Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana by Kristin Agnello

Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

This strategic framework was developed by Plassurban based on extensive collaboration between, and input from, numerous professional consultants, the Nka Foundation and the local community in Abetenim, Ghana.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Core Design and Planning Team Architecture

Local Team in Ghana Barthosa Nkurumeh, PhD Ruby Anane-Kyeremeh Frank Appiah-Kubi

Nka Project Director (Ghana) Architect (Ghana) Junior Secondary School Principal (Ghana)

Liliane Hobeica

Architect/Team Leader (Brazil)

Cristiane H. Simó

Architect/Team Leader (Brazil)

Susana dos Santos Anastassis Economou

Planning Kristin Agnello Adeleke Emmanuel Nirmala Samuel Nilesh Patel

Elena D’Alessandro Urban Planner/Urban Designer (Canada) Urban and Regional Planner (Nigeria) Architect/Housing Planner (India) Landscape Architect (Australia)

Shareen Elnaschie Christian Mbarga Mustafa Mahmoud

Ericka Alfaro Cortez Inna Strokous Maggie Mesquita Carlota Marijuan

Civil Engineering Aythami Ruiz

Vera Angelico

Architect – Dormitories (Portugal) Architect (Greece) Architect/Industrial Designer (Uruguay) Architect (USA) Architect (Nicaragua) Architect/Interior Designer (Ukraine) Architect (Portugal) Student Architect (Australia)

Architect – Sanitation (Spain) Architect - Site Strategy/Sanitation (UK) Civil Engineer (Cameroon) Civil Engineer – Sanitation (Egypt)

It is no small feat to assemble and organize an international team of planning, architecture, and engineering professionals. This collaboration was made possible through the generous support of the Nka Foundation and the United Nations Volunteer Organization.

TABLE OF CONTENTS EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

1.0

INTRODUCTION

2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5

APPROACH AND METHODOLOGY Study Area Project Launch and Leadership Project Brief Objectives Community Participation

7 7 8 9 11 13

3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3

LOCAL CONTEXT Welcome to Abetenim Traditional Communities Key Considerations

15 15 17 18

4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3

VISION Planning the School Site Considerations Key Recommendations

23 25 25 26

5.0

ORIENTATION

6.0

ACCESS

7.0

CAMPUS LIFE

8.0

SUSTAINABILITY

9.0 9.1 9.2

IMPLEMENTATION AND PHASING Phasing Next Steps

67 68 68

APPENDIX A: SITE PHOTOS AND SKETCHES APPENDIX B: EARTH BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES APPENDIX C: SANITATION REFERENCES

Nka Foundation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY In October 2015, the Nka Foundation approached the United Nations Volunteer Organization with a request that they facilitate the organization of a team of international professionals to assist with the planning, design and development of a secondary school campus in Abetenim, Ghana. The campus is to be home to a target population of 1,200 students from around the region and will be built entirely with local materials and, primarily, with local labour. A core design and planning team was assembled, consisting of architects, planners, urban designers, landscape architects, and engineers from seventeen countries across the world. The project timeline was condensed in order to allow the Nka Foundation sufficient time for fundraising, with a goal to break ground in August 2016. The team worked collaboratively, coordinating on a semi-daily basis with the team in Ghana and the preliminary planning guidelines, campus design, classroom and building module designs, and capacity building strategies were completed in December 2015. Work is ongoing on this project, however, the proposed guidelines, designs and strategies have been accepted by the Nka Foundation and the Abetenim community.

implementation of international development initiatives. It emphasizes the preservation and incorporation of cultural heritage and capacity building as leading priorities for the creation of a sustainable community, measurable in terms of economy, environment, culture, and society. One key objective of the project was to provide a methodological and empirical foundation upon which other communities and organizations may base their own development initiatives. As a model rural school, all research, technical and professional recommendations are intended to be open-source, to be used, modified and improved by communities and agencies in the development of their own schools and community facilities. It is the hope of consultant team that the provision of these professional services, in combination with a focus on local materials and labour, will help to break down technical barriers to community and educational development. Many communities are unable to access professional planning and design services for community development projects which are already on extremely tight budgets. This strategic framework is designed to be adaptable, scalable, and replicable in any community in Ghana and, potentially, throughout Africa.

The Strategic Framework represents a deliberate and timely shift in attitudes toward local, traditional building methods in the

The school will be constructed entirely of mud and other local materials, as is the tradition in the region. Earth architecture is gaining in popularity

Executive Summary

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 1

in modern day construction due to its ecological and aesthetic benefits. There are examples of airports, embassies, hospitals, museums, and factories around the world that are constructed out of earth. In fact, it is estimated that half of the global population, approximately three billion people on six continents, lives or works in buildings constructed of earth. As a material, earth costs little or no money and is locally available worldwide. Mud is nontoxic, fire proof, and thermally and acoustically sound. The most sustainable of materials, when an earth building is demolished, the mud returns to the ground and can be recycled indefinitely. The school will be located on the outskirts of the village of Abetenim, located 40 km southeast of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of southcentral Ghana. With a population of approximately one thousand, the majority under the age of twenty-five, Abetenim is primarily an agricultural community, producing and harvesting small crops, palm oil, cocoa and kola nut. The vast majority of adults in Abetenim are unable to read or write due to a lack of access to basic education infrastructure. Children do not currently have local access to secondary school education and must walk prohibitive distances to access the few schools that do exist. The Nka Foundation has already assisted the

2 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

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Nka Foundation

local community to fund and build a junior secondary school and a kindergarten, but there is currently no secondary school in the region. By building a local secondary school that will allow children to continue their education, they are being given a chance to change their lives, their futures, and their communities. This framework is proof that borders and space do not have to be barriers. It is proof that traditional building materials and traditions can have infinite value in providing much needed amenities to rural communities. The preservation and application of cultural heritage is valuable and relevant, not only as a remnant of the past, but also as a gateway to the future. At its heart, this project is intended to be a resource, a catalyst and an inspiration.

Executive Summary

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Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 3

Mate Masie I consider and keep what I learn

Nka Foundation

1.0 INTRODUCTION The Nka Foundation is a non-profit organization mandated to serve underprivileged communities in Africa. In 2015, the Nka Foundation partnered with the United Nations Volunteer Organization and issued a call for professional assistance to plan, design, and construct a secondary school in Abetenim, Ghana. In a community where 98% of adults are unable to read or write due to poor educational infrastructure, this initiative presents the opportunity to change the lives of an entire generation of children. The Nka Foundation selected a core team out of a global pool of interested professionals from different backgrounds, including architecture, planning, engineering, landscape architecture and industrial design. The consultant team collaborated via a number of online platforms, with input from the local community facilitated by the Project Director, a locally-based architect, and a teacher from the Abetenim Junior Secondary School. Work on this initiative was undertaken on a compressed schedule and, in a ten week period, the team was able to render the site plan, construction phasing, costing and preliminary building designs. Landmark and feature buildings will be designed by means of an international design competition, set to launch in 2016.

Introduction

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6 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

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Nka Foundation

2.0 APPROACH + METHODOLOGY 2.1 Study Area The village of Abetenim is located 40 km southeast of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of south-central Ghana. With a population of approximately one thousand inhabitants, with the majority under the age of twenty-five, Abetenim is primarily an agricultural community, producing and harvesting small crops, palm oil, cocoa and kola nut. Upon the realization of this project, Abetenim will become an educational hub for local school children. Currently, the vast majority (98%) of adults in Abetenim are unable to read or write due to poor access to basic education infrastructure. Children do not currently have local access to secondary school education and must walk prohibitive distances to access the few schools that do exist. The Nka Foundation has already enabled the local community to transform the futures of their children by helping them fund and build a junior secondary school and a kindergarten, but there is more to be done. By building a local secondary school that will allow children to continue their education, they are being given a chance to change their lives, their futures, and their communities.

Approach + Methodology

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2.2 Project Launch and Leadership This project is led and managed by the Nka Foundation, a registered non-profit organization, based in the United States and serving communities in Africa. The Nka Foundation has a focus on human capital development through use of the arts, broadly defined to include visual arts, literary arts, performing arts, design, new media/film production, art history, arts criticism, arts education, arts administration and curatorship, and emerging others.

2. Initiates and promotes artistic, humanitarian and educational projects or activities that build cultural bridges between Africa and the rest of the world; and 3. Leads or engages in skills development and social integration of disadvantaged members of society and any other free application of the arts designed to accomplish community objectives.

