Studio Introduction
Architecture, Heritage, Urbanism in Western Africa (AHUWA) is a research centre based at the School of Architecture. This year was the launch of the inaugural AHUWA Studio and we focused our investigations around designing for cultural and climatic contexts.
The studio began with a project called Solaris. We wanted to think about the influence of the sun on architecture and how it can be used to create passively lit and heated solutions. We also wanted to base our first semester project in the local area and to collaborate with clients and stakeholders in the city region. Using two sites at the entrance to the Queensway Tunnel we proposed new solutions for the Wirral Waters masterplan and the City of Liverpool whilst also collaborating with the charity Energise Cycles.
In Semester Two we ran projects across two locations – both port towns in urgent need of regeneration and with new masterplans proposed. One site was in Morecambe, UK, where a new Eden Project in the North, designed by Grimshaws is proposed, and the other was in Accra, Ghana, with a Marine Drive Masterplan by Adjaye Associates. We ran field trips to both locations.
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I wanted to create a building that responds to the weather – and without air conditioning. That was my primary focus. I then thought about the landscape, how trees can be used as the first line of defence against heat, and how to position a building to avoid direct solar gain
Joe Owusu Addo
This semester we ran two projects – both located in coastal towns both with rich and fascinating histories -but in urgent need of regeneration. Both locations are also sites for large scale interventions by leading architectural practices and we wanted to respond to, and learn from these projects.
Site 1 was located in the Lancashire town of Morecambe, UK. Here the students were responding to the new Eden in the North development designed by Grimshaw architects. The students conducted an appraisal of the town and its heritage in conjunction with the city council. They then selected a site based on their appraisals and developed a proposal that would contribute to the reimagining of Morecambe and its future.
Site 2 was also in a port town and located at the coastal edge overlooking the ocean. We selected the dilapidated site of a former department store in the historic Jamestown district of Accra, Ghana. Here the challenge was to respond not only to the demanding site conditions, but also the high temperature and humidity of the tropics. The programme was a new botanical garden and laboratory/herbarium. 18 students visited Ghana in January 2025 and we toured Accra, Kumasi, Cape Coast, and Aburi to observe passive design, tropical modernism, and to experience the climate and culture first hand.
Although both sites had diverse challenges and complex conditions to resolve, the coastal conditions, rich heritage buildings, and ‘city on the edge’ thresholds offered many parallel problems and opportunities for discussion and exchange.
Tutors
Iain Jackson
Ola Uduku
Jitender Shambi
Nazanin Golkar
Specialist tutorials on environment, structures, and building technology
Stuart Gee
Hanmei Chen
Ted Ruffell
Breb Harris Millar
Special Thanks
Ikko Kobayashi
Phil Malhouse
Mark Anstey
Frances Phillips
Jo Day
Tim Hall
Seun Oduwole
Razan Simbawa
Adefola Toye
Aquiles Roman Serrano
Haniyeh Mohammadpourkarbasi
Morecambe Council
Richard Brook
Jamestown Café and Archiafrika
University of Ghana
KNUST Guest House in Accra and the Engineering Guest House in KumasiRexford Assasie Opong KNUST Architecture School
The Ghana Club
Gillian Treacy
The Mersey Tunnel Staff and Tours
Joe Grant from Energise Cycles
Hollie Burnett from Energise Cycles
Richard Mawdsley from Wirral Waters
Nick Webb
Alex Dusterloh
Hanmei Chen
Alumni and friends of University of Liverpool
Steve – Friends of the Winter Gardens Morecambe Jonathan Noad Lancaster Council Jen Rehman Lancaster Council Ruth Hanson Morecambe Sailing Club
Student Galleries
- Li Wanjia
- Harry Kitto
- Mohadeseh Kani
- Wei Jin
- Yanchi Jiang
- Hinal Gosai
- Camille Cottereau
- Freya Bullock
- Darshan Bijuvignesh
- Anna Zhu
- Jie Zhu
- Zhou Rongsheng
- Zhang Ziyue
- Zhang Xinyu
- Yiran Yang
- Sammy Wood
- Harry Turner
- Christos Tsalatsanis
- Salma Tahir
- Dannielle Modzaku
- amelie-moat
- Natalia Basiak
- Shiree Mae
- Safea Al-Rawi
Students
- Shiree Alimodian
- Safea Al-Rawi
- Byan Basahey
- Natalia Basiak
- Darshan Bijuvignesh
- Freya Bullock
- Gerard Cosina
- Camille Cottereau
- Zijun Gong
- Hinal Gosai
- Yanchi Jiang
- Wei Jin
- Django Jones
- Meli Kani
- Ethan Kemp
- Alex Kilheeney-Ball
- Harry Kitto
- Wanjia Li
- Yihan Li
- Albin Limerick
- Yimeng Lu
- Shamiah McIntosh
- Verity Millar
- Amelie Moat
- Dannielle Modzaku
- Jingxin Qu
- Flo Saunders
- Gujia Su
- Salma Tahir
- Christos Tsalatsanis
- Harry Turner
- Sammy Wood
- Youtian Xiao
- Yiran Yang
- Xinyu Zhang
- Ziyue Zhang
- Rongsheng Zhou
- Jie Zhu
- Anna ZhuAdd Here