playtime in africa student report final

playtime inafrica

studentwork

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSThank you to the Mmofra Foundation and their pioneering work to advance the cause of Efua Sutherland and create vibrant urban spaces for children in Ghana. The foundation was a gra-cious host and partner during the studio. In particular, thank you to:

Prof. Esi Sutherland-AddyMs. Amowi PhillipsUncle Ralph SutherlandAuntie Ama BuabengAuntie LizzieMr. Ralph SutherlandMr. Andrew McClymontMr. Mensah BuabengErnest Buabeng

We would also like to acknowledge:

Mr. Sammy Ansah and Ms. Cordie Aziz, The Wheel Story

The studio benefitted greatly from Ghanaian Culture and Society expertise during the field study portion of the class. In particular, thank you to:

Dr. Kwesi Craig BrookinsProfessor Kofi Asare OpokuProfessor Kofi BakuCedi Bead IndustryMr. Kweku A. Anno, BiofilcomThe Wheel Story

The Ghana International Design Studio relies on the local expertise of Ghanaian tour guides and operators. In particular, thank you to:

Mr. Kwaku Passah, Galaxy ToursThe Honorable Joseph Omari, Motherland ToursUncle Stephen KpogohAuntie Esinu MotteyAbeeku

Thank you to the NC State University College of Design students who participated in studio and worked diligently to produce the work contained in this volume:

Carla Carothers Blackmon, Design Studies Mitch Caldwell, LAR + ARCAnna Chatwell, Industrial DesignSarah Dickerson, ARCTodgi Dozier, LARTaylor D. Hamer, ARCStephanie Heimstead, ARCJared Kaelin, LAR

Manpreet Kaur, LARRuoqing Ke, Desgn StudiesMargaret Mayer, Graphic DesignBriana Outlaw, LARNatalie Seibel, Art+DesignZakiya Toney, ARCRachel Wilson, LAR

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CONTENTS

ABOUT THE STUDIO

MISSION AND GOALS

CONTEXT

RESOURCES

THE SITE

THE MASTER PLAN

COMMENTS

STUDENT WORK

REFERENCE

APPRECIATION

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9

12

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17

35

37

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74

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ABOUT THE STUDIO

The Ghana studio conducted field study in and around five cities with the most extensive activity happening in the capital city of Accra.

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The purpose of the Ghana summer studio was to provide study abroad opportunities that acquainted students and faculty at NC State University and other system wide institutions with the history, culture, and customs of Gha-na, and prospectively prepare culturally com-petent students for global citizenship.

Students benefited greatly from the deep pool of goodwill and friendships generated by the Ghanaian people and easily merged with the normal life-style and culture of this unique African country. North Carolina students returned home intellectually transformed and changed in unexpected and welcome ways. The Department of Art + Design at NC State University, and the College of Art at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), have shared a linkage agreement for over 16 years. In that time, hundreds of stu-dents and faculty from both institutions have shared immersive cross-cultural experiences. In the case of Art + Design, the results of these experiences have been over 5 gallery exhibi-

tions and other design work. Additional forums have been created by corollary professions including architecture, art history, communica-tions, eco-tourism, english, forestry, graphic design, industrial design, landscape architec-ture and psychology. NC State University’s Ghana study abroad approach has served as a model for subsequent programs at other uni-versities, including several Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU’s).

The studio collaborated with Africana Studies and a seminar led by Dr. Kwesi Craig Brookins. Dr. Brookins, as well as Ghanaian scholars, co-taught a workshop on Ghanaian Culture and Society with Professor Boone.

The studio and the seminar shared a regional immersion experience including a visit to Kwahu Ridge.

Over:The diagram maps the tra-jectory of students from arrival, through their work on the Play-time in Africa site.

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The field study component of the course im-mersed students in a wide variety of contexts in Ghana. From urban to rural, and from em-phasis on the natural world to cultural practic-es, students learned through first hand interac-tion with Ghanaians engaged in making.

In Accra, students visited the University of Accra at Legon, and learned from noted Ghana-ian scholars about the history of Ghana and its current state of politics, art, and popular cul-ture. The connections between Ghana and the rst of the world were made clear through tours of the WEB Dubois Center, the tomb and park honoring Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, and other urban Ghanaian venues.

From Accra, the studio ventured to the Volta Region, where they participated in local craft industries including beadmaking, ceramics, and other traditions. In addition ot making artifacts, students took notes, and documented historical and socio-cultural references connecting crafts to their places, value and belief systems, and community issues.

A highlight of the Volta Region study was time spent with Dr. Kofi Asare Opoku at his “farm”. The farm was in fact an outdoor living exhibit of the plants, herbs, and traditions associated with traditional Ghanaian values about people’s relationship to the land. Dr. Opoku, a pre-em-inent expert on West African religions and spiritual systems, helped the students ground their observations in the experiences and per-ceptions of Ghanaians.

At Ananse Okura, or “Ananse’s Village”, Dr. Opoku welcomed the students at a common seating area and table, and shared fruit, water, and stories which resonated with everyone for the remainder of the course. The “miracle berry”, a local fruit that makes anything taste sweet, was a practical symbol of the perceptu-al and experiential transformations to come.

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From the Volta Region, the course moved on to Kwahu ridge and Mpraeso, the home of our host, the Honorable Joseph Omari. While in Mpraeso, students experienced a middle class village experience, enjoyed local foods, and the pleasant mountain top climate. While in Mpraeso, the studio became familiar with the structure and order of local governance, and engaged Ghanaian children at a local school.

Kwahu ridge and Mpraeso offered a different context than urban Accra. Students remarked that the village lifestyle, the slowed pace, and the persistance of local cultural traditions offered a window into the possibilities of an open space in a busy city in Ghana.

