2019 On Site Review Report by Bekim Ramku 5210.UGA

Ashinaga Dormitory Nansana, Uganda

Architect Terrain Architects / Ikko Kobayashi, Fumi Kashimura

Client Ashinaga Uganda

Design 2011-2014

Completed 2015

Ashinaga Uganda Dormitory Nansana, Uganda

I. Introduction

The Ashinaga Uganda Dormitory is located in a rapidly urbanising suburban town, 13 kilometres from Kampala, the capital city of Uganda. It stands on the equator but is high above sea level – giving it a comfortable climate, with winds blowing towards and from Lake Victoria, which lies in the south.

This is a residential school for orphans – a home for 50 students from different countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where they learn how to live together with people of diverse cultures and where they prepare to enter universities abroad.

The building materials were locally sourced – the bricks were made locally and were carefully selected. Through the long process of construction, masons and labourers developed pride in these hand-made bricks, which they had originally thought had no value.

II. Contextual information

A. Brief historical background

Ikko Kobayashi, an architecture student from , visited Uganda in 2003 for his gap year, and volunteered with the Ugandan-Japanese NGO Ashinaga Uganda, then as a visiting student at Makerere University and as the intern for a local architectural office.

The NGO, founded in Japan to offer educational support to orphans, launched its international activities as a repayment of the world’s contribution after the 1995 Earthquake. At that time, Uganda had over two million orphaned children who had lost their parents because of HIV, thus Ashinaga decided to begin their activities here. Ikko, a recipient of a scholarship from the NGO, visited Uganda on an exchange programme and was deeply involved in the community.

In 2003, Nansana village was a hilly verdant country area with a population of 6,000. The main occupations were farming, livestock rearing and a brick-making industry. The Ashinaga Uganda head office, including small classrooms, was built in 2003 by local builders in coordination with an architectural office that the project architect was working for, and it has offered much support to the local community.

B. Local architectural character, including prevalent forms and materials

There are generally two types of buildings in the peripheral area of Kampala. One type is a single-storey house that has brick walls and a timber truss covered with a corrugated metal roof. The other typology is a medium-rise structure made out of reinforced concrete that is usually poorly constructed because of lack of supervision. Both use fired bricks which are the major building material and are produced locally.

Steel-frame window units with glass and burglar proofing are widely used in houses. The limited openings allow only a small amount of natural light and winds to come into the rooms, so most people spend their

1 daytime outside of the house and you frequently see people working at small desks outside their house in sunlight and breeze.

Galvanised metal sheeting is also a popular material. It offers cool space soon after sunset when the heat escapes. It is cheap and lightweight.

C. Climatic conditions

The climate is gentle and rather cool despite being on the equator because of the high elevation of the plateau at 1 to 2 kilometres altitude.

The annual temperature range spans from 17 to 27℃. There are two rainy seasons in the country, starting in March (average rainfall: 12 centimetres in 2012), and the other in October (average rainfall: 15 centimetres in 2012), each lasting around two to three months. Recently, predicting the rainy seasons has become more difficult because of climate change.

D. Immediate surroundings of the site, including architectural character, access, landscaping, etc.

The site is located one block away from the district’s main street, in the rapidly urbanising suburban town, Nansana, which is developing as a satellite city.

The population explosion led by rapid development without proper city planning has left many problems around the site, such as unpaved narrow roads causing traffic jams, dense residential areas causing unsanitary living conditions, and rushed building constructions which fail because of the poor structural integrity of the building. Its unequal development of modern urbanised living has created a dichotomy of urban life and countryside life. The site stands between peripheral, rural and suburban areas.

The most common construction material is hand-made fired brick – which is usually covered with mortar because of the rough texture of the bricks and their inconsistent size. The workers usually lay the bricks without much care because they are such a familiar material and are taken for granted. Timber is another over-familiar material – used for roof trusses concealed by ceilings. Reinforced concrete is usually used for multi-storey buildings, along main streets, but rushed construction and lack of knowledge and supervision results in poor-quality buildings.

E Topography of the project site

The site is located in the north-western side of Kampala. Although the region is mildly hilly, the site itself is flat. From the balcony, you can look down into a shallow valley and see another hill on the western side of the neighbourhood. The area was formerly covered with wooded greenery and savannah, but it is now covered with new houses.