In 2009, the Nka Foundation was incorporated as a non-profit organization under the laws of the Republic of Ghana to carry on the work of bringing together motivated creative individuals in the arts and technology sectors to create a cross-cultural synergy to support their continued professional growth and to enhance the social, cultural and economic vitality of rural African communities. As an organization that has a focus on the arts as a means of human capital development, the Nka Foundation: 1. Has its membership open to members of the arts public and arts supportive organizations, local or international, and strives to further the artistic and arts related purposes of its members;

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Nka Foundation

2.3 Project Brief An international team of professionals will volunteer and collaborate to plan and design a model rural senior secondary school campus on ten acres of heavily-treed, rural land in the Ashanti region of southcentral Ghana. Where possible, mature palm and cocoa trees will be preserved and integrated into the design in order to support existing local agricultural practices. The secondary school will be built in five phases over a period of eight years. In order to decrease the stigma associated with earth architecture in West Africa, buildings will be designed in a contemporary architectural style, while utilizing local earth building materials and traditions. The school buildings will be organized into clusters distributed throughout the ten acres. The clusters will be comprised of classroom blocks, administration buildings, a laboratory block, male and female dormitories with private courtyards, and staff quarters. The ultimate target school population is 1,200 students, which includes the junior and senior secondary levels. Presently, the junior secondary is part of the elementary school, however it will be merged with the senior secondary upon completion of construction.

Approach + Methodology

The ten-acre secondary school campus will be home to a variety of public and private buildings, structures, and spaces, as follows: Classrooms

A total of twenty-one classrooms will be constructed. Shaded courtyards should be provided to provide resting and social spaces for students as well as space for extra-curricular activities.

Administrative Block

The administrative block will contain seven offices, a large teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s room containing desks for 40 teachers, a visitorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lounge, and a sick bay.

Laboratory Block

Three laboratory buildings will be constructed, one each for Chemistry, Biology and Physics lessons.

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Sports Grounds

Sports grounds will be provided for soccer, basketball, athletics, volleyball, and table tennis. These may become semipublic spaces, accessible to the greater community, at some point in the future.

Cafeteria Hall

The cafeteria hall will include a kitchen and a mess hall for the student residents to eat their meals. The hall could also be used for large social events by the students and the community at large.

Dormitory Block

Dormitories with secure courtyards to house about 400 student boarders who will live on-campus due to the prohibitive distance to their home towns. To accommodate 400 students, four courtyard buildings will be built as follows: 2 dormitory buildings for males and 2 dormitory buildings for females. Washrooms will be located within each dormitory block but will be separated from the dormitory rooms.

Staff Quarters

A cluster of houses will be constructed to house the school Principal, Assistant Principal, twenty teachers, and ten junior staff members.

Demonstration Farm

A demonstration farm and a fruticetum* for agricultural science and biology courses will be provided.

*As a model rural school, the proposed site plan includes a fruticetum that will wind through the campus. A fruticetum is an outdoor biology classroom consisting of trees and shrubs of native and foreign origin that are hardy and half -hardy, pictorially and botanically delineated, and scientifically and popularly described. The fruticetum allows students to study botanical propagation, culture, management, useful and ornamental plantations, and landscape-gardening, preceded by a historical and geographical outline of the trees and shrubs that are native to tropical climates throughout the world.

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Nka Foundation

2.4 Objectives The proposed secondary school proposal and associated building designs will: • • • • •

Emphasize sustainable architecture and cost-efficient construction by fully integrating local materials and passive solar design; Utilize traditional earth construction techniques as a means of preserving tradition and educating the local and international community about earth building methods and technologies; Provide training and employment opportunities to community members; Provide volunteer travel and educational experiences to the international community; and Promote and integrate the arts into community building and development activities that build cultural bridges between Africa and the rest of the world.

Approach + Methodology

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12 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

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Nka Foundation

2.5 Community Participation The Abetenim Secondary School project is unique in its organization and execution. Extensive coordination between the team on the ground in Ghana and an international team of design, planning, and engineering professionals was critical to ensure that the local community was properly engaged and their needs reflected in the final plan. Involving residents and end users, especially parents, in dialogue about the site plan, buildings, and shared facilities is critical to ensure that the needs of the local community are fully considered. In the case of Abetenim, a lack of community spaces and resources also meant that a number of the proposed secondary school buildings could potentially be used for community gatherings and social events, thereby providing an additional resource to the local population. The proposed cafeteria, sports fields and public courtyards may be made available for public use in the future. Integration between the wider community and the school campus not only provides facilities for local residents, but also provides a sense of community and belonging to resident students who may be away from their own families for long periods of time.

Approach + Methodology

Additionally, the proposed plan provides the opportunity for locals to undertake a key role in the construction of the campus. Combining traditional building techniques with modern designs and technologies allows opportunities not only for preservation of traditional craftsmanship, but also for further education and capacity building amongst the local population. Local builders will be engaged throughout the construction process, eventually leading and teaching international volunteers through a work-for-knowledge volunteer travel program. Such a model helps to bolster a sense of pride and accomplishment by all who are involved in the planning, design and construction of the school campus.

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Nka Foundation

3.0 LOCAL CONTEXT 3.1 Welcome to Abetenim Abetenim is a small community located approximately 40 km southeast of Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of south-central Ghana. It is a village of earth, concrete and tin situated along the main road east of Juaben. The heart of the village is dominated by courtyard houses, lined by continuous walls, perforated by recessed entrances which provide a glimpse into the private and semi-private spaces within the courtyards. Stacks of concrete blocks, mud bricks and outlines of foundations dot the village. Construction in Abetenim is an ongoing part of life; as funding is acquired, people and organizations continue to build in phases over a number of years. Residents are primarily farmers earning a small subsistence with little to no disposable income. More than 75% of the people in Abetenim live below the poverty line, as defined by the United Nations, by subsisting on less than $2 (USD) per day. The architecture of the village is the architecture of necessity. The village is dotted with mud houses, built in ways that speak of abject economic poverty. Spaces are small. Materials are basic. Most activities, from cooking to socializing, take place outside in the shade of a tree or veranda.

Local Context

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Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 15

Families in Abetenim and the surrounding communities face extreme economic hardship, with earnings largely consumed by daily subsistence. The lack of disposable income for the vast majority of families means that children are unable to continue their education past primary or junior high school. The distance to the nearest secondary school is both time and cost prohibitive for most families. Ghana is home to a young population and, therefore, is facing an extremely high demand for schools. Many of the existing, temporary classrooms in rural Ghana are little more than clearings beneath trees. Many villages do not have access to local schools and families are therefore unable to transport their young children to distant schools to begin or continue their education. In part due to the common need for all family members to be able to contribute at home and on the farm on a daily basis in order to earn a livable wage, Abetenim is facing an extremely low (2%) literacy rate. With the help of numerous international partners, the Nka Foundation has helped the community in Abetenim build a junior secondary school and a kindergarten. Acknowledging that a senior secondary school is

16 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

now urgently needed, the community has identified a ten-acre site for the proposed campus. The Nka Foundation is coordinating the planning and design of the school, as well as launching a major fundraising campaign for the construction of the buildings and structures. This project is intended to provide Ghana and, indeed, development organizations around the world, with a model school to be used as precedent for future developments in other communities. In response to the local context, this initiatives is guided by three key principles: 1. Providing safe, accessible facilities for children to live, learn and prosper, while providing additional amenity space to the greater community; 2. Preserving traditional building techniques and organizational principles, while introducing modern design and sustainable building technologies; and 3. Providing opportunities for capacity building and local employment, while educating local and international participants on the principles and techniques of earth architecture.

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Nka Foundation

3.2 Traditional Communities The traditional plan of a community and the building typologies within it are inextricably linked in Abetenim. Characterized by courtyard orientations, traditional buildings were constructed using wattle and daub techniques; a timber framework covered in mud to create a thick, stable wall structure. A typical traditional courtyard complex consists of four buildings clustered around a central courtyard. The courtyard was traditionally a place for music, cooking, socializing, and religion. Such courtyard houses were well adapted to the climatic conditions in the area, characterized by ventilated, ornamented screen (jali) walls, and partially covered outdoor spaces which would provide shelter from sun and rain. The design of the Abetenim Secondary School is intended to replicate this traditional community organization. Small clusters of classrooms, each surrounding a sheltered courtyard, will enclose a larger common space. A variety of open spaces will be created through the situation of the buildings; places to study and contemplate, places to play, and places to gather and celebrate.

