During the summer of 2018 the association aulaterra e.V., together with European volunteers and local workers, built a pavilion as an extension of the school in the small town of Korase, in the region of Ashanti (Ghana). The workshop was held from July to September in collaboration with a local NGO (RADEF) and has served as a platform to learn about construction with traditional materials and support for the development of the rural community.
The pavilion consists of a classroom for 24 students and a porch, which acts as a transitional space between the exterior and interior and it’s a traditional element in local architecture. The porch embraces the classroom improving the lighting and ventilation of the classroom. The design has been modified throughout the process, taking into account previous experience and local resources. The team developed different prototypes to study the materials and different possible solutions for the architectural elements (walls, floor, beams, etc.) Together with the local workers, they decided which variant was best suited to the context of Korase.
At the end of September 2018, the students started the school year in the new classroom of the school. On a larger scale, the project suggests the possibility of adding new pavilions thanks to the proposal of a substructure of courtyards, allowing for the secondary school of Korase to continue expanding.
Facts:
Project: aulaterra, a school for Korase
Promoter: NKA Foundation, RADeF Foundation and Korase community Architectural design: Diego Peña, Francisco Rodríguez
Architectural planing: aulaterra e.V.
Workshop organizer: aulaterra e.V.
In collaboration with: AIESEC volunters
Participants: international volunteers and local workers
Construction period: 8th of July – 30th of September 2018
Built area: 65m2Financing: support of companies, the private donations and, participation of international volunteers.