementitious coating, protecting the structure from the eroding forces of splashed water.
Frugal: Frugality is demonstrated in the many ways resources are optimized and waste is minimized: Both wall and floor systems make use of the most local and affordable material available, the soil on site. The “rat-trap bond” brick coursing pattern of the walls creates a wider more stable wall, while using significantly less bricks than a typical two-wythe wall. The roof surface is arranged to collect the clean rain water that falls on it into an on-site tank. (± $ 500). A composting toilet is introduced, turning waste into a valuable resource that can be used on site for the family’s food production. (± $ 150)
Enjoyable: A safe and efficient house is still not a home. The intangible transition from a structure to a home is supported through these methods: An innovative roof system that protects occupants from the thermal radiation, while also reduces the deafening clatter of rain. The ventilation system adopts perforated “jali walls” which promote shaded areas cooled by passing breezes. A rocket stove is installed in the kitchen to provide safe cooking by re-directing the smoke to the exterior. (± $ 50) The graceful design of simple earthen bricks elevates and translates the natural material into beautiful architecture. Dignity is the whole which is greater than the sum of its parts. It is through this dignified structure that we envision nurturing and uplifting the lives of its tenants, enabling dignified lives.
BUDGET IN USD Foundation System $ 950 Wall System $ 2,800 Roof System $ 1,250 Floor System $ 300 Water Harvesting System $ 500 Composting Toilet $ 150 Rocket Stove $ 50 Total $ 6,000
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 10:36:12 GMT -6
K-HOUSE
by Mobile Studio Architects (Nicole Yu Xuan TEH (team leader), Alex BARRETTA and Chee-Kit LAI), London, UK
The K.House is an open source, repeatable, modular design house for the rapidly growing town of Ejisu in the Ashanti region of Ghana. It is influenced by Kente cloth, a type of silk and cotton fabric made of interwoven cloth strips. Kente cloth is second largest trade of the local community. It originates from the Ashanti Kingdom and is the best known of all African fabrics. This centuries old tradition has influenced the work of the world-renowned Ghanaian sculpture/artist El Anatsui. The industry currently employs approximately 40% of the local population and the K.House has been specifically designed for this particular demographic.
The basic module of the K.House as proposed consists of rammed earth walls adorned with a customised ‘Kente façade’. Rammed earth construction technique is well known given that earth is cheap and readily available. The proposed ‘Kente façade’ is intended to be a cladding of sorts, crafted together by weaving recycled materials such as metal and wood. A technique much used by the artist El Anatsui. The production process is organic and on going and it allows the occupants to express individual household identities based on colour, pattern and materiality. The design approach is influenced by architect Gottfriend Semper and his ‘theory of clothing’, the decorated wall is more significant than its intended structural function, ‘ornament as a reflection of culture’.
The house is protected from the weather by a dynamic roof made of corrugated zinc sheets, excellent for keeping out heavy rainfall. The roof has a large overhang for rainwater drain off. Between the roof structure and the top of the wall is a series of fixed timber screens allowing heat to escape from the internal spaces. The Internal spaces consist of a front facing workspace/shop, large living and dining room, three bedrooms and a bathroom. Spaces in the house accommodate two parents, two children and two relatives. The fold of the roof forms an interesting double height space over the living room and workshop with a proposed large hammock ceiling serving as a relaxation area.
Each house is rectangular in shape with a notched corner which forms the external kitchen area. It is envisaged that the houses could be mirrored in two directions to form clusters, side-by-side and front-and-back. The notched corners (ie. kitchens) of four different households would face inwards to create a collective and informal sociable private courtyard where different families could share conversations and mingle over meal times. In the middle of each K.House lies a little private courtyard, a key design feature. This courtyard serves multiple functions. It eliminates the need to have corridors inside the house so as to maximise floor area for usable internal space. It provides ventilation for all rooms in the house and it affords a natural air-cooling system by virtue of the ‘wind scoop’ roof above, a five hundred year old tried and tested method.