Local Context

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Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 17

3.3 Key Considerations Space While the courtyard structure of a rural school may reflect that of a courtyard house, schools differ from most domestic buildings in their need to accommodate as many as 40 pupils and a teacher, while also providing space for storage, displays and equipment. A general guideline is to provide 1.3 m2 of space per pupil, plus an additional two metres between the first row of students and the teacherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s desk. For the Abetenim Secondary School, the recommended modular classroom size is approximately 4.5m x 9m, which can be constructed as single buildings or conjoined with a shared wall. This building size will comfortably allow a class size of approximately 30 students, and will enable the Nka Foundation to coordinate building workshops during which one module can be completed in its entirety. Out of necessity, the classroom blocks and other buildings will be built as modular pavilions, thereby allowing the school to function as additional buildings are constructed. Secondary schools are generally considerably larger than primary schools and would typically be home to a number of classrooms and other facilities. Due to the fact that students would be finishing lessons simultaneously, circulation will need to be carefully considered. To

18 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

facilitate circulation and provide amenity space, the classroom modules will be positioned around a central courtyard. In addition to the shade provided by trees and buildings, porches can be a particularly valuable addition in terms of shading classrooms in hot weather. Furthermore, porches can provide additional teaching, storage, meeting or display space. Cost Cost reduction is often a high priority in designing building schools, in Ghana as in the rest of the world. It is important, however, to consider not only the cost of construction, but also the cost of maintaining the school over its entire lifespan. A cheaply-built school could turn out to be a false bargain if, subsequently, materials and components need to be replaced after a relatively short time and there is a continuous need to undertake repairs and rehabilitation to the facility. The Abetenim Secondary School is designed to be constructed in phases as funds for new buildings are raised. Each classroom block represents an investment of approximately $5,000 (USD) and two months of labour. The Nka Foundation facilitates building and educational workshops for the international community, whereby participants can

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Nka Foundation

travel to Ghana and gain hands-on experience learning earth-building techniques while contributing meaningfully to the local community. Lighting Many rural schools rely on natural lighting for illumination in the classrooms because the schools are either not connected to the public power grid, or because the cost of electricity for lighting is high and would significantly add to the cost of operating the school. Wooden or metal shutters, that are closed when the school is empty or when it is raining heavily, are often employed. However, if the shutters are closed due to rain, then artificial lighting would need to be provided or the school closed for the day. The Abetenim Secondary School will employ both shutters and jali screens to allow light penetration and ventilation in the classrooms. In the case of jali screens, the openings between the bricks are relatively small and are therefore effective in shielding the interior of the building from rain, except during periods of heavy rainfall or high winds.

Local Context

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Services and Infrastructure When funds for construction and development are limited, there may be an inclination not to provide a dedicated water supply and sanitation services in the early phases, but such provision is critical. The highest priority has been given to installing appropriate facilities within the proposed secondary school grounds; safe access to washroom facilities is essential for a school to function effectively. Girls would be particularly disadvantaged if no washrooms were available, as females require a greater degree of seclusion for privacy and safety reasons. For reasons of sanitation and comfort, washrooms have been located a minimum of 30 metres away from school buildings, and downwind of the prevailing wind. The Nka Foundation currently has a team of civil engineers, architects and sanitation specialists working to ensure that adequate and appropriate facilities are provided. Building Materials Local building materials will be exclusively used in the construction of the secondary school buildings. The buildings will be constructed from poured or rammed earth at the corners, potentially incorporating hollow sand-cement blocks into the walls. The top soil on the site contains an

20 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

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Nka Foundation

ideal proportion of red earth and gravel for rammed or poured earth construction. Cement is available for purchase from the local market and will be mixed with the earth that is excavated on-site to create the cast structures. Similarly, quarry dust can be used in place of cement and is available through local dealers, who will also deliver sand and stone to the construction site. Local hardwood is abundant and may be used for form work, structure, or finishes. Roofs will be constructed out of corrugated metal sheeting, supported by a wooden substructure. While thatched roofs are traditional in the Ashanti region, corrugated metal has been widely used as a low cost roofing material. However, this material has a number of limitations, including rapid heat gain, leakage, and acoustic concerns. A reasonable ceiling below the metal roof could significantly improve acoustics, temperature and the learning environment, but would add to the cost of the building. Other roofing materials, including canvas, tile and ferro-cement will be considered, but it must be noted that these materials have not been adequately tested to ensure that they can withstand the regionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s torrential rain storms.

similar community-building initiatives in the region. For this reason, the Nka Foundation is exploring new technologies and designs in combination with traditional and conventional building methods. For instance, conventional construction in the region utilizes solid sandcement blocks which are proven not to be thermally sound. The buildings on the secondary school campus will explore the use of hollow sand-cement blocks in combination with poured and/or earth construction.

One of the key objectives of this project is to provide precedent for

Local Context

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Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 21

Great places empower people to create opportunities for themselves and others.

Nka Foundation

4.0 VISION The Abetenim Secondary School project is intended to provide residents of Abetenim and the wider Ashanti region with an educational facility that will inspire this and future generations to become educated adult leaders in their community. The school is intended as a model for other communities, both in terms of the planning and design of the campus, and with respect to the inherent capacity-building opportunities presented by this development model. The key conceptual points of this strategic framework are as follows: 1. The collaborative nature of the planning and design process aims to produce a facility that belongs to the community, which should include the community members as co-designers. All planning and design outputs are considered open-source and authorship is to be collective and shared; 2. Literacy and formal education is considered by the community to be as important as the preservation of the natural environment; both are means for income generation and poverty alleviation; and 3. Africa has an enormous potential for showcasing alternative modes of planning, development and construction. This development will thereby serve as a model rural school for the Ashanti Region, Ghana, and, indeed, Africa as a whole.

Vision

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Nka Foundation

4.1 Planning the School

4.2 Site Considerations

The organization of the secondary school campus is structured around the creation of a series of public and private courtyard spaces, each framed by a number of modular buildings. While the school campus, by necessity, will be a gated property, it is important that the school stand out in terms of the openness and legibility of the site plan. Abetenim village has a long and significant history of slavery, therefore a great deal of attention has been given to the studentsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; freedom within the school grounds. Spaces were planned to provide the potential for a variety of programmatic uses and mono-functional spaces were avoided wherever possible.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;The first and elemental architecture is geography.â&#x20AC;? Paulo Mendes da Rocha

In keeping with the architectural and community planning traditions of the region, the plan is designed in a loosely radial structure. Acknowledging that buildings will be constructed as and when funding becomes available, we have proposed a relationship between the campus and the surrounding landscape that is organic, adaptable, and fully-integrated.

Vision

The proposed site for the secondary school consists of ten acres of relatively flat, dense jungle lying adjacent to a laterite road that connects Abetenim to the neighbouring city of Kumasi. Due to the prevalent local farming, and palm and cocoa harvesting operations, preservation of the existing local vegetation is of critical importance to the community. Western architectural and planning interventions have historically created functional, safe and meaningful environments at the expense of the indigenous landscape. In the case of Abetenim, however, there is little or no separation between the natural, economic, and cultural domains and it is therefore critical to preserve and enhance the natural environment for social, economic, and educational reasons. Wherever possible, productive trees will be preserved, and a demonstration farm and fruticetum will be introduced as an added agricultural and educational resource for the community.

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Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 25

4.3 Key Recommendations

ORIENTATION

The core of the Abetenim Secondary School Strategic Framework is comprised of 14 key recommendations organized, according to four interconnected themes: Orientation, Access, Campus Life, and Sustainability. The recommendations are summarized as follows:

#1 CREATE A LANDMARK THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM A DISTANCE As a model rural school and a key facility for the region, the Abetenim Secondary School campus should provide a grand entrance feature that can be seen from the road. Within the campus, key buildings should be of significant architectural value, showcasing the capabilities of earth construction. #2 ORGANIZE THE CAMPUS IN AN ORGANIC, RADIAL STRUCTURE

#4 MAXIMIZE VISIBILITY WITHIN AND BETWEEN CAMPUS SPACES AND BUILDINGS Ensure that the private and semi-private spaces within the campus are secure for the safety and well-being of the students. This includes providing private, gated courtyards for each of the dormitories, secure washroom facilities, and adequate sightlines within the campus. Structures and features intended for security should be sensitively designed to preserve the open feeling of the campus and to ensure feelings of freedom and connection to the wider community.

