Immanuel Kwaku Sirron-Kakpor - Master in Architecture

Immanuel Kwaku Sirron-Kakpor

Voltascapes: Re-thinking ModernityRedevelopment proposal of Danyigba, a Volta Region New Town in Ghana

Sirron-Kakpor ArchitectsBroederschaplaan 10. 3451 ZB. Vleuten. The Netherlands+ 31 (0) 6233 49 340

accra office: No: 15, First Asoyi Road, East Legon - Accra. Ghana+ 233 (0) 2040 72 500

[email protected]: i.sirron-kakpor

Current occupation: Project Architect inno-nativetm design+buildJoe Osae-Addo. Constructs llc. Cantonments - Accra. Ghana

Architecture

In the years shortly after the Independence of Ghana (1957) modernism was made instrumental to prepare the country for a promising future. To remain able to deal with growing energy consumption, a huge power dam reservoir was realized by making use of a catchment area of the Volta River. Many villages in the area around the original river needed to be relocated to make this possible. An international team of planners and architects developed the blueprints for this major operation. A large percentage of these plans have been executed, although not always to the original ideas. At the moment, approximately 50 years after the commencement of the Volta River Project, one can conclude, that the foreseen development hasnt reached the area or its inhabitants.

The plans implemented by the Volta River Authority (VRA) for the resettlements have failed, because they neglected the existing culture while modernity ideologies were imposed upon the community. Strict division between functions, a formal and rigid educational system, strict control on building that prescribed building materials and types of houses; all of these were ingredients of a forceful development plan that was missing a link with the people it was developed for.

The redevelopment needs of Danyigba bring to the surface the successes and the shortfalls of the original top down plans. Re-thinking modernity aims to develop a bottom strategic approach at several scale levels form Danyigba, one of the cities of the resettlement programme. This bottom up strategy may lead to a meaningful perspective from the local community.

A master plan was designed and an urban axis is developed, spanning between a community centre and a training institute. Additionally attention was given to the housing along the axis, to also illustrate how the strategy can be implemented here.

The redevelopment plan of Danyigba aims to repair these failures by implementing a model that goes beyond building, and defining a new role for the architect. The redevelopment plan restructures the existing and weaves in new elements and impulses that ultimately may generate new ways of income, self-training, reconnection to the outside world and general development.

Education is a key driver of development in the proposal. Practical training for building, health care, car repair, beauty, fashion etc. is intertwined with the basic theoretical education on reading, writing, mathematics etc.

The proposed buildings make innovative use of local building materials and skills, and borrow from other professions like skills of boat builders, weaving for fishing nets, etc. The steps to the realization of the buildings are planned through an educational workshop run by the architect, through which a local training group is introduced to harness new innovative building skills, resulting in the realization of the first buildings. The builders will play a role in the realization of the next steps of the development plans, either communal or private. Design principles are based on local uses, materials and climatic conditions and form a strong basis for the buildings an architect as an enabler.

Graduation date20 12 2012

Commission membersBerend van der Lans (mentor) Janneke BiermanChris Scheen

External commissionersJoe Osae-Addo

Additional members for the examinationBart Bulter (chair)Tom Bergevoet

Immanuel Kwaku Sirron-KakporVoltascapes: Re-thinking ModernityRedevelopment proposal of Danyigba, a Volta Region New Town in Ghana


second skin

construction

core skin

the base

Headmaster House

Architecture

Backbone lane model

rezoning concept

Reinvent traditional building methods and local materials

Danyigba

Danyigba

TAMALE

Obuasi

Prestea

Tarkwa

Akwatie

KibiTafe

SekondiCape Coast

HO

KOFORIDUA

ACCRA

Kaiser Engineers Reassessment proposals and subsequent construction. 1959 - 1966

12 3

46

68

91011

12

1314 15

16171819

24

25

26

2728

2930

31

32

34

353638

3739

40

4142

43

44

45

46

47

48 49

50

51

52

20

5

KUMASI

Takoradi

Akosombo Dam & Power House

Tema Sea Port and Smelter

Eco Farm

Eco Farm Re-BlockingZone B

Zone BRe-Blocking

community greenary

Host City

Back

bone

Lan

e

Back

bone

Lan

e

community greenary

Loss of identity No feeling of ownership Less community bonding Unable to build and maintain the community Loss of craftsmanship use of local material and building methods Internal immigration - Urbanisation

Design Problem

Modernization of Ghana and Volta River Authority Project

Research Location


Node program

Concept

Urban axis - Backbone Lane

Social economics

KEYWOORDS

Environment

Building matters

Landscape, Sun and Wind

Generic building method = Reinvent traditional building methods with local materials