Outline Budget (K.House) Location Materials Quantity/Area (sqm) Rate ($) Total ($)
External Wall Front Wall Rammed Earth 24.075 $12.00 $288.90 Side Wall (Right) Rammed Earth 10.46 $12.00 $125.52 Side wall (Left) Rammed Earth 35.1 $12.00 $421.20 Rear Wall Rammed Earth 57.71 $12.00 $692.52 Courtyard walls Rammed Earth 61.32 $12.00 $735.84
Internal Wall Master bedroom, Children's Bedroom, External Family's bedroom Plywood 23.53 $2.78 $65.41 Bathroom Rammed Earth 8.59 $12.00 $103.08
Floor Ground floor Rammed Earth 88.52 $12.00 $1,062.24 Mezzanine floor Plywood 5.814 $2.78 $16.16
Windows 750mm x 750 mm External window screens Bamboo 38 $7.00 $266.00 External Family's bedroom window box Plywood 1.7 $2.78 $4.73 External Family's bedroom window box Plywood 6.79 $2.78 $18.88 Children's Bedroom window box Plywood 1.8 $2.78 $5.00 Roof Window Screens Bamboo 14 $7.00 $98.00
Doors 1500mm x 2250mm per unit - Front Entrance Door Bamboo 2 $10.00 $20.00 750mm x 2250mm per unit - Internal Door Bamboo 3 $10.00 $30.00 750mm x 2250mm per unit - Living room Bifold door Bamboo 3 $10.00 $30.00 750mm x 2250mm per unit - Kitchen entrance Bifold Door Bamboo 4 $10.00 $40.00 750mm x 2250mm per unit - Courtyard entrance Bamboo 2 $10.00 $20.00 750mm x 2250mm Bathroom door Plywood 1.69 $2.78 $4.70 Roof Corrugated metal 202.19 $4.00 $808.76
Plumbing W.C Seat 1 $65.00 $65.00 Washing Basin 1 $32.00 $32.00
Foundation $1,000.00
Total $5,953.94
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 10:09:54 GMT -6
ENTRY # 326989469
Design Statement: This semi-urban mud house unit of 30x40 feet (1,200 square feet) is designed for a middle income family in the Atobiasi township in the Adansi South district, the furthest southeast of the 21 districts in the Ashanti region. The house is composed of a living room, kitchen, service area, one toilet, and two bedrooms (one with space for a couple bed and another with the possibility of fitting two bunk beds). This location was chosen as a site for an innovative mud house design due to the ability of Adansi South to maintain a high rate of traditional mud house construction (69.4%) while grows rapidly (at 3.5% which compared with the regional rate of 3.4% and the national rate of 2.7%): If traditional knowledge of mud construction techniques and innovative design can be further developed in this rapidly growing district, an example might be set for the rest of the country: the stigma surrounding mud houses (their association with low income populations and ‘poor quality’ housing) can be replaced by a positive model of construction that combines traditional and contemporary materials and design methods in a more sustainable manner.
Using traditional construction methods of the Ashanti region such hammered earth and hand-worked patterned bricks (which increas cross-ventilation) and fabric (which allows customization of the house by its inhabitant), together with other efficient industrial components such as corrugated zinc sheets, this single family home is affordable can be built locally with a budget of $ 5,593 (see table below).
Located in a region where access to potable water is limited and only 1% of rain water is used, one important characteristic of the house is the possibility of the installation of a water collection system: its tilted roof centralizes the water collection into a central pipe that brings the water into the filtering and storage container. The container can be installed below the house (before its construction), or can be added later in the exterior of the house, in the back of the plot.
