ARCHITECTS
ARCHITECTS
Project Stage: Competition
Program: Housing
Location: Ghana
Design Period: 2014
The people of the Ashanti region in Ghana perceive rammed earth houses as structures meant for the poor, believing they lack beauty and long-term livability. The goal of the Nka Foundation's Rammed Earth House Design Competition was to challenge this perception and highlight the potential of earth as a viable building material. The task was to design a single-family house measuring approximately 30 x 40 feet on a 60 x 60-foot plot, using primarily rammed earth and local labor.
The SUMSUM mud house reimagines rammed earth as a structural material, showcasing its architectural potential. The concept also provides a fresh perspective on the traditional lifestyle of people in Ghana, focusing not only on the building itself but also on the possibilities for creating diverse urban patterns.