Travel Blog – Shared Heritage Africa

SHARED
HERITAGE
AFRICA.

TRAVEL BLOG.

AN
OPEN CALL.

TRAVEL BLOG

Announcing.

< Back to home

.

AN
OPEN CALL.

Accra, 16.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 16.10.2022

ARRIVAL IN ACCRA

Go to full window size!

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

ARRIVAL IN ACCRA

We, the mentors Jean and Christian, have arrived in Accra safely from Berlin and found our way to Yiri Lodge in the middle of the vast campus of the University of Ghana where we will be based during our stay.

Go to full window size!

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

We, the mentors Jean and Christian, have arrived in Accra safely from Berlin and found our way to Yiri Lodge in the middle of the vast campus of the University of Ghana where we will be based during our stay.

All our fellows from Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria - they are all here which is fantastic- are waiting for us already. Jean will start his first photography workshop session already early in the morning - because of the light of course. We will be reviewing the fellows' different research projects and start to discuss ideas for the concept of our first exhibition in Lagos next week.

GO TO FULL WINDOW!

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

All our fellows from Ghana, Uganda and Nigeria - they are all here which is fantastic- are waiting for us already. Jean will start his first photography workshop session already early in the morning - because of the light of course. We will be reviewing the fellows' different research projects and start to discuss ideas for the concept of our first exhibition in Lagos next week.

Accra, 17.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 17.10.2022

SURPRISE

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

SURPRISE

Our first encounter with Modernism in Accra, was ironically not in the University of Ghana (Legon Campus) in which we stay, but at the Goethe Institute.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Our first encounter with Modernism in Accra, was ironically not in the University of Ghana (Legon Campus) in which we stay, but at the Goethe Institute.

There is an interesting free flow from the interior through to the exterior of the building. The building also features two different facades, an angular one facing the exit, and a curved facade, from which you approach the building.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

There is an interesting free flow from the interior through to the exterior of the building. The building also features two different facades, an angular one facing the exit, and a curved facade, from which you approach the building..

The building was completed in the 1940’s and used to be the residence of a local chief and his family. It is a rather surprising gem of a building whose spaces are a dynamic interplay of double volumes.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

The building was completed in the 1940’s and used to be the residence of a local chief and his family. It is a rather surprising gem of a building whose spaces are a dynamic interplay of double volumes.

What a great introduction to the photography workshop with Jean and potential hidden treasures in Accra.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

This was a great introduction to the photography workshop with Jean and potential hidden treasures in Accra of our first exhibition in Lagos next week.

I liked the building so much, I even produced a sketch.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

I liked the buildings so much I even made a sketch.

- Timothy

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

- Timothy

Accra, 17.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 18.10.2022

MEANWHILE AT THE BASE

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

MEANWHILE AT THE BASE

We have settled at the Institute of African Studies where we have started to review the research material we have collected so far. The internet connection is unfortunately a bit flakey, so we need to improvise.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

We have settled at the Institute of African Studies where we have started to review the research material we have collected so far. The internet connection is unfortunately a bit flakey, so we need to improvise.

Lunch however at the local canteen was fantastic.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Lunch however at the local canteen was fantastic.

In the evening we climbed to the highest point of the campus to visit the Great Hall right before sunset. Built in the late 1940s it is certainly not a "Modernist" masterpiece. It is impressive all the same.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

In the evening we climbed to the highest point of the campus to visit the Great Hall right before sunset. Built in the late 1940s it is certainly not a "Modernist" masterpiece. It is impressive all the same.

Accra, 18.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 18.10.2022

MUSINGS ON MODERNISM

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

MUSINGS ON MODERNISM

Just as in any conversation about a period/movement, the question of boundaries comes up often in our conversations. What is NOT modernism? How far forward and how far backward can we stretch the category?

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Just as in any conversation about a period/movement, the question of boundaries comes up often in our conversations. What is NOT modernism? How far forward and how far backward can we stretch the category?

