The Living Estuary. A study of developing landscape spatial adaptive strategies to integrate the water, ecosystem and Anthropic-dynamics in the estuary of Volta delta, Ghana

Teaching staff.
Supervisor: Inge Bobbink, Marjolein Spaans

Students.
Authors: AyuTriPrestasia

Severe coastal erosion, as well as rapid, informal urbanization and the absence of long-term planning, is a challenge for the Volta Delta in Ghana. The project offers an integrated landscape architectonic approach, intertwining spatial, economic and ecological systems by developing local technical solutions and by envisaging its implementation. The project tries to figure out what the role of the landscape architect and spatial design itself is in such vulnerable areas with stringent limitations of the financial, technological and political sector.
For this site-specific design, three central interventions constructed the framework of the project. Firstly, a well-positioned new infrastructure (road) was located, which direct the urban sprawl. Secondly, interventions with an adaptive capacity to specific changes in natural processes (catching sedimentation, creating water bodies, etc.) are implemented. And thirdly, the concept of a circular system was initiated, open for interventions of people to support the local economy and to improve ecological and environmental issues.
The seductive images of this possible future are meant as a starting point for discussion between stakeholders showing that it is possible to involve sustainable strategies for the future of developing countries.