III. Programme

A. History of the inception of the project; how the project was initiated

After ten years of its activities in elementary-school-level education, and social support for orphans in Uganda, Ashinaga founder Yoshiomi Tamai noticed the necessity for improved higher education to prepare

2 African students to become leading figures of Africa’s future. He visualised Ashinaga Uganda Kokorojuku (dormitory) as a preparatory school and residential facility to learn the skills and knowledge needed to apply to universities abroad as well as develop the local community through different engagement projects. Funding comes from donors, mainly from Japan, to support orphans’ future education.

B. How were the architects and specialists chosen?

Ikko Kobayashi, having continuous contact with Uganda and other African countries, and his architect partner Fumi Kashimura were directly commissioned by the foundation as architects for the design of this new facility. They enlisted other specialists including locally based architect Enock Kibbamu who had known Ashinaga’s activities in Uganda from the very beginning. A local construction company was selected through a standard bidding process.

C. General programme objectives

The main objective of the programme, as presented by the client, was the creation of future leaders who have the motivation and ability to contribute to the future of sub-Saharan Africa. Therefore, the programme needed to provide ideas for enhancing the value and potential of the students’ countries rather than just bringing back knowledge from developed countries.

The architecture team aspired to design a project that enhances indigenous values of the African continent. This belief led to the idea of sourcing all materials and skills from the local communities.

The client also required that the facility accommodate students who were selected from each country of sub- Saharan Africa. They spend their time here under the mentorship of tutors from top universities around the world. “Study Camp” and “Preparation Camp” are geared to prepare students for standardised testing and university entrance applications. In addition to the common academic classes, scholars benefit from African and global affairs classes, computer skills, presentations and debate classes.

The students, interns and staff also take on positions of responsibility in daily life within the facility.

D. Functional requirements (i.e. architect’s brief)

The building was designed as a residential school. The client committee had no preconceptions for the building’s design. However, because of their experiences of organising dormitories in other places, they believed that a sense of a courtyard or “quad” is ideal for community life. Also, the number of students was expected to fluctuate, so the spaces needed a lot of flexibility.

The architecture team thought that spaces should be appropriately designed for individual and group study, with larger spaces for the whole community coexisting with quiet bedrooms and office spaces.

Residents gather here from many different nations, and have different experiences of modern urbanised life. The building keeps a balance between high-tech and low-tech facilities in the kitchens and bathrooms – the low-tech equipment giving the building a degree of independence from the unstable infrastructure of this region.

3 IV. Description

A. Building data: volumetry, massing, number of units, surface in square metres, etc.

Area: Total site area: 2,140 square metres Ground-floor area: 809 square metres First-floor area: 507 square metres Total combined floor area: 1,316 square metres

Height: Maximum height: 7.83 metres Floor-to-floor height: 2.89 metres Wall height variation: 1.1 metres, 2.1 metres and 2.7 metres from floor level

B. Evolution of design concepts, including

1. Response to physical constraints – siting, climate, plot ratios, etc.

The dormitory stands at approximately 1.2 kilometres above sea level – giving it a comfortable climate, with winds blowing towards and from Lake Victoria, which lies in the south. When they started designing the project, the architects noticed that the locals spent hot days outside – in shade and the breeze. Thus the design team opted to position long walls along south-east to north-west sides to create shadows during the hottest period of the day, and have large openings on north and south façades to draw wind and light deep into the rooms.

There are two rainy seasons, but the architects observed the rain does not fall all day. Therefore, they designed the building as predominantly open spaces within which enclosed rooms can be used when the rain is extreme. When it rains, residents take comfortable refuge within closed spaces like bedrooms, offices, classrooms and the canteen area. When it stops raining, they expand their territories to open spaces like terraces, balconies and the hall which are covered by roofs where they are protected from the heat of the sun and still allowing for air to flow. The water tank with solar-powered pump-up helps with water shortages which people face year round.

2. Response to user requirements, spatial organisation

This is a residential school for orphans – a home for 50 students from different countries in sub-Saharan Africa, where they learn how to live together with people of diverse cultures and where they prepare to enter universities abroad. In the enclosed site, according to the architects the biggest challenge was to keep a proper distance between quiet individual activities and group activities.

The project consists of six main buildings (girls’ dormitory, boys’ dormitory, staff quarters, classrooms, canteen and office) that surround a planted courtyard that is the social centre of the community and which bursts into life when the students move across it between classes – the six “clusters” of rooms are all separately accessed, for security reasons.

