Ghana: Nka Foundation announces a call for entries for its 4th Earth Architecture Competition

OKLAHOMA CITY - Jan. 12, 2016 - PRLog -- The design entry will emphasize sustainable architecture and cost-efficient construction by fully integrating local materials and passive solar design. The challenge is to design an earth architecture type that will be built as a unit of a community secondary school for students of ages 12 to 18 years in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The school will consist of the following building types: classrooms, offices for school administrators, library, laboratories, dorms for boarding students, cafeteria hall, teachers quartre and sports ground for a population of 600 students. This means that your challenge is to design one of the following types for the school: a classroom type,  laboratory type, office building type, dormitory type, group toilet type, cafeteria type and a dwelling type for the teachers. You should design the type for construction by maximum use of earth and local labor. Total costs of constructing the design entry must not exceed $8,000 (USD) for materials. The local community will supply local labor for the construction and land value is also excluded from this price point.Because the construction of best design entires is a priority, each design team gets an opportunity to build their design at Abetenim in Ghana. Join us! Let’s create change where it is most needed.

         What is the preferred construction method for the winning entries?The method to be used to build your design can be rammed earth, poured earth or any other earth construction technique that can be easily learned by local labor. Roof design should involve metal roof with such as corrugated zinc or aluminium roofing sheets, which is the conventional roofing material in the region. Other roofing methods such as vault roof, tiled stone, ferro-cement roof and canvas roof are all possibilities but not duly tested to stand the region’s torrential rain storms.

The jurors will use judging criteria involving functionality, aesthetics and technical matter toselect three prize-winning designs. Jurors will award prizes for first, second and third place consisting of a commemorative certificate and cash prizes to the winning designs as follows: 1st prize- $1,500 or construction of design in Ghana plus a trip to Ghana for a workshop to build the winning design (in case the winner does not reside in Ghana and to a maximum of 1 person); 2nd prize- Construction or $1,000 and 3rd prize- Construction or $500. Honorable mentions may be awarded at the discretion of the jury but will receive no cash prize.  Registration runs from February 15 to April 25, 2016; and submission of entries will be from April 15 to 30, 2016.The registration fee per entry is $40 for individual and $60 for a team. Here is where to register: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-earth-architecture-competition-tickets-20450604308  and submit your design entry via mudhousedesign@mail.com .  For additional information, see the competition discussion board: http://nkaprojects.boards.net .

Be a part of this! Let’s create social change where it is most needed.