From Kwahu ridge, the studio continued to Ku-masi, the cultural center of the Ashanti region. Kumasi is home to many of the cultural tradi-tions associated with Ghana including Kente weaving, Adinkra stamping, lost wax metal techniques, wood carving, and gold. Numerous craft villages satellite Kumasi, and daily excur-sions to these villages provided students with

first hand experience with making traditional Ghanaian cultural artifacts. Of particular inter-est was Ntonso, the home of Adinkra stamp-ing. The Adinkra is a system of symbolic stamped cloth used to communicate cultural values, and used in remembering the ances-tors. Village leaders guided students through each stepin the stamp, cloth, and ink making processes, and empowered the students to make their own cloth. Through formal and informal interactions, students learned about the roles of art and culture in the daily life of Ghanaians.

The studio visited Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) and ex-perienced the environments created for more formal and “western” learning.

Finally, the students experienced Kejetia Mar-ket; the largest open air market in West Af-rica. With over 10,000 shops and covering nearly 3 miles, the market reinforced the roles of trade and commerce in the daily lives of Ghanaian people.

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MISSION AND GOALS

Of the 24 total students in the joint Design and Africana Studies course, 16 were in the College of Design representing all depart-ments and the School of Architecture. The work included was produced in first summer session and included an intensive period of action project development. on the Playtime in Africa site.

The focus of the 2014 studio was a partner-ship with the Mmofra Foundation and design collaboration on their Playtime In Africa site in Ghana’s capital city, Accra.“Mmofra” is an Akan word meaning “children”, and the foun-dation works to champion the need for acces-sible and engaging public space for children in Ghana.

The studio engaged in conceptual and ac-tion projects to better understand the design issues facing children in African cities, as well as strategies for addressing them through col-laborative and multidisciplinary work.

The products, prototypes of educational play experiences on the site, would be evaluated for their fun and utility but also as artifacts demostrating student learning about Ghanaian art, design, and culture.

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CONTEXT

Playtime in Africa by Efua Sutherland (1961)provided a passionate argument for the val-ue of play and the needs of children in the growth of Ghana. Decades later, Mrs. Suther-land founded The Mmofra Foundation to con-tinue the advocacy for children in the develop-ment of contemporary Ghana.

The foundation envisions a sustainably de-signed child-focused park and centre in Gha-na, which inspires creativity, fosters play and educates through hands-on discovery. As a site of innovation in products, programmes and environments for young people, we will share our successful models for the benefit of children living all over Africa.

Ghana’s population is young - 40% under age 15, median age of 21.The country is rapidly urbanizing. There are few purpose-designed public spaces for children in Ghana outside of school property. Urban green space utiliza-tion in Accra, a city of about 4 million people, is emerging in signifcance. Children create their own play spaces, often in unsafe envi-ronments. A very formal educational model is dominant in the classroom, leaving few oppor-tunities for developing imagination and creativ-ity.

The Mmofra Foundation envisions a sustain-ably designed child-focused park and centre in Ghana, which inspires creativity, fosters play and educates through hands-on discovery.

Photo credit: Playtime in Africa by Efua Sutherland

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RESOURCES

In Creating Better Cities with Children and Youth (Earthscan, 2008), David Driskell uses international case studies to illustrate the tools available to empower designers and children to work together on issues of the built envi-ronment. The studio created a site evaluation worksheet modeled after Driskell’s “Self-evalu-ation of your city as a place for young people” and used this worksheet to evaluate children’s activity in Ghanaian urban spaces including the Playtime in Africa site.

Ghana’s urban spaces include streets, open air markets, plazas, courtyards, and schoolyards. Of these, the utilitarian use of the streets and markets represented the busiest urban spac-es. Urban parks in the western sense came to Ghana in the late 19th century and were cre-ated by the British during colonialism. Very lit-tle use of the few parks spaces available was observed in Ghana; the majority of children’s activity occurred in streets and school yards.

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In The Human Centered Design Toolkit, IDEO offers a range of engagement tools to prompt cross-cultural dialogue with people to better define their needs and interests. Group and individual interview techniques were adapted from the toolkit to engage Ghanaian children (intermediate school students ranging between 10-13 y/o) in a discussion of their favorite places to play and the activities they enjoyed the best. Football (soccer) and a local game called Ampe were the most popular activities. However, they also shared an interest in local board games, clapping and music games as well.

Two additional resources were used to frame investigation of the Playtime in Africa Site. The Essentials of Early Childhood Care and Education by Patricia Kyeremateng Berchie offered a rich Ghanaian perspective on the de-velopmental needs of children and the value of play in education. Although Ghanaian formal education is rigid, Mrs. Berchie identifies sev-eral key benefits of play in childhood develop-ment, especially in young children (up to age 6). Finally, Outdoor Settings for Playing and Learning by Robin Moore served as a useful guide to frame site analysis and master plan concepts used in the studio.

Over: Aerial photo of Accra, The Playtime in Africa site is off of the image (upper right).

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Photo credit: Delta/KLM Airlines (2004)

THE SITE

The Playtime in Africa site is located on pri-vate land in the Dzorwulu area of Accra. Accra is the capital of Ghana and home to 4 million people. The Playtime in Africa Site is strategically located near the Abelemkpe Traffic Light, a well known local landmark. Im-mediately north of the site is George W. Bush Memorial Highway, with nationally renowned Achimota School and University of Ghana Legon just beyond. The Achimota Forest Re-serve and Golf course are the only significant open spaces near the site. there are no parks or playgrounds near the site (the small green spots on the map are football fields).

Headwaters for creeks and streams flowing through Accra are found in this area. Howev-er, many of these creeks and streams have been channelized and piped, especially in the post World War 2 era. Architect Ralph Suther-land recalls being on the site as a child and when the surrounding area was predominately rural with forest. Few remnants of those land-scapes remain in the area.

George W. Bush Highway

Achim

ota Road

Libera

tion R

oad

Nnsa

wam

Roa

d

Ring Road

East

Leg

on R

oadACHIMOTA

FOREST

ACHIMOTASCHOOL

UNIVERSITY OFGHANA-LEGON

DZORWULU

GULF OF GUINEA

ACCRA

N

CITY SCALE

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The site is surrounded by neighborhoods of varying density and quality. To the north of the site are larger private residences and business-es transitioning into freeway oriented residen-tial and commercial uses along Bush Highway. To the east is a range of commercial and industrial enterprises. An active construction company operates immediately east of the site. To the immediate south of the site is a school and high density housing in poor repair.

