Vernacular African Architecture residency: Design and build for Ghana

From the Nka Foundation:

PROJECT CONTEXT: The challenges of sustainable development continue to exist in the diverse countries of sub-Saharan Africa. In the rural economic vein, many questions keep coming to our minds: How can we blend the vernacular and contemporary traditions to generate choice for the economically underprivileged? What process and structure would work in a sustainable manner? It is in the search of answers to these questions that the arts village initiative evolved. We proceed on the premise that to improve the younger generation’s prospects, it is often necessary to change the rural conditions that perpetuate economic and social marginalization.
 
Nka Foundation’s arts village project provides opportunities in form of workspaces and incubators for vocational skill development of young adults in the underserved areas of the sub-Sahara. The long-term goal is to create a network of arts village sites in some countries in the sub-Sahara, Southeast Asia, Eastern Europe, and South America to continue to foster cross-cultural synergy for tapping local resources for sustainable human capital development through the arts and culture industry. Each arts village will have vocational skills development program for the rural populace and cross-cultural skills enrichment programs for practitioners from around the world. All together, the arts villages form an institution, the Nka Foundation.
 
PROPOSED PROJECT: Thus, Nka Foundation invites participation in a Design-Build Residency programme focused on African Vernacular Architecture. The proposed project is located in Sang, a rural township in Northern Ghana, 50 km from Tamale.  It comprises of units that make up the SangArtsVillage and integrates local labor, earth and other materials from the environment.  A typical residency project may be to design-and-build a structure for community arts activities. More precisely, the construction process and materials is vernacular involving cob, natural plaster, and grass thatching.  Participant will work with local craftsmen to realize a design project.  You will have the occasion to resolve the technical problems that arise in the framework of the construction of the project.  You will gain cross-cultural experience from working with the vernacular builders.
The design-and-build programme is designed to fill the gap between theory and practice to make a well rounded practitioner. For students, it is an opportunity to experience the vernacular construction process first-hand and to learn to design what is build-able.  For the professionals, you will find the residency a pause from your office work to rediscover the rudiments of architecture and nuances that can refresh your practice.

The residency opportunity is open to all students and recent graduates of Structural Design, Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and others interested in sustainable architecture and rural community development projects in Africa. The length of the residency is usually from 1 month to 12 months. 

For additional information, visit: http://www.nkafoundation.org/designbuildandliveinproject.html or e-mail info@nkafoundation.org