What exactly is the relationship between the afterlives of a thing and the thing itself? Modernism as a political idea and modernism as an architectural aesthetic often overlap, but not always. How do we regard the buildings outside this overlap. These are some of the questions we discussed among ourselves today.

- Immaculata

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

What exactly is the relationship between the afterlives of a thing and the thing itself? Modernism as a political idea and modernism as an architectural aesthetic often overlap, but not always. How do we regard the buildings outside this overlap. These are some of the questions we discussed among ourselves today.

- Immaculata

Accra, 18.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 18.10.2022

GETTING INTO GEAR

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

GETTING INTO GEAR

On the photography side of things, Jean went out to Accra centre with Jonathan, Christine and Timothy. They ran into a number of permission issues. When they tried to take a photo of an electronics shop, the owner of the business and a plain clothed security personnel accosted them but the issue was resolved. (For more detials see Jonathan's "eye-witness account" in his article 'Makola Wahala' below)

Also, at the Black Star Square, some of the security people (real or fake?) berated the team. They complained that we only focused on photographing run-down structures. "You want to portray Ghana in a bad light!", they accused them.

Back on campus, Justicia and Emmanuella were finally able to get a permission document from the registrar which we will use on our photo walks around campus.

As for prep for the exhibition, we made good progress there. Rashid, Christian and me drafted some designs for the exhibition posters. Sola and Bola got us photos and floor plans for the exhibition space. When the photo walk team got back, we all reviewed the exhibition plans and set task notes. Come Friday, our exhibition posters should be ready for printing.

- Immaculata

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

On the photography side of things, Jean went out to Accra centre with Jonathan, Christine and Timothy. They ran into a number of permission issues. When they tried to take a photo of an electronics shop, the owner of the business and a plain clothed security personnel accosted them but the issue was resolved.

Also, at the Black Star Square, some of the security people (real or fake?) berated the team. They complained that we only focused on photographing run-down structures. "You want to portray Ghana in a bad light!", they accused them. Back on campus, Justicia and Emmanuella were finally able to get a permission document from the registrar which we will use on our photo walks around campus.

As for prep for the exhibition, we made good progress there. Rashid, Christian and me drafted some designs for the exhibition posters. Sola and Bola got us photos and floor plans for the exhibition space. When the photo walk team got back, we all reviewed the exhibition plans and set task notes. Come Friday, our exhibition posters should be ready for printing.

- Immaculata

Accra, 18.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 18.10.2022

MAKOLA WAHALA

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

MAKOLA WAHALA

Around 9am, Jean, Timothy, Christine and I encountered an unpleasant shopkeeper in the famous Makola market, Accra who would go all lengths to extort from us. Having a shop space on the ground floor of a building whose architecture interested us, the middle-aged man quizzed us on the legitimacy of the exercise. All efforts to get him to reason with us proved futile, only seemingly aggravating him, which led him to invite a more ‘senior member of their society’. The so-called ‘seniorman’ touted himself as the landlord’s rep and demanded that we gave them money. Seeing Jean, our German photography mentor, they smelled blood I guess, expecting ‘at least $1000’ in their own words (yep! You heard right, $1000 lol).

After a laborious haggling session, I gave them Ghs 80 ($8) which was all I had on me. You can imagine their rage! This amount was sharply rejected and seemed to aggravate them, threatening to break my camera and call on us a mob. At this point, Jean, Tim and Christine stealthily left the scene to safety, which was generally good for my cause. I went to withdraw some more money nearby to diffuse the rising rage, while my camera was in the custody of the shopkeeper and his ‘senior man’ accomplice as a form of collateral.I returned with Ghs 100 ($10), leaving them with a total Ghs 180 ($18) which was reluctantly accepted. Truly an energy-sapping encounter, this, that left random opportunists Ghs 180.00 richer on a Tuesday mid-morning for no work done. Was the photo worth the hassle? I will leave you to decide!