The architects drew parallel lines of ten brick walls offering long and narrow bays, and positioned “clusters” crossing bays. Rooms that share a bay between two brick walls are united (like the office entrance and classrooms), while those that stand either side of a wall are separated (like girls’ bedrooms and boys’ bedrooms).

4 The long brick walls with their bays spaced apart by 3 and 4 metres are subdivided into sizes that are appropriate for individual or group study, and the canteen, which spans across and unifies three bays, is large enough for the whole community to gather in.

3. Purely formal aspects – massing, articulation of façades, decorative features, use of traditional motifs, etc.

The compound is divided into several volumes, and massing is scaled down to make them more integrated to the surrounding area. Within the site, around the courtyard, the height of the walls is reduced to harmonise the sense of a more personal space.

The bricks, with their heavy visual weight and thickness, give the rooms a sense of security, and contrast with the thin-framed window-walls.

4. Landscaping

The site is in an area of unpaved narrow streets, with little open space. It is one block away from a busy street, and is enclosed by houses, a local elementary school and a hotel. A boundary wall makes the school independent from its surroundings in this area. An important challenge was how to link this enclosed site to its surrounding community. The boundary wall is made up of a series of short brick walls with small niches that link the school to the scale of the neighbouring buildings. One of the niches connects to the kitchen, and is where the “Mother” comes from the surrounding community to cook food for the students every day.

The ten walls, the rugged-shape and planted courtyard surrounded by buildings, and small rear gardens allow the wind to come in-between buildings and the boundary wall. The courtyard and gardens are completely covered with various shrubs, flowers and grass, while 60-by-60-centimetre concrete tiles offer walkways connecting different spaces in the complex.

C. Structure, materials, technology

1. Structural systems in restoration projects, structural interventions

The main structural system is 150-millimetre-thick reinforced-concrete portal frames enclosed within brick cavity walls. The exposed fired bricks work as formwork and also as finishing materials. The variegated red colours of the bricks represent the soil, and each of the bricks were carefully arranged to give a beautiful pattern of colours and textures. The electricity outlets, switches and wall-bracket lights were fabricated on site, in timber, to fit into the brick module of 100 by 110 by 200 millimetres. Within the walls, the cavities function as cable/pipe space and as shelves. The concrete portal frames also allow large openings. The corrugated-iron sheet roof is mainly supported by steel hollow sections (75 by 50 by 4 millimetres) with timber rafters and purlins.

2. Materials

All materials were locally sourced. Fired bricks, steel frame, timber, stone and concrete are all familiar to the locals.

5 3. Construction technology

Construction technology was also locally sourced, and on-site fabrication was encouraged, to utilise the builders’ skills. According to the architects, in this project they explored the possibility of improving the workmanship of the local builders by very careful supervision. During construction architects and builders communicated through English and Luganda – the local language – but mainly through sketches and models, which the workers appreciated. “Our intention was not to just transfer the architects’ ideas, but to derive knowledge and ideas from the local builders’ wisdom” – Ikko Kobayashi.

4. Building services, site utilities

The facility does not have mechanical ventilation. For computer, Internet and lighting, a generator as back- up power was installed because of the instability of electricity from public infrastructure.

Solar panels are also installed on the roof of the girls’ dormitory to supply power to security lights and to the pump of the underground water tank. This system was funded by the Japanese government’s “Grant Assistance for Grass-Roots Project” scheme. These systems have been working well, and have decreased the running costs for the facility.

D. Origin of

1. Technology

This is local, but required careful supervision.

2. Materials

All materials are locally available and sourced.

3. Labor force

Many workers, including Ashinaga’s beneficiaries, were employed from the surrounding communities.

4. Professionals

Architects: TERRAIN architects / Ikko Kobayashi, Fumi Kashimura Contractors: ASWANGAH construction services / Francis Kwehangana Consultants: PLANTEK Ltd / Enock Kibbamu

V. Construction schedule and costs

A. History of project design and implementation, with dates

2011: Ashinaga set up the Ashinaga Africa Initiative 2011: Architects started researching and conceptualising for the project 2012 – 2013: 1st phase of construction 2014 – 2015: 2nd phase of construction 2015 July: Opening ceremony

6 B. Total costs and main sources of financing

Total actual cost: 998,855 USD Funding is from donors mainly from Japan

C. Comparative costs (if relevant)

Not applicable.

