“Building for the future”, Connected, level 3, January 2018
10 January 2018
In this article the Samoan village of Sa’anapu is under threat from tsunamis, cyclones, and rising sea levels. To protect their village, the Council of Matai are working with an architect and scientist from New Zealand. Together, they’re drawing on cultural, scientific, and technological knowledge to build a safer future for Sa’anapu.
You can find the story and the teaching notes here: “Building for the future”, Connected, level 3, January 2018
Other useful resources
Cyclone Gita's trail of destruction exposes poor building standards in Tonga
Building standards do exist in Tonga however they are rarely enforced.
Nkabom House is a prototypical Ghanaian home made from mud and waste plastic
In Ghana a home is built from rammed earth. The plastic sachets used to distribute clean water in the region were woven by school children to create louvres fitted to windows.
Discussion questions
These could include:
- What are the the physical attributes (e.g. colour, shape, texture, size) of the buildings described?
- What are the the functional attributes (what is the purpose of the building) of the buildings described?
- A "good" or "bad" design is related to the match between its physical and functional nature, its intended user/s and the context they would normally use it in. Using this definition, explain why you think that the new building for the people of Sa’anapu is a good design.
- Find out about the climate in Ghana. Is Nkabom House a good design?
Progress outcomes for discussion starters
| Component | Indicator | Level |
| Characteristics of technological outcomes |
| 3 |