REINVENTION OFTHE SANKOFAHOUSE

The Asante Traditional Buildings, inscribed in 1981 to the World Heritage List as being “rare surviving examples of a significant traditional architectural style of the influential, powerful and wealthy Asante kingdom,” are described as Vernacular architecture built with a minimum of resources and a maximum of effectiveness.

Inspired by the recognizable silhouettes of Ashanti’s buildings, M.A.M.O.T.H. reinvents the Sankofa House (1st prize) organized by NKA in 2014. This particular architecture is recognizable by its sloping roofs, its plastered walls, its decorative ornaments and its large base which highlights all.

The steep roof minimizes surfaces exposed to sunlight and heat. The height under the roof provides good air circulation.

The heat is evacuated by a roof rack system. It also eases discharging heavy rainwater with two metallic gutters placed between the roofs to collect rainwater which can be easily stocked in a tank in the courtyard.

The buildings are mainly constructed with laterite soil and termite-proof coco fibers. Builders rely on the Atakpame method, a purely manual construction technique, which is economic, ecological and social.