The campus should be organized in a radial, organic structure such that the buildings, structures and facilities reflect the traditional community organization of the region and seamlessly blend into the indigenous landscape. #3 CLUSTER BUILDINGS AND COMPLEXES AROUND A SERIES OF INTERCONNECTED COURTYARDS Buildings should be clustered around small courtyards, as is traditional in the region, in order to provide a mix of semiprivate and public spaces for learning, gathering, and playing that are sheltered from the elements.

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Nka Foundation

An internal access road should be provided to service the school buildings and connect the campus to the wider, regional community. The access point to the campus should be sensitively designed, both for reasons of security and to create a transitional zone between the public road and the school.

CAMPUS LIFE

ACCESS

#5 PROVIDE AN INTERNAL ACCESS ROAD

#6 PROVIDE ADEQUATE BICYCLE AND VEHICULAR PARKING Adequate parking should be provided in close proximity to the administrative courtyard and to the staff housing. A safe drop-off point for students in front of the campus entrance should also be provided.

Vision

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

#7 ENHANCE CAMPUS LIFE AND THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE Provide adequate private, semi-private and public spaces for students, both who reside on campus and who commute to the school from neighbouring communities on a daily basis. Sufficient opportunities for recreation, athletics, academics, socializing and relaxation should be provided. #8 LOCATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACE IN A LOGICAL, ORGANIZED MANNER The campus should be designed such that public facilities are closest to the main access road and private facilities are separated either by distance or design from the public realm. The locations of public, semi-private, and private spaces should be logical and legible and should inform the overall organization of the campus.

Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 27

The campus should be designed in order to facilitate community use and involvement. The cafeteria, administrative courtyard, and sports facilities may all be accessible to the wider community at some point in the future for general use or special events. A long wall has been proposed to connect the entrance to the interior of the campus, showcasing local artworks, and strengthen its link with the adjacent Abetenim Arts Village.

SUSTAINABILITY

#9 CREATE SHARED SPACES TO ENCOURAGE INTERACTION WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY

#10 PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH PASSIVE BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES Wherever possible, buildings should maximize natural lighting, passive ventilation, and rainwater collection through faรงade and roof design, solar orientation and sustainable building technologies. All buildings within the campus should be designed for a minimum lifespan of 70-100 years. Careful consideration should be given to installing sustainable water and sewage systems to supplement and, eventually, replace the existing systems. #11 ENHANCE CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH UTILIZING AND PROMOTING TRADITIONAL BUILDING PRACTICES Recognize and respect traditional building practices in order to ensure that this cultural heritage and local knowledge is not lost. Encourage the introduction of new forms and technologies, while appreciating and applying local knowledge, particularly with respect to climatic, functional, and social challenges.

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Nka Foundation

#12 ENSURE OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ONGOING FACILITY MAINTENANCE

#14 FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH DESIGN COMPETITIONS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

Undertaking a consistent and achievable maintenance schedule is critical to ensuring that the Abetenim Secondary School remains a safe, healthy and comfortable place for learning. The use of local, traditional building techniques should allow for ongoing maintenance to be conducted by local craftspeople, however, resources must be in place to cover the cost of supplies and labour.

Encourage cultural exchanges through ongoing international volunteering programs, earth building workshops, design competitions, and artist residencies. Capitalize on opportunities for local residents, craftspeople, and builders to teach and participate in workshops in order to build cultural pride and encourage information sharing to the benefit of all.

#13 ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING The majority of labour associated with the construction of the buildings and structures should be undertaken by local community members who will be fairly compensated for their work. These community members will be key team members with respect to building the campus, providing and showcasing traditional building methods, and educating international volunteers on earth building techniques.

Vision

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Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 29

Without leaps of imagination, we lose the excitement of possibilities. Dreaming, after all, is a form of planning.

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Nka Foundation

Create a Landmark That Can Be Seen From a Distance

Organize the Campus in an Organic, Radial Structure

Cluster Buildings and Complexes Around a Series of Interconnected Courtyards

Maximize Visibility Within and Between Campus Spaces and Buildings

5.0 ORIENTATION The following recommendations relate to the orientation of the proposed Secondary School campus. As an educational facility, a model school , and a community resource, the orientation and siting of buildings and facilities is of the utmost importance.

Orientation

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Nka Foundation

CREATE A LANDMARK THAT CAN BE SEEN FROM A DISTANCE

As a model rural school and a key facility for the region, the Abetenim Secondary School campus should provide a grand entrance feature that can be seen from the road. Within the campus, key buildings should be of significant architectural value, showcasing the capabilities of earth construction.

The role of the Abetenim Secondary School, not only as an educational facility but also as a community hub, is key to the design and implementation of this facility. Intended as a model school, the secondary school campus plan includes strategies for community development, capacity building, sustainability and cultural preservation. It is imperative that the school be visible from the main road, as many pupils, staff and community members will be approaching the campus on foot. A landmark entrance feature is an opportunity to showcase local skills, design, and pride in this facility. Guiding Principles As a model rural school, the Abetenim Secondary School campus must be readily identifiable, easy to see and locate, and connected to Abetenim Village and adjacent Arts Village. To achieve these aims, the campus should be designed to include: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Orientation

A significant sculptural or architectural feature visible from the main road. This feature could be locally designed, the result of an international design competition, or a combination of the two; A guard hut, offset from the road, which creates a welcoming transition zone between the campus and the community;

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• • •

Consideration of the relationship between the campus, the Arts Village located across the main road to the west, and the residential village to the south; Opportunities for artistic and cultural expression, such as a feature wall leading into the administrative plaza which can be used to showcase local art and design; and Opportunities for international earth architecture competitions for the design of key buildings.

“Terroir,” Rammed Earth Sculpture by Thomas Sayre

0.3 km Distance to Abetenim Village to Nearest 40 km Distance Secondary School 34 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

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Nka Foundation

ORGANIZE THE CAMPUS IN AN ORGANIC, RADIAL STRUCTURE

The campus should be organized in a loosely radial, organic structure such that the buildings, structures and facilities reflect the traditional community organization of the region and seamlessly blend into the indigenous landscape.

The proposed site for the Abetenim Secondary school campus is made up of densely forested, indigenous jungle. The secondary school will require varying degrees of privacy, security and access in order to function effectively. By implementing a loosely radial structure, designers will be able to create distinctions between public and private space while minimizing the footprint of the campus and the resultant impact on the jungle. Furthermore, the layout of the campus is based upon traditional Ghanian courtyard building and community design; larger courtyards enclose smaller ones, until the outer ring of buildings begin to meld into the jungle landscape. This structure lends itself nicely to a radial plan, while allowing for future expansion of both the campus and surrounding communities. Guiding Principles As an amenity for both the community and region, it is critical that this campus be able to respond to the needs of its users. The secondary school campus has been designed to be built in phases as and when funding and labour become available. It is, therefore, of the utmost importance to consider the relationship between the public and private realm, the school and the community, and the buildings and the

Orientation

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landscape early in the design. To achieve this, the design should: • • • • • • • •

Be centred around the concept of traditional courtyards, both in terms of building structure and orientation; Consider phasing of construction to ensure a logical and legible campus plan throughout the development period; Create a “heart” of the campus, consisting of classrooms, labs and the library, radiating out from the centre toward residential and communal uses; Allow for the teachers’ residences to blend into the landscape and, later, become part of the wider community; Provide a transition zone from the main road into the campus, using the guard hut and entrance courtyard as a “buffer zone;” Locate and construct shared community spaces adjacent to the main road; Consider the relationship between the residential buildings and the public edge of the campus with the neighbouring communities; and Integrate extensive pathways to and through the natural environment, in combination with the demonstration farm and fruticetum, to provide recreational and educational opportunities for students and the wider community.

26 % 15 %

Amount of forest lost to development since 1990 Amount of forest currently under government protection

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Nka Foundation

CLUSTER BUILDINGS AND COMPLEXES AROUND A SERIES OF INTERCONNECTED COURTYARDS

Buildings should be clustered around small courtyards, as is traditional in the region, in order to provide a mix of semi-private and public spaces for learning, gathering, and playing that are sheltered from the elements.