Budget: Material Quantity Price (per quantity) Building time Labour price (per day) Total Price Foundation 4.7 cubic meters $55 per cubic meter 4 days $10 $310 Plywood (to frame the hammered earth, then it can be used to do the house furniture) 135 units $8 per unit (4’ x 8’) 10 days $10 $1180 Hammered earth 60.66 cubic meters $400 (digging and transportation price) 15 days $50 (5 labors) $1150 Cement (floor) 10 bags $10.50 per bag 5 days $7 $140 Corrugated zinc sheets 10 packets $120 per packet 4 days $7 $1228 Wood Beam 323 linear feet $2 per linear foot 8 days $10 $726 Ceiling battons 12 bundles $3 per bundle 5 days $7 $71 Fabric 34 square meters $ 1.50 per square meter 4 days $10 $91 Traditional perforated bricks 72 bricks $1.25 per brick 5 day $10 $140 Simple door 6 $10 per door 2 days $10 $80 Foldable doors 4 $18 per door 4 days $10 $112 W.C. seat 1 $ 65 1 day $10 $75 Other washroom fittings 1 $50 1 day $10 $60 Floor tiles 10 boxes $7 2 days $10 $90 Wall tiles 18 boxes $6.60 per box 2 days $10 $140 Overall Total: $ 5 593
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 9:56:56 GMT -6
The mud house design proposed here, is a contemporary version of the traditional Ashanti people patio house. The idea is to create multiple spaces, with different uses and adequated to the modern life. The concept begins in the creation of three different patios, the public one, direct connected to the street, the family patio, in the heart of the house, and the service patio in the back. These patios were created in between blocks. The blocks are 13,5 x 29,5ft. Made of rammed earth. These are separated in social block (living room and guest room), needs block (kitchen, bathroom, laundry and dinner room) and the private block with the bedrooms. These blocks are connected with corridors covered with bamboo pergolas, and partially covered by the metal roofing. All blocks opens to the central patio, the heart of house life. The living room has also windows facing the street. The patio located in the front, besides the street, is adaptable to future family growth and new needs. It is ideal to a future garage or a store. the house is all made of rammed earth, except the bathroom that is made of clay bricks. This technique is very easy and durable and also very beautiful. The house is covered with metal sheets with 3,28ft long eaves to protect the walls from rain and shadow then in hot days. The walls foundations are made of concrete, to protect the rammed earth from moisture. Its a very functional design and simply beautiful. Using local resources is sustainable and can be selfbuild by the own family.
BUDGET: (1) Foundation = $ $ 840,00 (2) Walling = $ $ 780,00 (3) Roofing = $ $ 3.040,00 (4) Fittings = $ $ 1.146,00 (5) Miscellaneous = $ $ 187,00 TOTAL $ 5.993,00
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 9:50:02 GMT -6
ENTRY # 321496617
African Mud House The making of pottery in Africa begun in the 6th century BC and it is still a living craft in various regions of the continent (- also in the Ashanti region of Ghana). The vases are usually made by women, shaped by hand and after drying baked in a kiln or in an open fire. This traditional technique and its vernacular production process has inspired the design of the reinvention of African Mud Hut.The design of the Mud House is based on a familiar yet innovative modular element made from resources available on site. It gives the opportunity to local people to actively take part in the production of the building, contributing with their unique pot-making skills. The process reinterprets the tradition and culture of the local crafts.
The traditional vases are geometrically solids of revolution and from this observation the module has taken its shape. The shape has then been optimized in order to create space-filling elements with the smallest possible gap and the maximum adhering surface when combined in a regular pattern. The modular elements are light enough to be handled by one person yet their size allows a quicker construction time with fewer modules compared to conventional construction techniques such as brick masonry. Mud House, designed on the plot 18 x 18 m (ca 60 x 60 feet) and having the outer dimensions of 13m x 13m (ca 42 x 42 feet) consists of circa 2000 clay modules filled with loam and earth. Its thick bearing walls topped by a light wooden structure and metal roof cladding provide very good thermal isolation and ventilation while preventing excess humidity inside of the building. The simple form makes the building easy to raise. The moderate amount of window openings - the most light and fresh air comes through the space between the walls and the roofing - provides necessary light at the same time preventing excessive penetration by the sunlight of the inner rooms.
Each single-family unit consists of a central courtyard connecting all adjacent rooms: kitchen, bedroom, living room, two bedrooms and a guest room. The inner courtyard is not only a source of the fresh air and greenery but also the heart of the building where the whole family gathers to spend time together.