Attractive social economic , living and learning environments

Garment makingTailoring and Fashion Design

Automotive engineeringAuto-mechanic, Auto-welding and other allied auto-engineering services

Building ConstructionMasonry, Carpentry, Aluminium and Metal fabrication, Electricals

HealthNursery and Pharmacy

CosmetologyHairdressers andBeauticians

Aqua & Agriculture

Plant Nursery

Fish Breeding & Nursery

departments under one roof/one gate compus

network of departments

Garment making

Cosmetology

Health

Automotive engineering

Building Construction

Tailoring and Fashion Design

Aqua & Agriculture

Auto-mechanic, Auto-welding and other allied auto-engineering services

Adult education

Masonry, Carpentry, Aluminium and Metal fabrication, Electricals

Nursery and Pharmacy

Hairdressers and Beauticians

Fish Breeding & Nursery, Plant Nursery

Basic Numeracy, Literacy Training, Library, ICT

Adult educationBasic Numeracy, Literacy Training, Library, ICT






Aqua & Agriculture

Plant Nursery



EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMME

THEMATICPROGRAMME

DYNAMIC LANDSCAPE OF EDUCATIONVillage as network of educational facilities

collective

public

private

+ + =

PERFORMING AREAFOR CENTRAL STAGING

Ou

tdo

or

colle

ctiv

e p

rog

ram

Headmaster Housing



Aqua & Agriculture

Plant Nursery



EntranceParking

CafetariaAmphitheatre

Amphitheatre

Toilets

Water

Clothes washing

Landing Stage




CHIEF/QUEEN HOUSING

CHILDREN DAYCARE CENTRE

EntranceParking

Toilets

Cafetaria

Administration PERFORMING AREAFOR CENTRAL STAGING

eadmaster Housing

EntranceParking

GarmaTailoFash

CHIEF/QUEEN HOUSINGG

Addmin

Architecture

Housing: Re moulding VRA housing typology

Waterfront: wood/metal workshop with headmaster house Remoulded Housing with crafts studio Community Center

Community Center


low tech

applied high intelligentThe House: Architectural Craftsmanship

The Village: Urban Development StrategyThe Backbone Lane: Urbanism

VRA

Current DanyigbaLost of identity re-thinking modenity

Danyigbae - Crafts Villageorganic growth

Top down approach

bottom up strategic approach

Role of Architect

Breeze in Morning and Late Afternoon Mid afternoon heat escape upper ventInterior Stack heat escape through roof vent

Double roofing skin and lager window opening for for natural ventilation system

The People

Architects, urban designers and landscape architects learn the profession at the Amsterdam Academy of Architecture through an intensive combination of work and study. They work in small, partly interdisciplinary groups and are supervised by a select group of practising fel low professionals. There is a wide range of options within the programme so that students can put together their own trajectory and specialisation. With the inclusion of the course in Urbanism in 1957 and Landscape Architecture in 1972, the academy is the only architecture school in the Netherlands to bring together the three spatial design disciplines.Some 350 guest tutors are involved in teaching every year. Each of them is a practising designer or a specific expert in his or her particular subject. The three heads of department also have design practices of their own in addition to their work for the Academy. This structure yields an enormous dynamism and energy and ensures that the courses remain closely linked to the current state of the discipline.The courses consist of projects, exercises and lectures. First-year and second-year students also engage in morphological studies. Students work on their own or in small groups. The design projects form the backbone of the cur riculum.

Master of Architecture / Urbanism / Landscape Architecture

Amsterdam Academy of Architecture

On the basis of a specific design assignment, students develop knowledge, insight and skills. The exercises are focused on training in those skills that are essential for recognising and solving design problems, such as analytical techniques, knowledge of the repertoire, the use of materials, text analysis, and writing. Many of the exercises are linked to the design projects. The morphological studies concentrate on the making of spatial objects, with the emphasis on creative process and implementation. Students experiment with materials and media forms and gain experience in converting an idea into a creation.During the periods between the terms there are workshops, study trips in the Netherlands and abroad, and other activities. This is also the preferred moment for international exchange projects. The academy regularly invites foreign students for the workshops and recruits well-known designers from the Netherlands and further afield as tutors.Graduates from the Academy of Architecture are entitled to the following titles: Master of Architecture (MArch), Master of Urbanism (MUrb), or Master of Landscape Architecture (MLA). The Masters

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Immanuel Kwaku Sirron-Kakpor - Master in Architecture