- Jonathan

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Around 9am, Jean, Timothy, Christine and I encountered an unpleasant shopkeeper in the famous Makola market, Accra who would go all lengths to extort from us. Having a shop space on the ground floor of a building whose architecture interested us, the middle-aged man quizzed us on the legitimacy of the exercise. All efforts to get him to reason with us proved futile, only seemingly aggravating him, which led him to invite a more ‘senior member of their society’. The so-called ‘seniorman’ touted himself as the landlord’s rep and demanded that we gave them money. Seeing Jean, our German photography mentor, they smelled blood I guess, expecting ‘at least $1000’ in their own words (yep! You heard right, $1000 lol).

After a laborious haggling session, I gave them Ghs 80 ($8) which was all I had on me. You can imagine their rage! This amount was sharply rejected and seemed to aggravate them, threatening to break my camera and call on us a mob. At this point, Jean, Tim and Christine stealthily left the scene to safety, which was generally good for my cause. I went to withdraw some more money nearby to diffuse the rising rage, while my camera was in the custody of the shopkeeper and his ‘senior man’ accomplice as a form of collateral.I returned with Ghs 100 ($10), leaving them with a total Ghs 180 ($18) which was reluctantly accepted. Truly an energy-sapping encounter, this, that left random opportunists Ghs 180.00 richer on a Tuesday mid-morning for no work done. Was the photo worth the hassle? I will leave you to decide!

- Jonathan

Accra, 19.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 19.10.2022

DAY THREE – BUSY

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

DAY THREE - BUSY

Fellows had an early day today, hoping to take photos of campus buildings bathed in the morning light. The overall east facing orientation of the University of Ghana makes for excellent early morning shots, and the fellows – led by the mentor, Jean – took advantage of this. The group was able to take some great photos all morning, with little incident; a few people on campus came up and questioned their motives for the photography but the permission letter we obtained from the public affairs director of the university was enough to convince them to leave the group alone.

The fellows who did not go on the campus photo walk in the morning met with the mentor, Christian, at the Institute of African Studies (IAS) conference center to discuss the layout and setup for the exhibition space in Lagos. Sola, one of our Nigerian mentors, was quite helpful in this session, since he knows the campus and building where the exhibition is slated to take place (the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies at the University of Lagos).

- Rachid

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Fellows had an early day today, hoping to take photos of campus buildings bathed in the morning light. The overall east facing orientation of the University of Ghana makes for excellent early morning shots, and the fellows – led by the mentor, Jean – took advantage of this.

The group was able to take some great photos all morning, with little incident; a few people on campus came up and questioned their motives for the photography but the permission letter we obtained from the public affairs director of the university was enough to convince them to leave the group alone.

The fellows who did not go on the campus photo walk in the morning met with the mentor, Christian, at the Institute of African Studies (IAS) conference center to discuss the layout and setup for the exhibition space in Lagos. Sola, one of our Nigerian mentors, was quite helpful in this session, since he knows the campus and building where the exhibition is slated to take place (the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies at the University of Lagos).

- Rachid

Accra, 19.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 19.10.2022

A WELCOME VISIT

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

A WELCOME VISIT

xx_WhatsApp Image 2022-10-26 at 14.39.07 (2)

Jonathan, one of the Ghanaian fellows, had invited three of his students from Central University in Accra to come meet the SHA team and get some inspiration for their own work. The students, Kingsley, Ernest and Emmanuel, were very interested in the work we were doing and had lots of different questions and ideas to share with us – hopefully they will apply to be fellows in the next SHA program!

- Rachid

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Jonathan, one of the Ghanaian fellows, had invited three of his students from Central University in Accra to come meet the SHA team and get some inspiration for their own work. The students, Kingsley, Ernest and Emmanuel, were very interested in the work we were doing and had lots of different questions and ideas to share with us – hopefully they will apply to be fellows in the next SHA program!