The Mmofra Foundation says that residents of these buildings illegally dump waste on their site. Continuing south, the neighborhood transitions into a compact and walkable mixed use area with shops and restaurants. To the west are large instutions and offices including the Perez Chapel International, the Center for Skills Training, and Cocoa Industry.

Most people and street activity was observed near the Ablempke traffic light and south.

ACHIMOTAFOREST

Achim

ota Road

George W. Bush Highway

Interchange

AbelemkpeTraffic Light(Intersection)

SITE

MIXED USECOMPACTWALKABLE

CENTER FOR SKILLSTRAINING

PEREZCHAPELINTL.

URBANAGRICULTURE

COMMERCIAL

VICHAN’SSCHOOL

PRIDE OF THE EASTINTL SCHOOL

MIXED USE

FREEWAY COMMERCIAL

RESIDENTIAL

N

NEIGHBORHOOD SCALE

18

THE SITE

Achim

ota Road


19

THE SITE

Achim

ota Road


21

D

B

C

A

Photo credit: Google Earth22

THE SITE

A

C

VIEW LOOKING EAST FROM EXISTING PLAY AREA

VIEW LOOKING NORTHEAST FROM URBAN AGRICULTURE FIELDS

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B

D

VIEW LOOKING WEST ALONG MINI MARVELS WALL

VIEW LOOKING NORTH

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BIOFIL TOILET

An important component to park development and use is the creation of amenities like wash-room facilities. Biofilcom Engineering, a Gha-naian firm within walking distance of the park site, has developed an innovative low-flow composting toilet. Their Biofil toilet can flush with as little as 8 ounces of water, and re-quires no connections to water or sewer lines. Liquid and solid waste is separated through the use of permeable concrete, and the solid waste is directed to a container where air, in-sects, and earthworms decompose the waste until it can be safely used as compost. The liquid waste is directed to planting beds and vegetation.

Biofilcom Engineering is collaborating with Mmofra Foundation and other organizations to provide four Biofil toilets to Playtime in Africa, and students were involved in the construction of washroom shelter. The shelter was designed by architect Ralph Sutherland and emulates the architectural traditions of Northern Ghana. It uses a lightweight frame, wire mesh, with concrete. The structure will anchor the southern end of the park, and also serve a toddler play area (see The Master Plan).

BIOFIL TOILETWASHROOM

DIGESTER/AERATOR EFFLUENT

TOPLANTINGBED

Diagram of Biofil Toilet process (based on notes from Biofilcom site visit)

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THE SITE

BIOFIL WASHROOMS

The entire property is the historic home of Efua Sutherland. The private home and gar-dens are separated from the Playtime in Africa site by a drain. the entire site s surrounded by an 8 foot tall wall with two gates. A miniature golf course called Mini Marvels occupies a small section of the site and is walled off from the park site. The park site is generally flat and predominately in agricultural production. Large trees occupy the middle of the site and provide shade and shelter for Mmofra Foun-dation activities. An excavated spot in the far southeastern corner of the area has resulted in a pond. This is a privately owned part of the site and a nusiance to park users (mosqui-tos, water hazard, tree damage).

The site is secured when not in use and is maintained by the foundation and its associ-ates with the support of family. The founda-tion regularly engages around 90 children on site. Activities include arts and humanities ac-tivities, performing arts, and educational sup-port. Children who use the site include neigh-borhood children but also include children from across Accra. Weekend and bi-weekly planned activities make up the majority of site use.

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THE SITE

Although the site is relatively flat, water sig-nificantly impacts site use and quality. Ghana has a dry season and rainy season. The site has a high water table; this limits the ability to excavate on site. Formerly, the site was in a rural and forested setting where waterways were open. Now, the site is surrounded on all sides by development, roads and parking spaces. The increased impermeable surfaces have increased runoff and resulted in more frequent flooding on site. In particular, a new building under construction and it’s wall have created a de facto dam slowing water flow through the existing drain. According to architect Ralph Sutherland, the extended saturation of the soil is altering it’s ability to support vegetation. This low lying area of

poor drainage is between the existing drain and the Playtime in Africa site. The location of Biofil toilets and washrooms near this part of the site offer important opportunities to teach children about the importance of water quality. During a studio tour of the Biofil toilet development process, engineers shared an ex-perimental hydroponic garden. Water used to support fresh water fish is pumped to irrigate raised planting beds. The plants use the nutri-ents from fish waste and return filtered water. The foundation is interested in incorporating part of this idea in the Playtime in Africa site. through play settings, images and infograph-ics on the washroom, and many other ways.

WATER

NEW BLDGBLOCKSRUNOFF

DRA

INFL

OO

DIN

G

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The sun is hottest and shines directly on the site between 10am and 2pm. The site is roughly half wooded and half agriculture and lawn. Mature trees play a significant role in the site and help to mitigate the heat. But the trees also cast shade and impact the abili-ty for understory plantings to grow. Cooling breezes come from the Gulf of Guinea in the southwest and during the dry season, dry-ing winds come from the Sahel region in the northeast. Combined with the effects of the water table and rainfall, there are a range of microclimates on the site.

Since the site will be more intensively used soon as a park, adapting site uses to micro-climate factors, or altering the environment to change microclimate factors will be important. Currently, most Playtime in Africa site activ-ities are clustered under mature trees. The remainder of the site is yet to be developed. Planting shade trees and/or developing shade structures will greatly expand the comfort of parts of the site. Diverting storm water runoff to strategic parts of the site, as well as plant-ing, can reduce the risk of attracting mosqui-tos.