According to local building material costs and standards, the price of the single-family unit should not exceed $6.570. The approximate costs of each building material are as follow: Pottery (manufacturing and material) $2.700; Cement $1.000; Sand, Gravel $ 100; Corrugated Zinc sheets $1.500; Timber, other wooden elements $450; Kitchen, bathroom $120; two additional skilled handworkers (30 working days) $ 600.
Given costs relate to building a single housing unit and provide for 20 women manufacturing the pottery for a period of 30 working days. Whereas the costs of the production of the pottery are time consuming and relatively high, they would significantly decrease by raising more buildings based on ‘African Mud Module’ and investing in pottery wheels being much more time-effective and more precise than the traditional hand manufacturing.
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 9:40:09 GMT -6
In order to overcome the stigma that ‘mud architecture is architecture for the very poor’, I have combined mud with other materials to develop a compound building system. As with traditional mud houses, mud is utilized for its thermal mass and compressive strength; however these houses are faced with problems related to erosion from water and termites. Waste plastic water bottles are available locally and in ample supply given the reduced access to piped drinking water in Ghana. Many types of wood are also produced for export and Sokoban wood village (near the site) has discarded off cuts. This project uses a combination of these locally sourced waste materials to combat the issues with traditional mud houses from a practical and aesthetic approach.
The floor plan follows the layout of the traditional Asante compound house, creating public and private spaces that instill a sense of community and can accommodate extended family members. Like the traditional compound house, the mud house has private bedrooms accessed from the exterior. These however are concealed behind a green wall providing privacy, security and shading without compromising views out. The green wall consists of mosquito and termite repelling creeper plants including hot chilli peppers, African mint and citronella. The communal kitchen/living space has a large open plan layout unlike the hot and cramped kitchens of the traditional compound houses. The kitchen/living space sits beneath a domed roof structure that eliminates the need for a central column and provides a focal point over the family space. The kitchen/living space has woven bamboo screens which can be opened, closed or removed completely creating a flexible space that connects with the exterior and can accommodate large family events.
Construction: bamboo (Bambusa Vulgaris) is a cheap, sustainable, locally produced and fast growing resource which is resistant to termites when treated with boric acid. Bamboo posts are drilled 1000mm into the ground creating a framework for wall construction. The first few feet of the walls act as formwork to encase the cob construction mud foundations. The mud is compressed, levelled, waterproofed with ash soap in 1 to 5 parts water and polished. The walls are constructed by ramming plastic water bottles with earth and laying them out in courses using a mud-cement. Wood off cuts are used as hanging tiles and supported by wooden dowels that run through the bottle necks. These hanging tiles act as rain screen cladding, protecting the mud walls from water damage as well as providing a rich textural finish to the external walls.
Corrugated zinc roofing is used to facilitate total waterproofing, termite resistance and rainwater collection; this is supported by a bamboo frame. In order to provide insulation and sound proofing to the bedrooms, old clothes and waste fabric soaked in liquid cement and ash slurry are laid on top of woven stripped bamboo panels. Once the panels have dried, they are built in to the top of the mud walls providing a ceiling. The interiors are finished with traditional Asante furniture and fabrics creating a strong testimony of local identity, beauty and craftsmanship.
BUDGET Mud: free Recycled plastic bottles: free Wood off cuts: free Old clothes: free Labour: $1500 Corrugated zinc sheets (10 packets): $1200 4 x 8’ plywood (8 pieces): $64 Bamboo (660m): $660 Doors and windows: $148 5 bags cement: $52.50 Plumbing and washroom facilities: $147 Electrical fittings: $223 Equipment and fixings: $400 Delivery: $200 Subtotal =$4594.50 10% Contingency for errors and omissions: $459.45
Total= $5053.05
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 9:32:13 GMT -6
My design approach is to use established art and architecture typologies as inspiration to design a house that is easily accepted by the community to reestablish the viability of earth as an affordable and reliable construction material. Through research, I discovered the tradition of Kente cloth and its significance in Asante culture. Kente cloths are the colorful and dynamic textiles created by skilled weavers who use woven patterns to tell and pass on stories. To create the cloth, weavers juxtapose strips of cloth composed of alternating warp-face patterns (simple striped patterns) and weft-faced patterns (geometric designs).
