Enhancing the Aesthetics and Transportability of Container-Kiosk in Ghana

Abstract

Over the years, container-kiosk have been used in Ghana as point of sale joints where various services are carried out. Although the initial intent of these temporary structures are purposely for sales, there has been a pressing need for owners of such structures to use them for both business and as an abode. This is as a result of the high cost of accommodation in our cities and over-crowding in these cities due to rural-urban migration. Aside defeating the primary use of these structures, they have not been designed and fabricated for easy transportability. These temporary structures both deface the environmental aesthetics of our cities and incur high financial burden on owners and the state when being transported or relocated. The objective of this research was to redesign container-kiosk with much emphasis on their beauty and demountability for easy transportability. The research employed the descriptive and studio based research design and used observation and interview to soliciting information from a sample size of 186, drawn from an accessible population size of 372. Explorations were made into the nature of materials used for fabricating these container-kiosks. It was found that mild steel rust faster than galvanize steel and also majority of these container-kiosk owe their rust to the concrete pedestal upon which they are mounted as well as unfavourable atmospheric conditions. Is was again found that much effort had not been made to improve the Aesthetics as well as the ease with which these temporary structure can be demounted, rather artisans copied the form in which ISO shipping containers have been formed. It is therefore recommended that design concepts and findings of this research be considered when constructing Demountable containers.