At its most basic, a courtyard building provides opportunities for shade, ventilation, and privacy. However, courtyard structures are rooted in a much deeper sense of tradition in Ghana. By using buildings to define the boundaries of a space, a community is able to create a variety of multi-functional spaces. In the case of the Abetenim Secondary School, these spaces can provide outdoor amenity for a variety of uses, from teaching and studying, to socializing and playing. The school will be home to a number of students, literally and figuratively, and should therefore provide a wide variety of choices for all staff and students. Guiding Principles The traditional courtyard-based building and community structure in Ghana lends itself well to defining public and private spaces. Designs for buildings with the campus should: • • •

Orientation

Consider orientation of courtyards, particularly with respect to maximizing shade and air flow, as a high priority; Consider the relationship between buildings and courtyards; uncover ways to link these courtyards together, physically and visually; Provide a wide range of types and sizes of spaces for staff and

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• • • •

•

students within the campus: places to read, places to play, places to gather; Provide a range of environments within the campus, ranging from open and sunny, to treed and shaded; Create multifunctional spaces wherever possible; Work with the local landscape and topography wherever possible, potentially reusing the earth pit as an amphitheatre, incorporating mature trees, and connecting open spaces wherever possible; Take care not to create blind or unsafe spaces, giving particular consideration to the spaces between the backs of the buildings and the exterior wall, especially considering the campus will likely be gated at some point in the future; and Develop the fruticetum and demonstration farm as an integral part of the campus plan, whether in their own “courtyard” spaces or running through the linked courtyards.

Opera Village, Burkina Faso. Designed by Diébédo Francis Kéré

15 8

Degrees cooler inside a sheltered courtyard Degrees cooler in a passively ventilated building

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Nka Foundation

MAXIMIZE VISIBILITY WITHIN AND BETWEEN CAMPUS SPACES AND BUILDINGS

Ensure that the private and semiprivate spaces within the campus are secure for the safety and well-being of the students. This includes providing private, gated courtyards for each of the dormitories, secure washroom facilities, and adequate sightlines within the campus. Structures and features intended for security should be sensitively designed to preserve the open feeling of the campus and to ensure feelings of freedom and connection to the wider community.

The Abetenim Secondary School is intended as a model rural school that will not only educate, but also inspire and energize this and future generations of learners and leaders. The campus will be gated out of necessity, however, it should feel both free and safe for the students and teachers who will live, work and study there. Students should be able to see out of classrooms into the courtyards, and open spaces should be visually connected to encourage a sense of community, allow for socialization and interaction, and create a positive environment for learning. Guiding Principles As a functional campus and model rural school, the quality and interrelationship between designed spaces is of critical importance. The design of the buildings and the campus should, therefore, carefully consider: • • •

Orientation

Views into and out of courtyards, including between the backs of buildings and the walls of the campus; Views into and out of the campus from the road and adjacent Arts Village; Views into and out of the classrooms;

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• • •

Incorporation of landmarks, artworks, and other opportunities for personalization within the campus; Design and construction of a variety of physically and visually connected spaces to suit a wide range of student, staff, and community needs; and Opportunities for ongoing feedback from students and staff regarding the position, legibility, safety, and orientation of the campus and logistic requirements for future building phases.

Gando School, Burkina Faso. Designed by Diébédo Francis Kéré

Number of buildings surrounding a traditional Ashanti courtyard

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Nka Foundation

6.0 ACCESS The following recommendations relate to the access into and within the proposed Secondary School campus. While the majority of students, staff and community members will be travelling to the campus on foot, provisions must be made for current and future vehicular and bicycle access and parking.

Access

Provide an Internal Access Road

Provide Adequate Bicycle and Vehicular Parking

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42 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

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Nka Foundation

PROVIDE AN INTERNAL ACCESS ROAD

An internal access road will provide a safe, shared route of travel for pedestrians, vehicles and bicycles and can also provide structure to the organization of the campus. Providing a road at the outset, acknowledging that initial vehicular use will likely be low, will allow users to control how they want to use the site in the long-term and will allow the campus to grow and develop as the community changes over time. The road can serve as additional open space for the students and, potentially, for the community when not in use. Careful consideration will need to be given to access from the main road and proximity to major gathering areas in order to ensure the safety and security of the students. Guiding Principles Including an internal access road as a structural element will facilitate future adaptation, access, and expansion. When considering the incorporation of an internal roadway, and therefore, the orientation of buildings within the campus, designers should consider from the outset: • •

Access

The location and size of an internal access road; The orientation of an internal access road, either as a ring road, a “drop-off” loop, or a central “spine;”

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• • •

Safe, accessible and controllable access to the main road; Additional programming of the space when not in use as a road, particularly if vehicles are not permitted within campus at the outset; and Accessibility for teachers and staff members to enter and leave the campus.

Laterite A variably cemented, sesquioxide-rich soil,

generally red in colour, that has undergone extensive tropical weathering to form a highly compacted and cemented surface.

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Nka Foundation

PROVIDE ADEQUATE BICYCLE AND VEHICULAR PARKING

Adequate vehicular and bicycle parking should be provided in close proximity to the administrative courtyard and to the staff housing. A safe drop-off point for students in front of the campus entrance should also be provided.

Vehicular and bicycle parking should be provided for use by students and teachers within the campus grounds. Public bicycle parking should also be provided at the campus entrance for community members who may visit the campus to access shared facilities or for special events. Providing adequate space for parking from the outset will help to avoid potential problems in the future as the campus expands and matures. Guiding Principles Parking within the campus should: • • • • •

Access

Allow service to buildings for deliveries, drop-offs and emergencies; Be central and secure for commuting staff, students, and boarders; Provide treed or otherwise shaded parking for bicycles and vehicles; Allow future flexibility of use; and Encourage locals, tourists, volunteers and educational providers to visit the site in order to contribute to, and learn from, the project.

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Nka Foundation

7.0 CAMPUS LIFE The following recommendations relate to the academic and residential character of the proposed Secondary School campus. While some students will be commuting to and from the school on a daily basis, many will be living on campus and will be away from home, potentially for the first time. The following recommendations and their associated guidelines are intended to foster a sense of belonging, home, tradition and pride for students, staff and community members.

Campus Life

Enhance Campus Life and the Student Experience

Locate Public and Private Space in a Logical, Organized Manner

Create Shared Spaces to Encourage Interaction with the Wider Community

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Nka Foundation

ENHANCE CAMPUS LIFE AND THE STUDENT EXPERIENCE

Provide adequate private, semiprivate and public spaces for students, both who reside on campus and who commute to the school from neighbouring communities on a daily basis. Sufficient opportunities for recreation, athletics, academics, socializing and relaxation should be provided.

The Abetenim Secondary School campus will be home to an initial target population of 600 students, with the potential of increasing the facility to accommodate up to 1,200 students. Many of the student boarders will be away from their homes and families for the first time, therefore it is critical that the campus provide a warm, welcoming environment with a variety of activities available to the students. Furthermore, interaction with the neighbouring villages is important to create a sense of place, belonging and community. If the campus is to be a desirable place to live, learn and gather, then it must provide a range of spaces and opportunities for students, staff, and community members to inhabit and experience. Guiding Principles In order to ensure a variety of spaces and opportunities within the campus, designers should: â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Campus Life

Employ different qualities of enclosure, using trees, buildings, walls, and screens, to create a variety of spaces; Ensure that a variety of scales and qualities of spaces are created: small alcoves for watching or resting, to large open spaces for playing and gathering;

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â&#x20AC;˘ â&#x20AC;˘

Provide opportunities for personalization within the campus. For example, the aforementioned art wall, a sculpture garden, displays in the library, flags and textiles, etc.; and Foster richness through a range of choice with respect to sensory experiences: a quiet place to read, a place to laugh and socialize, or a place to eat and smell food cooking.

400 600 1,200

Anticipated number of boarding students Anticipated secondary student enrollment Anticipated total junior and secondary school enrollment

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Nka Foundation

LOCATE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE SPACE IN A LOGICAL, ORGANIZED MANNER

The campus should be designed such that public facilities are closest to the main access road and private facilities are separated either by distance or design from the public realm. The locations of public, semi-private, and private spaces should be logical and legible and should inform the overall organization of the campus.