D. Qualitative analysis of costs (per square meter, per unit, etc.)

758.47 USD per square metre.

E. Maintenance costs (heating, cooling, etc.)

The usual monthly cost for electricity and water is: electricity 250 USD; water 180 USD. However, this sum varies depending on the number of students that are staying in the dormitory. Because of the mild climate there is also no need for air-conditioning units for heating/cooling.

F. Ongoing costs and “life performance” of building, in terms of materials, maintenance, etc.

Last year the centre spent only 900 USD for small maintenance works.

VI. Technical assessment

A. Functional assessment (use)

As a residence for students, subdivided rooms work well and are flexible enough to accept the fluctuating number of residents. The bedrooms are unified by one shared space. Each room is separated by a curtain, and furniture within the room can provide extra privacy. Each shared room has one washroom space (two washbasins, a shower and a toilet). Each room’s residents are responsible for maintaining and cleaning their own washroom space.

As a school, although there are only two designated classrooms, students seem to have no issues finding areas for individual/group study on the site. Also, the open-air deck above the canteen is used more frequently than initially expected, in particular for debates and talks. The students have named this space the “sky- deck”.

B. Climatic performance, lighting, natural and/or mechanical ventilation, sun control, insect control, acoustics, orientation, etc., description of systems developed and utilised

Most of the spaces on site are open enough to get natural light and ventilation, so there is no need to use mechanical ventilation or lighting for daily activities. There are, however, times when electrical usage is vital. Therefore, the site has a back-up generator which kicks in if the national grid experiences outages. This means the students who are using computers and the Internet will not be affected.

7 C. Response to treatment of water and rainfall, discharge of water, and retention and release system(s), if any

Since there is a dry season and a rainy season, the facility has systems in place for water shortages and for protection against rainfall.

The rain-harvesting tank under ground in the courtyard supplies water during water shortages. Solar panels on the roof of the girls’ dormitory supply electricity to pump water up from the tank, when it is needed. With regular maintenance the system is working very well and has had no issues.

Drainage in the neighbourhood is not optimal due to unpaved, bumpy roads. In order to protect the buildings on site without causing water damage to the neighbouring houses and buildings, the structures have been built 350 millimetres above ground level, each is surrounded by small gardens used to absorb rainwater, and each building has 370 millimetres of stone slate skirting to protect the exposed brick.

D. Environmental response, adaptation to the natural environment, adaptation to native flora and fauna

In this project, the architects planted as many native shrubs and flowers as possible. The residents are very pleased with the results and express their appreciation for the flourishing flora.

E. Choice of materials, level of technology

The level of local technology is not high, so the comprehensive design of this facility was made to be as simple as possible for the local people to maintain easily. Materials were sourced from the local community for the same reason.

F. Response to, and planning for, emergency situations, i.e. natural disasters, floods, winds, fires, earthquakes, etc.

The site is not recognised to be at risk of natural disasters like floods, forest fires, etc. It is, however, near the East African Rift which could make it vulnerable to earthquakes, so the architects and the structural engineers have planned an earthquake-resistant structural design for the foundations and portal frames, and have carefully supervised the bricklaying with properly positioned wall ties.

G. Ageing and maintenance problems

In order to protect the brick walls, each wall has a concrete coping on the top, a clear coating for the whole façade and stone skirting to guard against rainfall damage. The structure is maintained regularly by local builders.

H. Design features: massing and volume, articulation of spaces, integration into the site (topography and neighbouring buildings)

The fragmented volume of the complex and its restrained height make the compound seem to integrate with the building typologies surrounding the site. The perpendicularly positioned glass walls (to the brick ones) create an amazing impression of transparency and of spaciousness of the site, and the spaces in between are very well distributed and functional.

8 I. Impact of the project on the site, in terms of increased circulation or vehicular movement, changes required for infrastructure (particularly for projects in high-density areas), etc.

The construction site boundaries were recessed in several parts so as to give more space back to the neighbourhood street.

J. Durability and long-term viability of the project

The project is expected to be durable, especially with the good care that it is receiving. Also, since all the materials were sourced locally, there is no need for special materials or skills for maintenance.

K. Ease and appropriateness of furnishings, interior design and furnishing

There are two kinds of furnishing in this facility: (1) parts that were designed into the buildings, like wall bracket lights, which were positioned throughout to accommodate the fluctuating number of students; and (2) furniture which was acquired from local carpenters.

