The Nka Foundation has announced a new competition, open to all students and graduates of design, architecture, art, engineering and schools interested in rural community projects in Africa, that is a design-build challenge at the Abetenim Arts Village near Kumasi in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. The 10×10 Shelter Challenge is an on-site competition structured as a “design-build camp for learning-by-doing” in African Architecture. There are no fixed deadlines with 5 available month long periods to sign up, the first beginning this October, 2012.
Join us after the break for more details on this unique competition.
The goal of the competition is to establish an environment of learning-by-doing in the design of 10 foot by 10 foot shelter that can serve as a unit for a modular system that can build up to a community arts center with workshops and learning classrooms. The shelter should be designed with the relationship of art and architecture in mind, in an assembly that uses local materials and local considerations of shelter. Participants are encouraged to be as creative as possible, incorporating recycled and reused materials, machine parts, discarded plastics, bottle caps, etc. The hope is to provide ideas for the distance that local resources can go to create a shelter of 10 feet by 10 feet.
The competition encourages students, as well as practitioners to apply, a different experience for those accustomed to working behind a computer or at an office. In order to qualify, contestants are required to send in a CV, drawings of the proposed project, and the dates for which the candidate is applying to info@nkafoundation.org. Applications may apply in groups, teams or as individuals. The available dates are: October 1-30, 2012 / February 10-March 10, 2013 / May 1-30, 2013 / July 7-August 7, 2013 / October 3-31, 2013.
The 10×10 participant is expected to keep a process journal involving process notes, sketches, photographs, or video to generate a DVD about the camp, or another creative means to disseminate the experience. The design-build challenge is organized by Nka Foundation. All designs and ideas will be published and shared on nkafoundation.org. Organizers will provide free accommodation in the arts village setting and a mini-award of GH¢ 200.00 per project for materials, along with €5 per day for food. International participant is responsible for costs of own airfare and proposed project. Nka Foundation suggests that participants apply for travel grants through their national art councils or other sources.
For more information on the competition click here.