The Abetenim Secondary School is not just an educational campus; it is a home to a number of students and staff, as well as a hub for the surrounding communities. Since physical access will be largely restricted, the interface between the public and private realm is largely a visual concern. Staff and students must be provided with adequate private spaces for living, while ensuring a sense of freedom and connection to the wider community. Guiding Principles In order to ensure that public and private spaces are organized in a logical, legible manner, designers should: • • • •

Campus Life

Acknowledge that public space must be visible and accessible; Access into and through semi-private and private spaces must be carefully considered to ensure safety; Utilize the existing landscape, demonstration farm and fruticetum as a means of distinguishing public and private spaces through varying degrees of openness and enclosure; and Consider relationships between buildings, courtyards, and the surrounding wall or forest, to create moments of privacy, openness and richness.

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More Accessible

Less Accessible

Indigenous Jungle

Dormitories and Staff Residences

Campus Core

Public/Private Interface

Public Entrance off Main Road

Transect illustrating sample building and plan typologies across the proposed campus

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Nka Foundation

CREATE SHARED SPACES TO ENCOURAGE INTERACTION WITH THE WIDER COMMUNITY

The Abetenim Secondary School campus has the potential to become a major community hub, providing a number of amenities that the local community currently does not currently have access to. These spaces will potentially include a large, covered outdoor cooking area and cafeteria and a number of sports fields and facilities. If sensitively designed, these spaces will become much more than shared facilities; they will create a new, broader community of students, teachers, artists, locals and visiting families. Guiding Principles In order to facilitate interaction with the wider community through the use of shared spaces and facilities, designers should consider: • • •

Campus Life

Providing shared facilities for community members may increase space requirements, potential maintenance costs, and access issues; Locating the cafeteria close to the road to facilitate community interaction, while also providing convenient access for students living in dormitories; Incorporating a unique, landmark design for the cafeteria and shared facilities in order to highlight the importance of the building

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â&#x20AC;˘

as a community hub and to showcase local building capabilities; Locating sports fields and facilities close to the main road, if topography is favourable. If these facilities are located farther back within the site, a secure access point would need to be established; and Encourage programming of shared spaces (ribbon cutting ceremonies, special celebrations and sporting events, etc.) to welcome the community and encourage interaction.

1,000 60%

Population of Abetenim Village Percentage of population under the age of 25

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#10

Promote Environmental Sustainability Through Passive Building Technologies

#11

Enhance Cultural Sustainability Through Utilizing and Promoting Traditional Building Practices

#12

Ensure Operational Sustainability Through Ongoing Facility Maintenance

#13

Encourage Economic Sustainability Through Local Capacity Building

8.0 SUSTAINABILITY The following recommendations relate to the environmental, cultural, operational, and economic sustainability of the proposed secondary school campus. As a model rural school, all research, technical and professional recommendations are intended to be open-source, to be used, modified and improved by communities and agencies in the development of their own schools and community facilities. It is the hope of the consultant team that the provision of these resources, in combination with a focus on local materials and labour, will help to break down technical barriers to community and educational development. As such, local capacity building and the protection of traditional culture and knowledge is a cornerstone of the conceptual development of this plan.

Sustainability

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Nka Foundation

PROMOTE ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH PASSIVE BUILDING TECHNOLOGIES

Wherever possible, buildings should maximize natural lighting, passive ventilation, and rainwater collection through façade and roof design, solar orientation and sustainable building technologies. All buildings within the campus should be designed for a minimum lifespan of 70-100 years. Careful consideration should be given to installing sustainable water and sewage systems to supplement and, eventually, replace the existing systems.

The design of the buildings within the campus will emphasize sustainable architecture and cost-efficient construction by fully integrating local materials and passive solar design. The proposed site will have access to public electricity, but not public sewage or water facilities. All buildings and structures should be designed to maximize passive ventilation and natural lighting. Due to the stigma associated with earth construction in West Africa, care must be taken to ensure that buildings are durable, beautiful and efficient. As a model school, this campus has the potential to reignite local interest in traditional building techniques, while capitalizing on local knowledge, skills and materials. Guiding Principles In order to promote environmental sustainability, designers should consider the following: • •

Sustainability

Buildings and structures should be constructed exclusively from locally available materials (earth, cement, quarry dust, metal sheeting, hardwood); Buildings should be constructed primarily from rammed earth, poured earth, or any other earth construction that can easily be learned by local labour;

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• •

•

An existing well is located at the adjacent Abetenim Arts Village. Discussions are underway to dig a second, dedicated well for the school site; Washrooms will be provided on-site with waste channelled into large sewage pits, as per local practice. While designers can depend on local knowledge to locate and construct washroom facilities, improved sustainable designs and strategies will be welcomed; The site must remain as green as possible, culling trees only where absolutely necessary. Clear cutting the jungle has significant implications on the local economy and culture and protection of the indigenous forest is considered to be critical in the region; and Roof structures should consist of corrugated zinc or aluminium sheets as are conventional in the region. Other roof materials and technologies, including vault roof, tiled stone, ferro-cement and canvas will be considered but have not been duly tested to ensure they will withstand the region’s torrential rain storms.

10x10 Mud Shelter, Abetenim, Ghana. Designed by Karolina and Wayne Switzer

70-100 years

Anticipated lifespan of properly protected earth architecture buildings

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Nka Foundation

ENHANCE CULTURAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH UTILIZING AND PROMOTING TRADITIONAL BUILDING PRACTICES Recognize and respect traditional building practices in order to ensure that this cultural heritage and local knowledge is not lost. Encourage the introduction of new forms and technologies, while appreciating and applying local knowledge, particularly with respect to climatic, functional, and social challenges.

The UNESCO World Heritage organization states that “Ashanti traditional buildings reflect and reinforce a complex and intricate technical, religious, and spiritual heritage.” In recent years, however, stereotypes and stigmas surrounding earth building as “architecture for the very poor” have become widespread. In addition to providing formal education to a future generation of leaders, the secondary school project strives to demonstrate that earth architecture can be beautiful, functional and sustainable. Mud is nontoxic, locally available worldwide, cost-efficient, acoustically and thermally sound, fire proof, and highly sculptural. Building on local traditions, and educating the locals in new sustainable techniques and technologies, will allow the local community to preserve and propagate their valuable and unique cultural heritage. As a model rural school, education providers, architects, designers and volunteers will learn, and therefore preserve, the traditional building practices and community structures of the region. Guiding Principles In order to promote cultural sustainability, designers should consider the following:

Sustainability

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• •

• • •

The use of traditional materials and local labour wherever possible; The use of traditional courtyard buildings and community layouts. Traditional Ashanti structures consisted of four single room buildings surrounding a central courtyard. This organizational structure should be translated into the school campus; Provide opportunities for local builders to lead and teach international workshops in order to foster continued pride and capacity in the community; Local knowledge is highly valuable and there is a great deal of opportunity to merge traditional practices with modern forms and technologies; and Traditional buildings in Ghana are generally constructed from locally-available materials. It is important to note that these buildings could have limited durability if not properly designed, protected and maintained.

The number of remaining Ashanti traditional buildings still standing as recognized by UNESCO

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Sustainability

ENSURE OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH ONGOING FACILITY MAINTENANCE

Undertaking a consistent and achievable maintenance schedule is critical to ensure that the Abetenim Secondary School remains a safe, healthy and comfortable place for learning. As previously mentioned, some materials and construction techniques are more durable than others, particularly when exposed to high temperatures and heavy rainfall. With any type of school facility, a general guideline would be to inspect the building structure thoroughly at least once a year, or after a serious wind or rain event. Small defects (small cracks in plaster, missing tiles, small holes in walls or floors, or peeling paint) should be repaired as soon as possible to avoid them getting worse. More serious defects, including large cracks in walls, especially around openings, the collapse of significant sections of plaster, roofs which leak regularly, doors, windows or shutters which can no longer be closed properly, or infestation by pests, require more thorough investigation by an expert and, possibly, extensive remedial action. It is important to note that local labour will be educated and experienced in the construction of these buildings through their involvement in the initial construction and, therefore, repairs should be able to be completed locally. If repairs are needed, however, resources must be in place to cover the cost of supplies and labour.

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Guiding Principles In order to facilitate operational sustainability, the community and development groups should: • • •

Develop a maintenance schedule; Develop a maintenance budget; and Consider how maintenance will be divided for shared facilities.