For the proposed design, the juxtaposition of patterns is reinterpreted into organization of program space and corresponding wall construction. The spaces of the home are arranged in two strips with a shared long axis. Spaces are categorized into private and shared and then arranged in an alternating pattern along the long axis. The two strips are then offset so that private and shared spaces alternate along both the short and long axis. The nature of each space is expressed in the elevation of the house by the composition of the exterior walls. Private spaces, such as bedrooms and bathrooms, are constructed of rammed earth. The nature of rammed earth construction inherently creates walls with rhythmic horizontal banding similar to the warp-face patterns of Kente. The solid walls are ideal for visual and noise privacy of private spaces. The exterior walls of shared spaces are constructed of pressed masonry units and arranged in geometric patterns similar to the weft faced patterns. The masonry walls allow light and air to enter the house. The infusion of light and the open nature of the space create a unified shared space that intertwines with the private rooms.
In addition to the development of cultural connections, the design seeks to utilize earth not only in the walls, but also in the roof and floor assembly. The roof assembly is composed of metal cladding, clearstory trusses, with earth reel insulation and a plaster finish. The earth reel insulates the interior space from the heat and noise of rain. The floor is composed of stabilized rammed earth over sand and aggregate. The flooring assembly is common in the region and provides an affordable and durable surface. The use of earth in multiple elements of the building helps reduce cost and demonstrate the viability of earth as a construction material.
The design also incorporates passive design features into the building elements in order to provide a comfortable space and relieve reliance on utilities during outages. Clearstory louvers, eaves, and light shelves provide shade from the harshest sun angles at the same time allowing ambient light into the house. The elevated roof and wood slat cladding allow warm air to rise and ventilate from the building. Furthermore, the sloped roof enables water to be captured and stored near the bathroom and kitchen positioned at opposite corners of the house.
The proposed plan is for 1260 sf and provides three bedrooms, a bathroom, den, living room, guest room/storage room and kitchen. The living room is at the rear of the house and opens onto a courtyard space and back yard. Occupants could choose to alter the patterns of the brick walls to their liking or in order to reduce cost. Skilled labor for the masonry walls is the largest cost item for the proposal and a simplification of the screen walls will lower cost.
An estimated cost is as follows: Foundation and Floor: $650.00 Walls: $2,700.00 Roofing: $2350.00 Fixtures: $300.00
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Post by Nka on Sept 6, 2014 9:23:15 GMT -6
Concept 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. Adinkra is basically a cotton cloth produced in Ghana and Côte d'Ivoire which has traditional Akan symbols stamped upon it. The adinkra symbols represent popular proverbs and maxims, record historical events, express particular attitudes or behaviour related to depicted figures, or concepts uniquely related to abstract shapes. It is one of several traditional cloths produced in the region.
Design Process The designing of the mud house had many problems and conditions taken into consideration by also keeping the climatic conditions in mind. Courtyard – The courtyard is kept open for good ventilation and so the hot humid air can pass out. Living Room - The living room is lowered and pushed under so that it maintains cool during the hot climate. Bedroom – The mud house consists of 2 bedrooms, first being the master bedroom and second being a common bedroom, which has stacks of bedding at the corner of one room, the main purpose of stacking and designing it to the corner of the room is so that there is space for the children to play and enjoy and when its time to sleep the mattresses can be pulled out. Also the room is quite spacious hence grandparents can also sleep along with the children. Kitchen – The kitchen is divided in two sections where one section has a fireplace, it has a wall dividing it from the kitchen. The reason behind this was to keep the smell of the fire away from the kitchen which does not disturb any activities that takes place in the kitchen. Storage – There is a space which is allocated for space where one can store food items and clothes which can be needed in a time of crisis.
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