shading modules reflect and promote the local cultural heritage, providing thermal comfort,
an aesthetic design and functional architecture.
Environmental Strategies
Kente House is oriented along the East/West axis, in order to reduce solar radiation
exposure due to its location [6.6667° N, 1.6167° W]. The main façade is oriented towards
the South West in order to harness the most frequent winds and use them to naturally
ventilate the building. The cold air enters through the façade and is released by the
windows located in the North East façade.
Bioclimatic Kente Shading
The Kente cloth has its origin with the Ashanti Kingdom. The house builds on this rich
cultural legacy to promote a sense of pride in local making tradition by incorporating
the interwoven pieces as part of its bioclimatic architecture, since they are integrated as
shading devices to reduce solar radiation penetrating in the east and west façades. The
zig-zag wooden structure, which contains the cloths, follows the Akan aphorism named
Nkyinkyim, whose message is ‘life is not a straight path, there are multiple ways to reach the
same objective’, also incorporated in the cloths as the base material of the shading devices.
Thermal Mass
Thermal mass provided by the 40cm rammed earth walls, enables to reduce the heat
transfer from the exterior of the house towards the interior, therefore decreasing
overheating while increasing the occupier’s thermal comfort.
Passive Cooling
Verandahs, traditional architectural elements of the compound dwelling in Ashanti, are
incorporated in Kente House as intermediate spaces, performing as thermal buffers which
delay the heat transfer between the interior and the exterior of the dwelling. The verandahs
are the favourite spaces for the Kente weavers to work in.
Cross Ventilation: Double Skin Roof
A double skin roof was constructed incorporating a ceiling of raffia sticks and zinc roof
sheets. The South West winds ventilate the void generated between both membranes. The
sloped roof enables rainwater discharge while avoiding infiltration. Matthew Chantzidakis,
M&E and Sustainability Consultant from London-based Skelly & Couch, who attended the
Kente House Building Workshop, explains in detail the double skin roof performance HERE.
The Kente House Building Workshop
The Kente House Building Workshop, developed in 2015 in Abetenim, gathered architects,
designers and engineers from Denmark, Ireland, United States, Greece, England, Italy and
Chile, along with local workers from Abetenim, with the purpose of constructing Kente
House. The entire construction process of Kente House can be found by CLICKING HERE
Interior and Product Design
Kente House’s lamp shadings were designed and constructed by Italian Product Designer,
Alma Malara, who personally collected local palm tree fibres to produce the pieces.
Additionally, Alma was in charge of designing the backers’ wall, which incorporates all
the names of the people who supported the project. Malara also wanted to promote the
traditional Ashanti pattern designs by incorporating them in the light switches.
Upcycling
22 africandesignmagazine.com