85 26

Average yearly rainfall in the Ashanti region (in inches) Average daily temperature in the Ashanti region (in Celsius)

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Sustainability

ENCOURAGE ECONOMIC SUSTAINABILITY THROUGH LOCAL CAPACITY BUILDING

The majority of labour associated with the construction of the buildings and structures should be undertaken by local community members who will be fairly compensated for their work. These community members will be key team members with respect to building the campus, providing and showcasing traditional building methods, and educating international volunteers on earth building techniques.

In recent years, the world has seen an increased interest in capacity building as a response to the widely acknowledged shortcomings of donation-centered international development assistance programs. One consequence of these shortcomings has been limited sustainable impact in priority areas such as poverty reduction and skills development in the recipient communities. Capacity development refers to the approaches, strategies and methodologies used by the developing country, and/or external stakeholders, to improve performance at the individual, community, or regional level. Capacity development is fundamentally about change and transformation; in building a school to educate and change the future of their community, locals themselves are able to grow and change. Guiding Principles At the core of the Abetenim Secondary School project, is the aspiration to develop local abilities, skills, motivations, resources and conditions to enable the local community to achieve their development objectives over time. Many local community members possess traditional building skills and can meaningfully contribute to their community by participating in the construction of the school, and by teaching others the skills needed to do the same. In order to achieve these aims, the

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various aspects of this project, from building design and construction, to fundraising and hosting international earth building workshops, should strive to: • • • • • • • • •

Incorporate broad-based community participation and a locally driven agenda; Enhance and effectively utilize local skills, abilities and resources; Encourage ongoing learning and adaptation; Focus on long term, multi-faceted investments; Integration locals and volunteers, contributing in various capacities and at various levels, to address complex problems; Create a series of strategic partnerships, with community members, volunteers, development agencies and the international community to further the profile and goals of the model school; Ensure that labourers are fairly compensated (monetary and inkind), respected and valued; Strengthen understanding and experience in local, traditional building practices and further educate the community in the use of new technologies and techniques; Wherever possible, strive for construction projects and building workshops to be community-led in order to build capacity,

64 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

• •

strengthen local pride, and build engagement; Set up an “enabling environment” through the program framework, attitudes, values, skills, and leadership; and Ensure effective coordination and high levels of commitment by team members.

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Nka Foundation

Sustainability

FACILITATE INTERNATIONAL STEWARDSHIP THROUGH DESIGN COMPETITIONS AND VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES Encourage cultural exchanges through ongoing international volunteering programs, earth building workshops, design competitions, and artist residencies. Capitalize on opportunities for local residents, craftspeople, and builders to teach and participate in workshops in order to build cultural pride and encourage information sharing to the benefit of all.

The construction of the Abetenim Senior School classrooms will be undertaken as part of a series of building workshops involving international participant groups. This model is based on the Nka Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s previous successes with earth architecture workshops, which were well attended by international architects, planners, designers and volunteers. Classrooms should be designed as modular structures in order to support the established, streamlined fundraising and building system. Guiding Principles In the proposed fundraising and construction model, classrooms will be designed as modular units such that one classroom can be built by volunteers as part of a two month construction workshop and two conjoined classrooms can be built in a three month workshop. Each classroom should be designed in such a way that it can be built for less than $5,000 (USD), with the majority of funds raised by workshop participants. Local community members will provide labour, local knowledge, and technical assistance during these workshops. Volunteers will be given the opportunity to gain hand-on earth building experience, while also being immersed in local culture, community activities, and networking opportunities.

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To support these aims, the project team may: • • • • • •

Host an international design competition for key buildings, including the dormitories, staff housing, library, cafeteria and washrooms; Provide opportunities for volunteers to travel to Abetenim to participate in earth building workshops; Provide a platform for information sharing so that designs can be shared, improved upon and made available for other communities and agencies; Provide naming opportunities for major donors; Host “artist in residence” programs at the adjacent Arts Village; and Encourage publication and information sharing relating to the project, earth building practices, and the positive impact of international development initiatives.

$5,000 2

Cost to build one classroom module (in USD) Months required to complete construction of one classroom module

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9.0 IMPLEMENTATION AND PHASING Implementation of the Abetenim Secondary School project is anticipated to take place in five phases over the next eight years. Buildings will be constructed as funding, labour and materials become available. The challenge of such a long timeline is to ensure the function of the campus throughout its construction. Classrooms will be built in courtyard clusters to provide amenity space and flexibility as the campus develops. Construction and building workshops should take care not to disturb classes, whenever possible. Throughout the course of development, the school campus should be continually evaluated and monitored to ensure that it is meeting the needs of the students, staff and local community.

Implementation and Phasing

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9.1 Phasing

9.2 Next Steps

The construction of the school campus has been loosely divided into five phases, in order of priority. As the heart of the campus, the classroom blocks and basic staff facilities will be constructed during Phase One so that classes may begin immediately upon completion of the first structures. The Nka Foundation launched a fundraising campaign in November 2015 and is hoping to raise sufficient funds to break ground in August 2016. The remaining four phases will take place between 2017 and 2024 as funding, labour and other resources become available.

The Nka Foundation has embarked upon a major fundraising campaign to raise funds in order to begin construction of the school. In February 2016, they will be launching an international design competition for a number of buildings, including a library, dormitories, cafeteria, and washroom facilities.

Phase 1:

Construction of classroom blocks with a staff room and offices.

Phase 2:

Construction of additional classroom blocks, administrative block, and staff quarters.

Phase 3:

Construction of dormitories, laboratory block, cafeteria hall, a demonstration farm and sports grounds.

Phase 4-5:

Construction of the remaining structures and completion of landscaping, including a fruticetum and demonstration farm.

68 Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana

Over the past six years, the Nka Foundation has organized workshops and symposium series in partnerships with universities in Ghana and Mali to stimulate conversations and artistic interventions for solutions to the problem of tapping local resources for sustainable development in subSahara Africa. The hope is that, through extensive information sharing and open-source design, communities will be encouraged to provide similar facilities due to the fact that technical expertise, planning, architecture and funding models have already been provided as part of this initiative. Furthermore, because the campus intentionally utilizes local building materials, skills, and labour, the expectation is that funding will not become a significant barrier to this and other communities. The Nka Foundation will continue to work with the local community in Abetenim to ensure that the secondary school meets the needs of local students, staff and the wider community. Service providers, designers,

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Nka Foundation

architects, planners and other interested parties are invited to contact the Nka Foundation for information about the project. For further information on this and other Nka Foundation-led projects, please visit www.nkafoundation.org

Implementation and Phasing

STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK

Planning a Model Rural School: Abetenim, Ghana 69

Appendix A: Site Photos and Sketches

Appendix B: Earth Building Techniques

MANUAL FOR CAST EARTH BUILDING IN GHANA (Mechanizing Mud Wall Construction) CAST EARTH: Mixture of red earth, cement and water poured into a form to build a wall or an artwork. SEARCH TERMS: Cast earth, poured earth, earthcrete, cast laterite, poured soil cement, dirtcrete. PROJECT ORGANIZER: Nka Foundation (info@nkafoundation.org / www.nkafoundation.org)

BACKGROUND We have experimented with vernacular cob construction, mud brick and rammed earth methods of building with successful results. We found out that cob, mud brick and rammed earth methods are indeed labor intensive and time consuming. We aim as we go, to mechanize the process with a focus on cast earth or "poured earth" construction. The cast earth process is a simple and easily learnt building method. It is of much lower labor costs than adobe or rammed earth, and its compressive strength is comparable to concrete. Laterite (red earth), cement and water are mixed in a concrete mixer and poured into a formwork to create a cast earth wall or an artwork. You may use of quarry dust (crushed stone) in place of cement, quarry dust can be trucked into the site by the local sand and crushed stone suppliers. Once the formwork is set in place, the walls for a two-bedroom unit may take just a day and a half. In this manual, cast earth and poured earth are interchangeable terms; they are used herein to mean the same thing.

