JOURNEY by Ama Duah
AMA DUAH ___ Part II Architecture Portfolio
PERSONA ___ This portfolio acts as a hold all for a Ghanaian lady who falls in love with the colonial architectural aesthetic of her motherland and desires to ignite that flame of communality and culture that was; and is to come. My name is Ama Frempomaa Duah, a final year master of architecture student from the University of Portsmouth, were I gained my bachelor’s degree in Architecture. All other educational achievements including a baccalaureate and IGCSE were offered back home in Ghana. Being brought up in a family where one is emersed in a cultural, social and political kaleidoscope, I quickly began to pick up a plethora of ways of being and doing which appeared disjoint within the architecture where it happened. One of the most significant discussions in my Emergent studio is that of phenomenology within architecture. Utzon and Pallasma place a significant role in my journey to uncovering the essence of architectural cultural richness that I yearn to take back home as they push beyond an architecture that is binary to one that is fundamentally experiential in every sense.
CONTENTS ______ YEAR ONE Guerilla Liberation YEAR TWO Balkan Trip 3x3x3 Showcase ‘15 Prototypin Week ‘15 Design Thesis: Dance as a Catalyst for Gathering and Reconciling
YEAR ONE ___ Guerilla Liberation
Guerilla Liberation ___ The proposed designs for the Guerrilla Liberation Development were conceived to create a new living paradigm that would transform the appearance and effectiveness of a building that would become redundant due to future plans for development. It is Unitarian Housing development within the multi storey carpark of Cascades Shopping Mall, Portsmouth. This schemes hopes to liberate its inhabitants from the trauma that came from the Tricorn’s brutalist expressions whilst allowing individuals to live in a community devoid of much legistrative decisions that govern Portsmouth’s housing situation. To achieve this, three core values govern the entire development from design stage to construction stage. These are LOVE, LIGHT and LIFE.
STRATEGIC BRIEF ___ A new paradigm for dense living that aims to liberate its tenants from the socio-economic and cultural pitfalls that are embedded within Portsmouth’s governmental framework. This development encompasses a plethora of dwelling typologies designed to suit homeless, deprived families, young adults moving out of home, the third age and even people of good standing in society.
Strategic Masterplan for Portsea
Image showing North facade of Cascades Carpark.
Image showing North East view of site.
SCHEMATIC CONCEPT
The proposed designs for the Guerrilla Liberation Development were conceived to create a new living paradigm that would transform the appearance and effectiveness of a building that would become redundant due to future plans for development. This schemes seeks to liberate its inhabitants from the trauma that came from the Tricorn’s brutalist expressions whilst allowing individuals to live in a community devoid of much legislative decisions that govern Portsmouth’s housing situation. What was perceived was that these structures that have been put in place to control the development of the built environment limit its growth in actual fact. These act as a set of function fighting for space within the same box as illustrated to the left of this page.
3D perspective of scheme showing addition of elements to existing structure
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT ___
The proposed designs for the Guerrilla Liberation Development were conceived to create a new living paradigm that would transform the appearance and effectiveness of a building that would become redundant due to future plans for development. This schemes seeks to liberate its inhabitants from the trauma What was conceived was to fuse the idea of ownership of a dwelling with the concept of the back yard into the built form of the Cascades Multi story car park.
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Study model
PROPOSED DEVELOPMENT
YEAR TWO ___ Balkan Trip
Sarajevo ‘Roses’ - Art installation as memrobilia for lost souls
Hand sketch of Mostar Bridge, Mostar.
THRESHOLDS - Oriental House in Mostar
TECTONICS - Narrow perdestrain road
TECTONICS - Narrow perdestrain road
YEAR TWO ___ 3X3X3
SITE PHOTOGRAPHS
PLACE
PLACE
JOURNEY THROUGH SPACE
JOURNEY
JOURNEY
YEAR TWO ___ Showcase ‘15
Representing ideas of the movement of the body through space.
Section of a dance floor made to test tectonics.
YEAR TWO ___ Prototyping Week ‘15
YEAR TWO ___ Design Thesis: Design Development
Image showing proposed site from the North end.
Image on site for proposed scheme - Bentbasa swimming pools
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Initial roof plan with apertures responding to ideas of framing light
Initial ground floor plan addressing idea of ENCLOSURE, GATHERING & SECLUSION
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Testing ideas through model making
Testing ideas through model making
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Long section through proposal showing framing of light
DESIGN DEVELOPMENT
Short section through proposal showing use of swimming pool footprint for performance and gathering
YEAR TWO ___ Design Thesis: Dance as a catalyst for gathering and reconciliation.
BENTBASA SITE
CONCEPT
POETIC SYNTHESIS ___ A city that is constantly moving through its sounds, people, vehicles and most importantly its river, Miljacka. The concept behind this scheme stems from the idea of moving through space and how one may carry out a series of journeys of various tectonics and thresholds. In as much as these journeys act as rituals to the Bosnians as they cross from North to South daily, these journeys, also offer invitations for the Bosnians to GATHER during the day by the river and at night, RETREAT to their dwelling spaces.
movement of the city
movement of the body
Journey through the site
Journey through the site
Journey through the site
Journey through the site
Journey through the site
Journey through the site