Anyanui Material Market

block construction	local materials
sand cement aggregate rebar timber frames asbestos or tin sheeting screen	palm leaves mangrove beams agor beam leaf thatch grass thatch palm ribbing twine
typically farmers	typically fisherman
stagnant design little-to-no adaptation in over 30 years screen needed for bugs “people are building based on what they have seen in block construction.  an understanding of the material and it’s design properties is minimal, so advancements in the design are minimal.”	responsive to climate provides shade breathes natural filter to bugs
import materials soil is too sandy for land-crete, waddle + dab	readily available materials
foreman needed	low skill  base needed, children can construct
often, the foreman is inexperienced, or construction costs are cut, both hindering the quality of construction	materials are susceptible to weathering and impact (often from chickens, goats, dogs, etc.)
drafted plans approval from the district assembly planning department (corrupt system)	freedom of construction
very expensive 45,000 cedi / bag of cement = 40 blocks construction crew + foreman planning department fees	reasonable mangrove beams and thatch need to be purchased in Anyanui (village at the mouth of the Volta)
sign of wealth	necessity
security (fire, theft, etc.)	vulnerability (fire, theft, etc.)
permanence	temporary
mind-set that the building should be complete before use: as a result, many unfinished buildings (either from insufficient budget, lack of materials, or lack of workers) will dilapidate before completion.  “to put a thatch roof on top of a block building would bring much ridicule.” “do you need the space?  would those rooms be put to use if complete?” “oh, yes.  they are needed very badly.” “having the use of those rooms is not worth the small ridicule?” (laughs) “which has more value?  temporarily roofing a permanent building to protect the foundation and occupy the space, receiving ridicule for ‘not doing it right’, or waiting to complete construction until all funds and materials are available, sometimes leading to 20+ years of waiting and/or the dilapidation of the initial work?” “hmmm.. okay (laughs)  well, we Ghanaians, hmm  (laughs).”
usually built for family head	easily adapted for family growth, plural families
township: head family houses	outskirts:  individual land, plural family breakdown
farmers have financial worth from inherited family land	fisherman have small properties/plots
too sandy for land-crete, what is the future of construction?

“We don’t have the culture of documentation.”

                                                --Togbui Gbodzo

                                                   Chief of Woe and the Anlo State

“What information we have is oral.

            There will be a time when we cannot tell it all.”

                                                --Besa Amevor

                                                   Advisor on Togbui’s Council

                                                   Country Director, Cross-Cultural Solutions

--quote on oral traditions--

--history can be ‘read’--

**oral traditions - storytelling**

For a culture whose history is so ingrained in oral traditions, (?)

--chronicle of history - description of place--

In looking at the history of place, the characteristics and fabric of Woe chronicle its past, presenting them like a book to the passer-by.  Pushed and rounded holes in a palm fence trace days of chickens passing from food to shelter.  Stumps of coconut trees identify the construction of a nearby shed or kitchen.  The ruins of block structures depict of years of construction and hardships.  Each element describes  it’s own code of history.  The built environment is incredibly descriptive--It just needs to be read.

The history is written.  Just by talking with individuals, generations of information is shared.  It is not completely lost to the memory of elders.  For the natives of Woe, the history exists through stories and custom.  For visitors, it can be read in the surroundings and materials.

The pale yellow sand , vibrant paints drained from the harsh sunlight,

resting in the harsh sunlight

Walking through the village, buildings rest in all states of completion.

Basic 4-wall orthogonal structures stand rigid against the organic surroundings. 

houses.  kitchens.  bath houses.  wcs. 

--description of materials + their ‘definitions‘--

Traditional construction dominates the area--the natural materials assimilating the landscape. 

Permanent structures stand rigid against the native surroundings. 

So much history is decipherable in the materials of a structure. 

The material palette of Woe is fairly regular.  Local materials: Palm branches, Mangrove timber, Agor beams, thatch, twine, sand.  Imported materials: cement, aggregate, rebar, asbestos or tin sheeting, screen. 

--definition of each: source, building process, social implications, etc.--

palm leaves

mangrove beams

agor beam

leaf thatch

grass thatch

palm ribbing

twine

sand

cement

aggregate

rebar

timber frames

asbestos or tin sheeting

screen

--analysis and questions--

The history of Woe can be read, but can the future be projected?  Reading the environment as is depicts a future of polarity and stagnation.  (Is that too harsh?  Or is it okay, since the goal is to grow and advance?)  Native structures have stabilized, and based on the available resources of tools and labor experience, the possibilities of construction are exhausted.  Introducing new technologies would be excessive and wasteful, demanding more from an indispensable income.  Any advancement in design will need to develop by planning at a larger scale, in the configuration of family clusters and villages. 

It is the investment in permanent building construction that must adapt and reform.  Presently, sand-crete structures reflect a direct influence by the European presence (invasions?) from the late 1700’s: basic inexpensive structures, designed for rapid construction and bare necessities. 

If land tenure is divided following the paternal line, then buildings should project for growth and future situations.

The way of life in Woe is almost purely functional, save the

Affected by the influence of European settlers from the late 1700’s, basic block construction not only provides a permanence in development, but has become a mark of wealth and prestige.  .

1.      Why have sand-crete buildings not changed in 20+ years?

2.      Is sand-crete the best construction material for permanent structures?

3.      Is sand-crete the most economical building material for permanent structures?

4.      Inland areas of the district use land-crete or waddle and dab construction.
Would the transportation of soil or clay for land-crete be more economical than the current sand-crete construction?

5.      Why are buildings not oriented or designed to benefit from the relatively constant directional breeze?

6.      Why are buildings not oriented or designed to moderate the harsh solar rays?

7.                  What aspects are prioritized in the design of a permanent building ?
security
square footage
construction cost
time to completion
labor cost
construction experience, Forman, etc.
building crew
location on plot
orientation
electrical access
water/sewage access
passive designs

8.                  What are the requirements for a submitted building plan?
financial
legal
professional

9.      What is the process for submitting a building plan?

10.  What is needed to change the disposition of block buildings?

11.  What support is needed to encourage construction and design investments in future growth?