ARC 414 ARCHITECTURAL PRACTICE

AND SOCIETY

SEMESTER 2, SESSION 5.
WEDNESDAY APRIL 22, 2015

VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE OF
GHANA
 Vernacular Architecture of Ghana
The 3 influences on vernacular
architecture, namely climate,
environment/materials and
culture can be seen at work in
the indigenous architecture of
Ghana.
4 climatic belts with their
associated vegetation are
found in Ghana, as follows:
a. Coastal plains
b. Rain forest
c. Transitional forest
d. Grassland savannah
Climatic zones and associated
vegetation
Construction methods in forest areas,
e.g. Ashanti Region
Indigenous houses are rectangular, standing
alone or arranged around courtyards.
Walls are built of mud reinforced with strips of
bamboo or palm fronds tied together in
rectangular fashion (wattle and daub)
Buildings are roofed with thatch.
Walls have wide windows.
Construction methods in forest areas
(contd.)
Construction methods in forest areas
(contd.)
 Indigenous construction methods in the
savannah areas, e.g. Upper East Region
Indigenous houses have circular rooms joined
together by curvilinear walls to form
compounds.
Walls are relatively thick and have no
reinforcement.
Rooms have conical thatch roofs or flat mud
slabs supported on strong wood members.
Very small window sizes are used.
Indigenous construction methods in the
savannah areas (contd)
Round huts with conical and flat roofs
Construction of conical thatch roofs
flat mud slab roofs
Savannah region houses contrasted
with forest region houses