MICROCLIMATEDRYING WINDS FROM NORTHEAST

HOTTEST TIME OF DAY

2PM

10AM

COOLING WINDS FROM SOUTHWEST

SUNRISE

SUNSET

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The Playtime in Africa site is rich in diverse vegetation. There are very few places in Accra with the same amount and character of mature trees and active agricultural land. Before engaging the park site, the studio visit-ed the Center for the Scientific Research into Plant Medicine where staff revealed that 70% of Ghanaians rely solely on traditional herbal medicines for their medical needs. Later, the studio visited Professor Kofi Asare Opoku at “Anansi Akura” (“The Spider’s Village”); a farm and botanical garden he created to feature traditional landscape. At the village, Professor Opoku led a walking tour of native and traditional plantings, many with medicinal properties. Vegetation plays health, cultural, and spiritual roles in Ghanaian culture.

Many of the plants found on the Playtime in Africa site are well known locally for their me-dicinal properties. Auntie Ama Buabeng, one of the foundation’s resource persons, gave a walking tour of the site and identified these plants. They include: Nkasae Nkasae (When dried and ground this is a strong anti-diarrheal medicine) , Lemon Grass (when boiled as a tea this can be used to treat numerous diseases) , Neem (when boiled in a tea it reduces fever), Okanto (the bark of this tree can be made into a paste that helps with setting broken bones), and Twenti (a vine that when boiled in tea is a powerful pain reliever) .

VEGETATION

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THE SITE

Throughout the studio’s travel through Gha-na, elders communicated their opinion that young people are losing their connections to traditional Ghanaian culture. Passing down of the knowledge to identify and prepare tradi-tional herbal medicines from local vegetation is an important process of empowering future generations to perpetuate cultural values. In the case of the Playtime in Africa site, the existing vegetation offers a unique setting to enable the transmission of traditional culture to young people. Identifying medicinal plants, planting special beds featuring different plants, and inviting elders and young people to the site to demonstrate herbal medicine preparation.

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THE SITE

Views play a significant role in the surround-ing area and on the site. Although the Play-time in Africa site is near a busy intersection, there are no signs or visual cues that this resource is nearby. Additionally, there are no elements present on the walk to the main gate. And once someone arrives, there are no ways of finding most site elements until they are nearby. Maximizing site views through way finding could increase site visibility, and assist people using the park.

The Ablemkpe intersection is vehicular scaled and filled with billboards and road signs. How-ever, there is an attractive nursery fronting the western edge, a bus shelter, and various pedestrian scaled elements that could be used to communicate the image of Playtime in Afri-ca to passersby. Additionally, there are posts, tree stumps, and wall surfaces along the walk to the site that could be treated to guide pe-destrians to the main site entry. Once on the site, a landmark feature could be introduced as a way to gather people and orient them to site features. The site is currently not open to the general public and still under develop-ment.

VIEWS AND WAYFINDING

ABELEMKPETRAFFIC LIGHT(INTERSECTION)

VIEWTO PRIVATERESIDENCE

VIEWTO MINIMARVELSPEDESTRIAN PATH

LITTERING, DUMPING

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Sound, particularly adjacent urban sound, plays a significant role in the experience of the site. Only a few places and times on the Playtime in Africa site is a person able to block out adjacent sounds and focus on the sounds of nature; animals, water movement, or leaves rustling in the breeze. Ambient street sounds and traffic streets are constant and minimally obtrusive. A more distracting sound is the vehicles and activities at the adjacent construction company site. Although not in constant use, the active periods of use on the site are the loudest experienced during site work. Mini Marvels plays music that can be heard on site. Although it was not a nuisance during site visits, members of the Mmofra Foundation mentioned some conflicts over

volume. Lastly, activity from the adjacent school including the sounds of children play-ing could be heard for the majority of the site visits. This is an urban site and urban sounds are a part of the experience of the place. However, there may be opportunities to lever-age sound as an outdoor learning opportunity. “White noise” generated by on site activi-ties including water might provide settings where listening is a part of the lessons being taught. Creating and locating seating areas strategically to avoid distracting sounds could enhance children’s concentration and work process. Programming times for children’s ac-tivities to match the desired ambient volume levels is also a possibility.

SOUND

TRAFFIC SOUNDS

SCHOOL SOUNDS

MUSIC FROM MINIMARVELS

CONSTRUCTIONACTIVITYSOUNDS

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THE SITE

Pedestrians were observed all across the area, especially on busy streets west of the Play-time in Africa site. Walkers, including school children were observed intermittently along the street that serves as the main entrance to the site. There were occasional walkers mov-ing through the site. The majority of pedes-trian activity on the site was clustered in the northern edge under the mature shade trees. Although the busiest streets in the area have sidewalks, there are no walks on the north of the site. A worn path in the sideyards of ad-jacent properties, as well as the street serves as the de facto pedestrian way. The Play-time in Africa site has the beginning of a site walk made of dirt, mulch, and edged by tree branches. Spaces under the trees are dirt and

allow for free movement over the majority of the northern side of the site. As the park gets more programming and visitors, there will be more opportunities to define pedestrian circu-lation. A short term opportunity is connecting the existing site uses to the new washrooms (under construction). Defining and maintaining a continuous walking path from the Ablemkpe intersection will enhance safety and comfort for children and others using the space. On site, defining primary site paths and second-ary paths can help people find on site pro-grams and encourage site discovery. Through the use of path materials, ground covers, and other design elements, paths can form the connective structure of the entire park.

PEDESTRIAN CIRCULATION

MOSTPEDESTRIANACTIVITYOBSERVED

MOSTPEDESTRIANACTIVITYOBSERVED ON SITE

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Children dropped off by their caregivers in private cars as well as people arriving by Tro Tro (Ghanaian private buses) and taxi comprise the largest vehicular users of the Playtime in Africa site. The Ablemkpe intersection are well maintained. The main access road to the Play-time in Africa site is in disrepair. An advantage of the poor road maintenance is the numerous potholes slow drivers to a traffic speed that is more compatible with pedestrian movement. However, it also forces sometimes risky driv-ing behavior that could be in conflict with walkers. There are currently two vehicular gates for potential site access. One has been designated by the foundation as their main site entry (next to Mini Marvels), and the oth-er is on the eastern edge of the site. This gate

has been sealed as it leads to the pond (for-mer building excavation site). Limiting vehic-ular access to the main road is in accordance with the Playtime in Africa site objectives and helps to support a safe and secure environ-ment. Currently, there is no formal drop off or parking area on site. The master plan provides a location for these uses, as well as potential service road access to a future Mmofra Cen-tre. There is an opportunity to support the overall objectives of the foundation through the location and design of on-site vehicular circulation and parking. Minimizing the foot-print of these uses, as well as mitigating their impact on the experience and function of the place could be considered in future design phases.