- Rachid

Accra, 19.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 19.10.2022

AFTERNOON PHOTO WALKS

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

AFTERNOON PHOTO WALKS

In the afternoon, Jean and the photo-walking fellows rejoined the rest of us at the IAS conference room to discuss our presentation and photo selections for the exhibition. Jean had quite insightful conversations with us, after which we went on a short midday photo walk around the student hostels built during the Ghanaian post-independence era of Ghana. We got some folks come up to question our motives for the photos yet again, and luckily our signed permission came to the rescue – it looks like getting permission was of utmost importance! The team gathered for lunch at our usual spot, Bush Canteen, and unwound for a bit, chatting, relaxing and making amazing sketches (in the case of Timothy). Some fellows, together with Christian and Jean went out to downtown Old Accra to take some more photos for the afternoon.

- Rachid

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

In the afternoon, Jean and the photo-walking fellows rejoined the rest of us at the IAS conference room to discuss our presentation and photo selections for the exhibition. Jean had quite insightful conversations with us, after which we went on a short midday photo walk around the student hostels built during the Ghanaian post-independence era of Ghana. We got some folks come up to question our motives for the photos yet again, and luckily our signed permission came to the rescue – it looks like getting permission was of utmost importance! The team gathered for lunch at our usual spot, Bush Canteen, and unwound for a bit, chatting, relaxing and making amazing sketches (in the case of Timothy). Some fellows, together with Christian and Jean went out to downtown Old Accra to take some more photos for the afternoon.

- Rachid

Accra, 19.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 19.10.2022

AN EVENING OUT IN TOWN

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

AN EVENING OUT IN TOWN

Later in the evening, everyone made their way to Osu to have an evening out in the city. We met at Republic Bar and Grill (albeit some of us arrived later than others) and talked about our day, talking about the differences between other cities and Accra, and making jokes about the difficulties we faced taking photos in Accra. It was a relatively quiet evening out, and ended somewhat early (by about 10pm). We left the bar together and made our way back to Yiri Lodge to rest and prepare for another day of architecture writing and photography.

- Rachid

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Later in the evening, everyone made their way to Osu to have an evening out in the city. We met at Republic Bar and Grill (albeit some of us arrived later than others) and talked about our day, talking about the differences between other cities and Accra, and making jokes about the difficulties we faced taking photos in Accra. It was a relatively quiet evening out, and ended somewhat early (by about 10pm). We left the bar together and made our way back to Yiri Lodge to rest and prepare for another day of architecture writing and photography.

- Rachid

Accra, 20.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 19.10.2022

EVERYBODY SCATTER

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

AN EVENING OUT IN TOWN

xx_WhatsApp Image 2022-10-26 at 14.39.08 (1)

Our fourth day, Thursday, was generally a free day for most of us. Jean, Jonathan and Timothy went to Kumasi to visit the university campus, but the rest of us stayed in Accra. We, Rashid, Justicia and Emmanuella, went to Accra Central to take more pictures of old buildings and to further explore the city. We set off after rush hour at 11am and got to Accra central around 11:40am since the traffic situation was bearable. A drive through Accra revealed a blend of different architectural styles making evident the evolution from the pre-modernist era to post-modernist era. The relatively new buildings seem to overshadow the old, however, the modernist buildings still stand out because of their response to context. It was nice to witness the interaction between modernist buildings and its users, despite the chaotic nature of this African city.

Our first stop was at the National Museum of Ghana. The newly refurbished white building stands out amidst the vast landscape that envelopes it. It has a dome at the centre that lights up the interior exhibition space and an angular façade that serves as a solar shading. We discovered our first shortcut which connects the National Museum to the National Archives building. We walked through the site, got out through the main entrance and crossed the street to the Holy Spirit Cathedral.

Our next stop was further down the street, much closer to the Makola market. Along the way, we bought “fanmilk” to cool us down after walking under the scorching sun for so long. We finally got to the Ghana School of Law and asked a security man at the entrance for permission to enter. He allowed us in and directed us to the second shortcut which connects the Ghana School of Law and the Supreme Court Complex to the Accra Central Library. At the library, we stopped at the Children’s section to observe the architecture; the interplay of vibrant colours brought out our inner child. We eventually left Accra Central and walked towards Jamestown.

