Abstract - 22 April 2014

22 April 2014

In many developing countries, the social aspiration for development is moving faster than the built environment can accommodate; physical infrastructure and architectural practice are not evolving at the same rate.  Families wanting to build and establish themselves on settled land are challenged with opposing options.  Vernacular construction made from local, native materials is accessible and affordable,  Modern construction techniques, while often expensive and more difficult to attain, offer a sense of establishment and an affiliation with progress.

Focusing in the community of Woe, Ghana, this thesis looks to explore the historic and cultural influences contributing to their present-day architecture.  Through in-person workshops and collaborative design practices, the goal is to adapt and develop modern construction techniques that are functional, sustainable, and culturally significant.

A House for Crossed Crocodiles is an exploration striving to satisfy diverse tastes, and reconcile the challenges associated with modern construction in rural Ghana.