VEHICULAR CIRCULATION

SITE ACCESS

SITE ACCESS

ACCESS(CLOSED)

UNPAVED STREET

HIGH TRAFFIC VOLUME

MODERATE TRAFFIC SPEED

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THE MASTER PLAN

Architect Ralph Sutherland presented the current Mmofra Foundation Playtime in Africa master plan to the studio. Sutherland has led the conceptual planning for the site since its inception. The plan uses a wide walking path/service access road to define a series of spe-cial use zones surrounding a proposed Mmof-ra Centre; a combination outdoor play and performance space with offices and a library above. A pedestrian walkway would extend from the current entry gate with two guard-house areas. Parking would be reserved to the northern edge of the site. The zones created embrace the wide range of existing site uses and proposes additional areas. These area include a craft village an active play zone, a toddler play zone, a green zone (demonstrat-

ing sustainable design approaches like the Biofil toilets in the washroom area), a buffer zone, and a flexible open space identified for site expansion.

The master plan preserves what is current-ly there and presents the Mmofra Centre as the new focal point of the site. it will occupy what are currently agricultural fields Addition-ally, the plan recommends a tree planting area to deter littering along the south side of the park.

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The studio engaged in a review of the master plan and attempted to query its components based on observations of public spaces in Ghana. Traditional Ghanaian spaces appeared to be arranged around an open courtyard setting; a central gathering point where dif-ferent people and activities can converge and engage. This appears in the Adinkra symbol Fihankra, and is the basic framework for many traditional Ghanaian houses across many regions. At another scale, these courtyard spaces expand into urban squares and plazas where special events including durbars (audi-ences with the local chief) occur.

Photo credit: Ghana Museums and Tourism Board

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COMMENTS

When viewed at the scale of the city of Accra, the Playtime in Africa site could be viewed as the center of an urban courtyard; a shared open area designed to facilitate en-counters between different people. At another scale, there could be a central gathering point in the actual site from which people could extend and explore the park. This multi-sca-lar approach to creating a strong and open hub for the park is what drives the diagram (above).

Ralph Sutherland was interested in design-ing the washroom in the spirit of a traditional Northern Ghana mud house. These housing type is unique for many reasons including the painted walls, specific types for each member Photo credit: Ghana Museums

and Tourism Board

Mud houses, common in Northern Ghana, formed the inspiration of the washroom and learning space.

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of the family, and the use of walls and enclo-sures for grain and animals. This precedent, which also uses a wall to frame a shared courtyard space, provides many exciting op-portunities for engaging people, especially young people.

The studio’s comments included: 1) establish a clear “center” of the site that is landscape and honors the spirit of the courtyard spaces found throughout Ghana, 2 ) consider relocat-ing the proposed Mmofra Centre to the area currently planned for parking. The Mmofra Centre’s scale and height may take away from the landscape qualities proposed in the mas-ter plan. By moving it to a highly visible edge (and potentially parking at grade beneath it),

B

A C

D

E

F

G

H

I

A

B

C

D

E

F

G

H

I

MAIN PEDESTRIAN ENTRY

CENTRAL COURTYARD

MMOFRA CENTRE (PARKING)

OUTDOOR PLAY/PATHS

AGRIFORESTRY/PLAY/PATHS

BIOFIL WASHROOMS

AQUAPONICS/ WATER PLAY

TODDLER PLAY

EXISTING PLAY/CRAFT/ PERFORMANCE

the landscape heart of the current Playtime in Africa site can be preserved and en-hanced.

The remainder of this report documents the individual student collaborative proj-ects that prototyped play experiences for children using the site. It is hoped that the combination of short tern and long term proposals can be of use to the Mmofra Foundation and enhance the experience of the Playtime in Africa site.

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GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014Mitch Caldwell, Jared Kaelin, Rachel Wilson

Reading Nooks, Couches and BookshelvesINSPIRATIONINSPIRATION

The inspiration ofthe project came through an introduction to Sammy Ansah.

Sammy is the creative mastrmind behind a large variety of projects but most famously

for The Wheelhouse Project. He has built his home and living compund completely out of recycled materials collected across Ghana. What was interesting was his view

on the recycled materials, he explained that everything has a place. If he has a

water bottle... he asks, what can I do with this waterbottle. Everyone has a di�erent

and functionality for the recycled bottle. He also does not like to force a material

into into a use. He prefers not to cut any wood, going back to everything belongs in

a certain spot, strategically placed.

Sammy is a genuine oersonaltiy and just one meeting with him and right away you

can see with creatively personality and passion for building. this ispired us to used

the recycled materials collected at MMOMFRA Foundation, using palet wood

and wooden wheel spools to create elements of a space for children to sit and

enjoy reading.

Mmofra


Reading Nooks, Couches and BookshelvesDESIGN

We built a double-sided seat from a recycled wooden spool, a

bench from two spools and recycled pallets, and a book rack using another, smaller spool and

bamboo harvested on site.

All of our pieces are moveable but currently situated near the

entrance to the site. Auntie Amowi is hoping to place the

existing reading nooks and our new pieces scattered through-

out the site.

The Mmofra Foundation’s Playtime in Africa site is located near Ablinkpe tra�c

light in Accra, Ghana. The site is bordered by apartment buildings and a school on

one side, a construction company on another, and by roads on the remaining

two sides.