- Emmanuela and Justicia

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Later in the evening, everyone made their way to Osu to have an evening out in the city. We met at Republic Bar and Grill (albeit some of us arrived later than others) and talked about our day, talking about the differences between other cities and Accra, and making jokes about the difficulties we faced taking photos in Accra. It was a relatively quiet evening out, and ended somewhat early (by about 10pm). We left the bar together and made our way back to Yiri Lodge to rest and prepare for another day of architecture writing and photography.

- Rachid

Accra, 20.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 19.10.2022

LONG WALKS AND SHORTCUTS

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

LONG WALKS AND SHORTCUTS

To stroll along the modernist enclave, from the Bank of Ghana and the Ussher Fort, with its institutional buildings, gets one appreciate the large walkways. This space was planned for walking, whereas in contrast, the pedestrian walkways become smaller or non-existant as we approach the market and the harbor. Lastly, we visited the beach and a restaurant by the harbor with a nice view of the ocean with several boats lined up by the shore and waters hitting against the nearby rocks. In a distance we could see the lighthouse and the fort... a day well spent.

- Emmanuella and Justicia

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

To stroll along the modernist enclave, from the Bank of Ghana and the Ussher Fort, with its institutional buildings, gets one appreciate the large walkways. This space was planned for walking, whereas in contrast, the pedestrian walkways become smaller or non-existant as we approach the market and the harbor. Lastly, we visited the beach and a restaurant by the harbor with a nice view of the ocean with several boats lined up by the shore and waters hitting against the nearby rocks. In a distance we could see the lighthouse and the fort... a day well spent.

- Emmanuella and Justicia

Kumasi, 20.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Kumasi, 20.10.2022

KUMASI: NOT A DETOUR!

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

TRIP TO KUMASI

It is hard to talk about Modernism in Ghana without touching on Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus. On Thursday, Jean, Timothy and I took a trip to Kumasi to capture the masterpieces there. We got straight to work after reaching campus around 9:30am. Weather and lighting conditions were perfect which aided the speed of our operation.

We were also blessed with unobstructed still shots as school was on vacation, coupled with industrial action being undertaken by UTAG (University Teachers Association of Ghana). We started the encounter by speaking to some security personnel and casual staff, who were particularly welcoming. The principal subjects of our camera lenses would include the Senior Staff Clubhouse, Engineering Labs, Great Hall, Prempeh Library, Unity Hall, Staff residences, etc.

As a result of the perfect working conditions, we were done with what we set out for in under three hours, albeit being on foot throughout our time on campus. By midday, we left to get lunch at an eatery, after which we had to endure a long wait as our flight back was scheduled for 8:20pm. While waiting, we loitered about Asokwa, window shopping at the Kumasi City Mall, from which Timothy wanted to get a sim card. It poured a short while after that and by 6pm, we set off for the Kumasi airport. Check-in and flight back was generally smooth. We got back to Yiri Lodge around 9:40pm, experiencing another episode of rainfall half an hour later.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

It is hard to talk about Modernism in Ghana without touching on Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) campus. On Thursday, Jean, Timothy and I took a trip to Kumasi to capture the masterpieces there. We got straight to work after reaching campus around 9:30am. Weather and lighting conditions were perfect which aided the speed of our operation. We were also blessed with unobstructed still shots as school was on vacation, coupled with industrial action being undertaken by UTAG (University Teachers Association of Ghana). We started the encounter by speaking to some security personnel and casual staff, who were particularly welcoming.

The principal subjects of our camera lenses would include the Senior Staff Clubhouse, Engineering Labs, Great Hall, Prempeh Library, Unity Hall, Staff residences, etc. As a result of the perfect working conditions, we were done with what we set out for in under three hours, albeit being on foot throughout our time on campus. By midday, we left to get lunch at an eatery, after which we had to endure a long wait as our flight back was scheduled for 8:20pm. While waiting, we loitered about Asokwa, window shopping at the Kumasi City Mall, from which Timothy wanted to get a sim card. It poured a short while after that and by 6pm, we set off for the Kumasi airport. Check-in and flight back was generally smooth. We got back to Yiri Lodge around 9:40pm, experiencing another episode of rainfall half an hour later.