VII. Users

A. Description of those who use or benefit from the project (e.g. income level, socio-cultural profile, etc.)

The beneficiaries of the project are orphaned scholars coming from different countries from sub-Saharan Africa who are helped by the Ashinaga Africa Initiative to be accepted in some of the best universities in the Western world and grow into the leaders of the future.

Recently there was an increase of interns, mainly from and the United States, choosing to spend their vacations and break years helping the management of the centre.

B. Response to the project by clients, users, community, etc.

1. What do architectural professionals and the cultural “intelligentsia” think about the project?

The local professionals as well as cultural representatives are very impressed by the project, in particular the architects. The most impressive thing about the project according to local architects is the quality of the finished work. They also point out that the quality of works in the country since colonial times is not something to be proud of, and that this project in a way shows to many that you can produce an impressive building using local material.

The project is often visited and studied by local as well as international architecture schools.

2. What is the popular reaction to the project?

The client, management and the users of the building all have positive views of the project. The users are very impressed by the use of local material, in particular the bricks. Locally the fired bricks are not left exposed but are covered by plaster, as purchased bricks are usually not of the same quality or size, and bricklaying quality is very low.

9 3. What do neighbours and those in the immediate vicinity think about the project?

The neighbours are very welcoming of the project and are happy it is located in their neighbourhood. They think that the project has a positive impact on the vicinity, from the simple exterior lights illuminating the surrounding street at night, to the impact the project has had on the local economy during and after its construction.

VIII. Persons involved

A. Identification of project personnel and their roles in the project (e.g. client, architect, planner, consultant, craftsmen, etc.)

Principal architects: Ikko Kobayashi, Fumi Kashimura Consultant, project manager: Enock Kibbamu Consultant, site supervisor: Amon Habmugisha Consultant, structural engineer: Ndozireho Ronnie Mulindwa Constructor, director: Kwehangana Francis Client, founder of Ashinaga: Yoshiomi Tamai Client, board member of Ashinaga Uganda: Yukichi Okazaki Client, former acting Director of Ashinaga Uganda: Yuka Yamada Local leader from surrounding community: Fred Kabanda

IX. Bibliography

A. List of publications

Shinkenchiku, January 2018, pp.106–115 Shinkenchiku, May 2014, pp.106–113 JA (Japan Architecture), winter 2015, p.36 SD (Space Design), 2012, pp.24–25 African Design, May 2016, p.35

Bekim Ramku May 2019

10 Ashinaga Uganda Dormitory Ground floor

Section

Axonometry Ground floor

The compound is divided into several volumes, and massing is scaled down to make them more integrated to the surrounding area.

Ten parallel lines made of brick walls, offer long-narrow bays. “Clusters” are positioned crossing bays. The concrete portal frames also allow large openings.

The perpendicularly positioned glass walls (to the brick ones) create an amazing impression of transparency and of spaciousness of the site, and the spaces in between are very well distributed and functional. The planted courtyard, surrounded by the six main buildings (girls’ dormitory, boys’ dormitory, staff quarters, classrooms, canteen and office), is the social center of the community.

The courtyard and gardens are completely covered with various shrubs, flowers & grass, while 60x60 cm concrete tiles offer walkways connecting different spaces in the complex. Long walls are positioned along southeast to northwest sides to create shadows during the hottest period of the day, and have large openings on north and south facades to draw wind and light deep into the rooms.

The open-air deck above the canteen is used more frequently than initially expected, in particular for debates and talks. The students have named this space the ‘sky-deck’. The long brick walls with their bays spaced apart by 3 and 4 meters are sub–divided into sizes that are appropriate for individual or group study, and the canteen, which spans across and unifies three bays, is large enough for the whole community to gather in.

The “Mother” comes from the surrounding community to cook for the students every day, linking the school to the scale of the neighboring buildings. Burnt bricks, steel frame, timber, stone and concrete used for the school are locally sourced and all familiar to the locals.

The corrugated iron sheet roofs are mainly supported by steel hollow sections. They protect open spaces like terraces, balconies and the hall, from the heat of the sun and still allowing for air to flow. The bricks, with their heavy visual, weight and thickness, give the rooms a sense of security, and contrast with the thin-framed window-walls.

The variegated red colors of the bricks represents the soil, and each of the bricks were carefully arranged to give a beautiful pattern of colors and textures. The electricity outlets, switches and wall-bracket lights were fabricated on site, in timber, to fit into the brick module.