The Childen’s Home, in the poorest neighbourhood of the town of Nkoranza, is designed in a horseshoe shape around a cluster of trees that provide a protected, shaded space for the children’s play. The buildings house the sleeping areas, carers’ rooms and study spaces, all linked by a cloister with a kitchen at one end and a sitting area at the other. The project utilised local materials - stone for the walls and palm tree trunks for the columns supporting the roof overhang - and sustainable technologies such as solar panels and water recycling facilities. The architects worked closely with the local workforce, teaching them new skills to ensure the proper future maintenance of the complex.
Source:
The Aga Khan Trust for Culture, 2011.