HOW TO BUILD A WALL BY CAST EARTH METHOD Cast earth (poured earth) relies on the traditional process of shuttering and mold making. The mixing and pouring process is similar to construction by concrete formwork. The main difference is that instead of the sand and gravel used as an aggregate in concrete, poured earth uses ordinary soil (laterite, which is the red earth) and generally uses Portland cement as a binder. To make a cast earth house, do as follows: â&#x2014;? First, prepare the foundation. You can do trench fill foundation or concrete slab to cover the entire floor. For trench fill foundation, dig the trench for the foundation wall to the desired width. Then fill the trench with concrete. Then, set wall forwork sytem on the trench fill foundation and begin to build the wall. The first coach could also be of poured concrete for waterproofing. Subsequent coaches would be of poured earth. If you did concrete slab to cover the entire floor, on top of the slab of concrete foundation, set up the wall formwork (typically metal, plywood or plank forms) similar to those used for concrete and and begin to pour the wall. â&#x2014;? Second, note that into the foundation+formwork setup, you would need to pour concrete up to one foot above the ground level and fill the rest with earth+cement mixture (earthcrete). You will need to cast the

rest of the wall in earthcrete to desired wall height. If the amount of cement in earthcrete is just 5%, cap the earth wall with a bond beam, cast in concrete. With 15% to 20% of cement in the earthcrete on the last coach of the wall, there is no need for a bond beam, cast in concrete. ● Third, to make earthcrete mix dry red earth, cement and water in a concrete mixer or mix manually in a mud pit. Begin by mixing earth with cement. Then, add water and mix again. The consistency of the mixture needs to be such that it can be poured into the formwork without creating voids - typically about the consistency of concrete for pouring slabs or for molding cement blocks for house building. ● Fouth, the mixture is then poured into the set-up wall formwork three or four feet deep at a time. Pouring three or four feet deep at a time is necessary to exact pressure downward to increase the durability of the wall. Slightly tamping (compacting) the poured earth with a rammer will also help remove air bubbles trapped inside. The formwork is removed after the material has sufficiently set. The recommended thickness of the cast wall is 18 to 24 inches at the base and can decrease to 12 to 14 inches at the top to make a stable wall. If the entire wall is 12 inches or less, you may need to reinforce the wall with rebar or chicken wire. Before pouring the mixture, the wall forms need to already contain electrical conduits, plumbing, and block-outs for window and door openings. Again, it is important to tamp the poured earth to release any bubbles trapped in. After the cast layer has hardened, the forms are stripped from the poured wall for reuse. ● Fifth, put the finishing touches. The wall surface is usually fairly smooth unless buffed or modified after the form is removed. The lines seen in the finished wall, quite similar to rammed earth, are where two pourings overlap. In addition, colorants (such as iron oxide) can be painted on the cast walls. That is, a deliberate use of dyes or different colors of earth is one way of creating the kind of striated sandstonelike appearance so desirable with rammed earth. ● Sixth, construct the roof frame and roof the house. ● Seventh, get local artisans such as a plumber, an electrician and local crafts persons to complete the final stage of the construction- the fixtures. ● Eight, landscape the unit and live in it.

In cast earth wall construction, earth and cement are mixed in a concrete mixer

CAST EARTH AS A VERSATILE METHOD Cast earth method gives the builder the ability to construct a straight wall or a curvilinear wall, be it only a decorative feature or as the primary construction method for an entire earth building. The method can be used to cast floors, ceiling, roofs, ovens, pave roads, and to create furniture such as countertops, benches and tables. Interestingly, the local soil at Abetenim is a blend of sand, clay and gravel, ideal for cast earth. For artistic effects, soil of different colors or recycled objects can be introduced to the layers on the cast wall to create striations. The poured wall surface can also be used as canvas for drawing and painting, or for embedding objects in manner of high relief sculpture. Deliberate use of dyes and variable tones of earth mixes are other ways of finishing for the sandstone-like appearance. The cast surface can also be carved into while it is still setting, or polished with a smooth stone or pebble to create a smoother wall. The resulting wall can be finished with a clear sealer to reveal the earth striations. Cast earth walls require minimal maintenance because they have a high resistance to the denuding effects of water and sun.

A carved cast earth wall

Terroir by Thomas Sayre, 2009. Cast earth

MUD HOUSE BUILDING IS ABOUT A BIG BOOTH AND A TALL HAT One of the contemporary approaches to mud house construction is to build the walls on a slab of concrete. Pour a concrete slab at least 1 foot above the ground level, which will be the floor. Cob builders refer to the 1 or 2 feet of concrete slab as a big booth. Cast the rest of the wall in earthcrete (red earth+cement) to desired wall height. Cap the poured earth wall with a bond beam, cast in concrete. Finally, roof to overhang 3 to 4 feet wrapped around the house to protect the wall from rain and to create veranda for sit out. Cob builders refer to the roof at a 45 degree angle that overhangs by 3 to 4 feet, as a tall hat. Most of these points are illustrated in the photos below.

Cast wall made of different colors of earth and sand mixed with cement and water. As you will see, some of the layers consist of sand+cement mixture, others layers involve sand+cement+ earth of different colors. With cast earth, there is no need for plastering or painting the wall.

WHY MORTAR STRIPE OR EROSION CHECK? From our building experience at the Abetenim site, it is important to pour a layer of concrete before building the next coach of poured earth or rammed earth. This is called mortar stripe. The use of mortar stripes help prevent cracking of the wall through a vertical thrust and to reduce erosion of the wall surface over time. For these reasons, the layer of concrete can be refer to it as mortar stripe or erosion check.

The various soils available in Abetenim from the 2015 Mud House Building Workshop with Anna Webster

Earth Tests (from the 2015 Mud House Building Workshop with Anna Webster): We took a selection of samples of these soils and tested them for clay content, organic matter and particle size. Conveniently, we found the most appropriate soil for rammed earth construction was the sample taken from behind the site

Photo from the 2015 Mud House Building Workshop with Anna Webster The village plumber, Andrews, laid the pipework for the basin, toilet and shower which are all concealed within the foundation. Meanwhile the village â&#x20AC;&#x153;metal benderâ&#x20AC;?, Mr Duku, paid us a visit, bringing with him a few basic tools to cut and bend our rebar, locally known as iron rod, which was then placed on top of the concrete pad between the formwork. The final task before pouring the concrete was to mark out the doorways and other thresholds which would be poured to a reduced depth.

from MUD HOUSE BUILDING WORKSHOP by Anna Webster, February 9th - April 19th, 2015

Appendix C: Sanitation

www.watershedasia.org

REFERENCES Bolger, Joe. “Capacity Development: Why, What and How.” Canadian International Development Agency, Policy Branch: Capacity Development Occasional Series. Vol. 1, no. 1 (May 2000). “Easy Shower Latrine Technical Handbook.” Technical Report. GRET Professionals for Fair Development and iDE, 2015. Ghana Museums and Monuments Board. “Asante Traditional Buildings: Bâtiments Traditionnels Asante.” Industry Report. UNESCO World Heritage, 1999. Keable, Julian and Rowland Keable. Rammed Earth Structures: A Code of Practice. Warwickshire, UK: Practical Action Publishing Ltd.: 2011. Maniatidis, Vasilios and Peter Walker. “A Review of Rammed Earth Construction for DTi Partners in Innovation Project ‘Developing Rammed Earth for UK Housing.’” Industry Report. Natural Building Technology Group, Department of Architecture & Civil Engineering, University of Bath, May 2003. Minke, Gernot. Building with Earth: Design and Technology of a Sustainable Architecture. Boston: Birkhauser, 2006. Nka Foundation. “Manual for Cast Earth Building in Ghana: Mechanizing Mud Wall Construction.” Industry Report. Nka Foundation, 2015. O’Cleirigh, Trish and Niall O’Cleirigh. “Ghana In Context: Design Build Project - Abetenim.” NocT Design Space. Accessed October 28, 2015. http://noctdesignspace.com/ghana_incontext. Pacheco-Torgal, F. and Said Jalali. “Earth Construction: Lessons from the past for future eco-efficient construction.” Construction and Building Materials. Vol. 25, issue 1 (2011): 512-519. Ruskulis, Otto. “School Buildings in Developing Countries.” Technical Brief. Practical Action, The Schumacher Centre for Technology and Development, UK, 2009. UNISDR, INEE and The World Bank. “Guidance Notes on Safer School Construction: Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Recovery.” Industry Report. Inter-Agency Network for Education Emergencies (INEE) and the Global Facility for Disaster Reduction and Disaster Prevention Education (GFDRR), 2009.

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. Nelson Mandela

December 2015