Reading Nooks, Couches and BookshelvesEDUCATION

The educational aspect of this project spans across several topics and uses. The base idea was to create reading nooks for kids to sit, somewhat seperated from their peers and focus on reading a book in a fun place. Outside of the physical use of sitting and reading, kids are able to look at the seats bookshelf and see that they are di�erent

than other pieces of furniture they have seen. This gives them the opportunity to think about recycling and see it in a tactile way. Finally, the reading nooks and seats will give the kids a lasting impression to pass on to family and

peers about recycling, taking care of the space around you, reading and being able to do all of these things while being in nature in a beautiful place. Nature teaches on its on, we have just provided a place to listen.

GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014NAME

INSPIRATION

The members of the Mmofra foundation mentioned a desire to have a set of book display shelves near the beginning of the main path through the site. After brie�y looking through their collected precedence, we also drew inspiration from other parts of our trip. We visited the recycling expert in Accra who encouraged us to look at the materials around us and search out their potential to be reused creatively. We also drew inspiration from Anansi the spider, a beloved Ghanaian story character, and his famous web.

IMAGE

INSPIRATION

Ruoqing Ke and Anna Chatwell


DESIGN

The hexagon-shaped case will go around a tree near the main walk way in the park.

The case connects to nature by being near a tree, and protects from nature with a solid roof.

Made from reclaimed wood and bamboo, the only new material used was the nails.



EDUCATION

By placing an attractive book case near the entrance of the park , the children see the value placed on reading. Also, since reading stretches one’s imagination, the kids can see the relationship between reading and play. The use of recycled materials encourages the children to be responsible with the resources around them, and to think of creative ways to reuse them.


INSPIRATION

NAME GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

The surrounding context of the site is urban, composed of a well-to do socioeconomic group, and several schools. Many individuals will benefit from this space as it will provide a restoration for adults and creative space for children to play. By creating space for children we are providing space for all ages to come and gather as a community.

The craft villages, traditional ceremonies, cultural motifs, and landscapes of Ghana have inspired the various elements of this energetic space where children can learn and reflect on their culture.

The Anansi village communicated the idea of developing a relationship with nature. It expressed the importance of learning and utilizing resources nature provides, such as herbs and fruit.

Craft villages, such as Cedi Beads, and the pottery village in addition to traditional ceremonies reflected the importance of staying true to cultural values in order to pass on history and life lessons. Incorporating cultural values within design elements will help children feel comfortable and connected with the space.

Additionally, existing elements and school children informed design elements that are familiar but can be adapted to provide a new experience.

Manpreet Kaur, Zakiya Toney, Briana Outlaw,Taylor D. Hamer, Todgi Dozier

DESIGN

MANPREET KAUR GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

Sound walls help children with developing motor and sensory skills, specifically hearing. Plastic colored bottles are strung on bamboo sticks. As children move their hands along the wall, the bottles filled with different amounts of seeds spin and make sound.

DESIGN

ZAKIYA TONEY GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

Wooden disks that resemble beads to be used in conjunction with the number and letter disks. Allow the children to physically see numerical representations

LOCATION

DESIGN

BRIANA OUTLAW GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

The calabash string musical set is designed to encourage children to experiment with sound and the process of exploring techinique of making different sounds with different materials. This instrument is suitable for a range of ages and allows each child to personalize their own musical experience.

LEARNING THROUGH LETTERS

LEARNING THROUGH NUMBERS

PROCESS IMAGES

DESIGN

TAYLOR D. HAMER GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

‘Magical Mix & Match’ is a game within the Anansi ‘s Ring that encourages children to learn through playing. There are two components of the playtime and cultural motif- alphabet matching and math. The alphabet portion of the interactive installment will be and op-portunity for children of all ages (4-18) to work on spelling and matching using letters composed of painted discs made from trees. Each piece of equiptment will display a letter on one side and an object on the other that corresponds to each respective letter in the alphabet. Matching comes in to play with a set of painted images on discs that complement the words for each of the letters. Additionally, a set of numbers and math symbols will be on painted discs, which will allow children of all ages a fun way to work on math.

Adinkra Symbol • Black Star • Cassava • Drums • Ewe • Fufu • Gold • Herbal Medicine • Independence Day • Jembe • Kente Cloth • Loquat Mango • Nana Yaa Asantewaa • Ostrich • Proverb • Quilt • Republic • Spider Village • Taxi • Volta River • Weaving • Xhiosa • Yam • Zongo

DESIGN IMAGES

MAGICAL M XI & M A T C H

DESIGN PROCESS

LOCATION

DESIGN IMAGES

DESIGN

TODGI DOZIER GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

Anansi’s bridge is designed to transition you from one creative space to another. It elevates you physically but hopefully mentally and encourages looking at the world from another perspective. Made from recycled resources, I want to inspire using nature as a creative resource.

PLAY ACTIVITIES AND USES

The jungle bridge allows for imaginative play, encouraging orientation skills, and hide-and-seek games. The jungle bridge is connected between three trees so it allows climbing which lets children enjoy getting up high and looking over surroundings.

Magical Mix & Match allows children to practice spelling, learning or practicing cultural motifs, and basic communica-tion such as the alphabet and numbers. In addition it is layed out in a checkered pattern that promotes skipping, hop-ping, balancing, and jumping.

Stringed calabash instruments give children the opportunity to experiement with sound and touch. Sound wall provides opportunity for young children to enhance motor skills and older children to explore with sound.

Webbed wall serves as green wall to educate children about different types of herbs and small medicinal plants. Throughout the web there will be Cedi Beads to label and educate the children about what type of plants are present.

NAME GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

EDUCATION

Anansi’s Ring is a lively space that encourages sensory learning through the use of cultural motifs, cognitive develop-ment, and kinetic learning. It is an outdoor learning environment that is restorative and imagnitive in contrast to the academicly focused part of a child’s day. It supports an enriched quality of play that allows children to have liberation fo free play and imagination. The space incorporates both natural and synthetic elements that provide a range of teach-ing options and developmental needs of children. In addition, the space provides sensory learning that supports cogni-tive development for children of all ages. (Outdoor settings for playing and learning: designing school grounds to meet the needs of the whole child and whole curriculum, Robin C. Moore)

Manpreet Kaur, Zakiya Toney, Briana Outlaw,Taylor D. Hamer, Todgi Dozier

GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014NATALIE SEIBEL

INSPIRATION

After spending time with the girls at the school in Kwahu, we learned that Ghana �ags were a common icon for them both in play areas and other places they visit. With that in mind, I chose to make a set of three �ags that would tell a tradi-tional African proverb sup-ported by adinkra symbols encouraging teamwork and cooperation as well as cultural awareness and value.