- Jonathan

- Jonathan

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

- Jonathan

Accra, 21.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 21.10.2022

OUR LAST FULL DAY TOGETHER... ON THIS TRIP

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

OUR LAST FULL DAY TOGETHER (IN GHANA)

We started early for a day trip to Tema, an industrial port city that was created from scratch in the 1960s, so that we could beat the traffic and catch good morning light for the pictures. At 5.30am, we were already in the van on our way. I cannot say everyone was fully awake on that ride, but, nevertheless, we persisted!

Our first stop was the Meridian Hotel. One of the fellows is focusing on that building for her research project, and I can see why. It is a shell of a building but the order (in the lines from the concrete structure) and the grand scale of the building humbles you. Our reverie was cut short by the dreaded permissions issue. While the basic framework for this trip was clear, the specific itinerary wasn’t.

So, we had the plan for the day but the buildings to be visited and photographed were made up as we went along. Because of that, we had several challenges with people at the buildings, understandably, regarding permissions. At the Meridian Hotel, the security guy, clearly on his last reserve of patience, asked us: “What is there to see?!” Well, maybe that’s something we should be trying to address: What is there to ‘see’ on these heritage projects?

After that, we went around the city, stopping to visit some other interesting projects. One of the most intriguing was the community schools; one building prototype replicated in several communities. We stopped for late breakfast and continued our visits to the buildings. At the end of the day, some of the fellows continued on to Yiri Lodge to rest while others went to the market to get authentic African print fabric. When in Ghana, right?

- Christine

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

We started early for a day trip to Tema, an industrial port city that was created from scratch in the 1960s, so that we could beat the traffic and catch good morning light for the pictures. At 5.30am, we were already in the van on our way. I cannot say everyone was fully awake on that ride, but, nevertheless, we persisted!

Our first stop was the Meridian Hotel. One of the fellows is focusing on that building for her research project, and I can see why. It is a shell of a building but the order (in the lines from the concrete structure) and the grand scale of the building humbles you. Our reverie was cut short by the dreaded permissions issue. While the basic framework for this trip was clear, the specific itinerary wasn’t.

So, we had the plan for the day but the buildings to be visited and photographed were made up as we went along. Because of that, we had several challenges with people at the buildings, understandably, regarding permissions. At the Meridian Hotel, the security guy, clearly on his last reserve of patience, asked us: “What is there to see?!” Well, maybe that’s something we should be trying to address: What is there to ‘see’ on these heritage projects?

After that, we went around the city, stopping to visit some other interesting projects. One of the most intriguing was the community schools; one building prototype replicated in several communities. We stopped for late breakfast and continued our visits to the buildings. At the end of the day, some of the fellows continued on to Yiri Lodge to rest while others went to the market to get authentic African print fabric. When in Ghana, right?

- Christine

Accra, 22.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Accra, 22.10.2022

TO BE CONTINUED

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

TO BE CONTINUED

Today we are leaving Accra behind. Our adventures will continue in Lagos next week where we will meet Bola and Tubi, the two fellows from Nigeria who unfortunately couldn't make this trip. We missed them. In Lagos we will also hold a pop-up exhibition at the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies at the the University of Lagos. We will showcase the project as it stands. But that is another chapter of our journey together.

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!

Today we are leaving Accra behind. Our adventures will continue in Lagos next week where we will meet Bola and Tubi, the two fellows from Nigeria who unfortunately couldn't make this trip. We missed them. In Lagos we will also hold a pop-up exhibition at the Institute of African and Diaspora Studies at the the University of Lagos. We will showcase the project as it stands. But that is another chapter of our journey together.

Lagos, 26.10.2022

Proudly hosted by Architectuul.

Lagos, 26.10.2022

MORE POSTS

Shared Heritage Africa: Rediscovering Masterpieces is an open call for Digital Fellowships.

66 applications submitted. The call for fellowships was well received in the targeted countries of Ghana, Nigeria and Uganda. Selected candidates will be notified by the end of April.

Thank you for your participation!