I gathered much inspiration from visiting the craft villages and wanted to use a traditional process. I also was very inspired by the African printed fabrics we have seen through-out the country thus far. Lastly, Professor Opoku’s lecture regarding proverbs impacted me greatly. I chose a proverb that would be the center of the �ags in which all other deci-sions would be based o� of.

INSPIRATION


DESIGN

The most e�ective design elements are always in the details, while they may not be noticed at �rst sight. Each stamp was hand carved, creating each stamp on the cloth to look di�erent from one another. The top-stitching in yellow thread adds an animated, child-like feature while bringing in more of the color plaette and a linear pattern within itself. Each �ag is connected through braided fabric and lastly the overal �ag is hung and anchored with bamboo, helping it to feel a part of nature within the park.

The set of �ags is completely mobile. It can be moved to any tree or tall structure in the park for di�erent times of need. While the �ags will most often be hung vertically, they could also be hung parallel to the ground as a shelter like form so that children could walk underneath, looking up to the symbols or proverb.

Overall, these �ags add color and light-heartedness to the park. While they are a �nished product that will hopefully stay with the park through many years and events, they also act as a prototype for future accents made of cloth. Most of the elements throughout the park are made of wood and other natural resources. The �ags make way for the use of fabric and to learn what parts of the whole are working and would could use some adjustments.


The �ags themselves can �rst be used to open a discussion through the proverb. The proverb has been translated into Akan to further the educational value and relation to culture. With each segement of the proverb is a corresponding symbol who’s meaning can be taught. I have also left the hand carved stamps with the park for future arts and crafts with the children.

EDUCATION

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INSPIRATION

There were ideas about building a corn hole board with rice bean bags for the park, realizing that corn hole was more of just a game than an educational aspect that didn't relate to the culture, I begin to brain storm for more ways I could incorporate the rice bags. After discussing it with Professor Kofi, we talked about how in Ghana’s history they used scales to weigh the gold found in Africa. !To build something that was apart of Ghana’s history was also inspired by the group of girls I had the opportunity to talk with at the secondary school we traveled to last week. Each girl in my group drew the Ghana flag on their paper which indicated to me that Ghana’s history and culture was an important part of life to them.

Carla Carothers Blackmon Ghana International Design Studio 2014Carla Carothers Blackmon GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014

INSPIRATION

Part of the design was to use as many natural things possible. Blending it in with the park surroundings was important as well as making it stand out to draw the attention and curiosity of the children. It was also an important part of the design to make the scale as balanced as possible without the necessary tools to make sure it was accurate.

The scale is designed as being a design element that is both educational and fun for children to play with. The children will be able to learn and gain a knowledge about there culture, mathematics as well as nature by simply interacting with the scale.

The scale is free standing and can be moved to different locations in the park. When it was complete I decided to keep it near the front, in front of the swings and near the craft center.

DESIGN


DESIGN

The scale has many elements that are educational. The materials are the first part of the educational aspect of the scale. It is built from the wood found it the park and uses tree root to cover up any nails that may stick out to avoid any injury to the children. The balance bar is decorated with 4 birds that are found in the park as well as the different tree branches that can be seen in the park as well. The use of the scale is educational in that it draws back to the process of weighing gold in Ghana’s early history, which can be told to the children as they play with the scale. The third educational element of the scale is the playing part. When the children play with the scale it becomes a game to get both sides balance, either using only the rice bags or adding other small objects such as the wooden cede beads. They begin to learn by doing and are being taught how to weigh and balance items outside the classroom setting.

EDUCATION


EDUCATION


INSPIRATION

We were really inspired by the cedi beads we saw in Odumase-Krobo. The beads are made out of recycled glass and sand and they are a valuable part og Ghana’s culture. The recyled glass is broken into �ne peices and then heated in a clay template in a hand crafted kiln made of termite mud. The symbolic beads made from tree branches on the site create an educational theme that is based on the tradition of beadwork in Ghana. The Mmofra site hung the beads vertical in the trees to represent the jewelry but when I was sketching the site, we asked what if they were horizontal instead of vertical. We found a perfect alignment of palm trees where we could emphasize the boundaries of the site and create multi-purpose fence. The trees would be perfect for the design because the Mmofra foundation wanted to keep kids from into to the �ooded area behind the palm trees. We thought the idea of teaching the kids the traditional purpose of the beads was a great idea but we wanted them to be more interactive. Changing the beads to a horizontal align-ment represents a chinese abacus. We got the inspiration for the educational purpos-es of the assignment from the chinese calculator. Rotating the orientation of the beads helps kids be able to learn the laws of motion, counting, and many more.

INSPIRATION

Sarah Dickerson & Stephanie Heimstead

DESIGNResulting from our experience in the Cedi Bead village, we decided to make a fence that was decorat-

ed with large wooden beads. The fence would not only act as a educational apparatus but also a barrier to keep kids away from a marshy area on the site. It is located near the bathrooms and in the

future toddlers play area on the site. We used the prexistant beads on site and cleaned and repainted them. When we started stringing them up we realized that the weight of the beads was going to be an

issue. As a result, we placed the heavier beads away from the middle and the lighter beads in the center to keep the line from sagging. We also discovered that the string was stretchy and it took a lot of strength to get it as straight as we wanted it. Later on in the building process, kids came to play on one of the fences we built. They seemed to like to play some sort of race game where they would push the

beads as fast as they could scross the string. This rough play could eventually cause the fence to weaken and eventually break. In the future, It would look nicer and last longer if the beads were lighter

and we had more durable string.

Above is a render we did to visualize how it would look if it were to be built. On the right is the completed fence.

Sarah Dickerson & Stephanie HeimsteadNAME: SARAH DICKERSON & STEPHANIE HEIMSTEAD GHANA INTERNATIONAL STUDIO 2014


EDUCATION

Our main purpose for the beads was to help the kids learn how to count while playing with someting tangible that they could feel and move around. The main precedent for the fence was a chinese calculator or abacus. Each string has ten beads on it that allow the kids to play with and do simple calculations. The kids also have the freedom to create various games with the beads. For example, kids today came over and started playing

Sarah Dickerson & Stephanie Heimstead

some sort of racing game. They each pushed the beads as hard as they could to see who could make it to the other end first. Eventually they discovered that the strings had a differ-ent slope and they compensated by giving the beads on the line with less slack a slight head start. As a result, these kids were already learning the simple laws of motion. The fence is also constructed of beads that are inspired by the traditional beads made in Ghana. This allows the kids to be exposed to the tradition and culture of their country while in a city set-ting.

NCSU GHANA STUDY ABROAD PROGRAM 2014

PROCESS

MARGARET MAYER

The ideation process began by looking into the mission statement of the Mmofra Foundation, and understanding exactly what it’s goals are. Within that broader context, I could look at the Playtime in Africa initiative, and how that fits into the foundations broader goals. With those goals in mind, I began to create interview questions concerning how the Playtime in Africa initiative helps children discover their potential by learning through play, and the importance of play in a child’s life.

I was inspired by the interviews given in educational videos, like they show on National Geographic or the Discovery Channel. They have interviews with experts in the field, but then the interview goes into a voice over with footage of whatever is being talked about. I wanted to have a similar video structure to that, so I got a lot of interviews with various people on the site, especially Amowi Phillips and Ese Sutherland, the women who have started and are spearheading this initiative.

PROCESS

Margaret Mayer GHANA INTERNATIONAL DESIGN STUDIO 2014


DESIGN

MARGARET MAYER

The flow of the video is set up to showcase interviews, volunteers, and children. The beginning starts with an introduction to the site and its mission, which flows into a voice over while footage of kids playing. Then, as a the voice-over begins to talk about who is working on the site, the video shifts to footage of the various volunteers working and then into interviews with two of the young volunteers, discussing why they think the site is so important. It segways back into footage with a voiceover, and concludes with a concise closing statement on the importance of play in the development of a child’s life.

DESIGN


The first time we went to the Playtime in Africa site, I had a chance to talked to Ese Sutherland and Amowi Phillips, the women who started the initiative. As we were talking, it became apparent that a big problem for them was exposure - not enough people knew about the initiative or understood its intentions. We decided that out of all of the promotional materials that they needed, a video was the most necessary. A video would be able to reach a broader audience than just local schools and friends.

The video is a general overview of the Playtime in Africa initiative and site, but more importantly, it is a starting point for other video advertisements. We had talked about Mmofra’s need for crowdfunding, and how the best way to reach out to potential donators was through videos focusing on a specific piece of the site. The theory behind this was so that people who were considering donating to the initiative would know exactly where their money was going to. Hopefully, this video that I have created will lead to more advertising and promotional efforts and widen the foundation’s audience. VIDEO AVAILABLE AT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S7jr46pIGqQ&feature=youtu.be

V


EDUCATION

MARGARET MAYER

Playtime In Africa

EDUCATION


REFERENCE

Context and background readings

• Briggs, Phillip (2004 or newer) Ghana Bradt Travel Guide 4th Edition, The GlobePequet Press, Connecticut• New, Jennifer (2005) Drawing from life:The journal as art, Princeton ArchitecturalPress, New York, USA• Sutherland, Efua (1962) Playtime in Africa, The Murray Printing Company, New York• Children in an Urban World

Engagement and process readings

• Driskell, David (2002) Creating Better Cities for Children and Youth, UNESCO,London• IDEO (2012) Human Centered Design Kit 2nd Edition• Lassiter, Luke (2009) Invitation to Anthropology, Alta Mira Press, MarylandArt, design, and culture readings• Cooper, Jessica (1997) Ghanaian Mud: The Vernacular Architecture of Ghana, notyet published• Eglash, Ron (1999) African Fractals: Modern computing and indigenous design,Rutgers University Press, New Jersey• Kasfir, Sidney (2000) Contemporary African Art, Thames and Hudson, London• Perani, Judith and Fred T. Smith (1998) The Visual Arts of Africa: Gender, Power,and Life Cycle Rituals, Prentice-Hall, New Jersey• Saarela, Tuuli ed. ArchiAfrika Magazine April 2013• Smith, Cynthia (2011)Design with the other 90%: Cities, Cooper-Hewitt, New York

West African and informal cities

• Ananya, Roy (2005) “Urban informality: toward an epistemology of planning”, Journalof the American Planning Association• Brillembourg, Alfredo Feireiss, Kristin and Hubert Klumpner ed. (2005) Informal City:Caracas Case, Prestel, Germany• Chapter 3: The State of Western African Cities, The State of African Cities 2010:Governance, Inequality and Urban Land Markets, UNHABITAT• Salm, Steven J. and Toyin Falola ed. (2005) African Urban Spaces: In historicalperspective, University of Rochester Press, New York• The Earth Institute (2011) Urban Development in Accra, Ghana: an implementationtoolkit• Thwaites, Kevin (2007) Experiential landscape: an approach to people, place andspace, Routhledge, London

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APPRECIATION

We conclude this report with a special note of appreciation to Mr. Komla Stephen Kpogoh, our extraordinary teacher, guide, and friend. His intelligence and grace were essential to the course.

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Kofi Boone, Associate Professor and DirectorGhana International Design Studio 2014

NC State University College of DesignCampus Box 7701

Raleigh, NC USA 27695-7001design.ncsu.edu

playtime in africa student report final

Documents

design work

department of art design

case of art design

studiothe ghana studio

ghana summer studio

art history

college of art

wheel storythe studio