Makers and Development

M&D derives as a term from a series of design research seminars conducted at l’École Spéciale d’Architecture (2013-2015), which opened students to participation in a group project to challenge the consequences of technological dependence by remaking Agbogbloshie T.A.Z. conceptually: proposing tools to better equip the dynamic territory that operates outside the bounds, hosting technology’s unmaking and reconstitution. Spaces of unmaking inherently anticipate spaces of remaking; in Agbogbloshie at the end and restart of product life cycles the mantra reduce, re-use, repair, recycle forges its own logic. M&D operates via emphasis on making: each loop of conceptual iteration necessitates another prototype, so participants inherently discover knowledge through the making process. In the case of AMP, the community of makers includes a diverse collection of individuals working not only in Agbogbloshie (e.g. computer repair and refurbishment workshops, small-scale aluminum smelters) but also situated adjacent in the Accra Timber Market (e.g. the carpentry, metalworking, tinsmithy and equipment manufacturers) and distributed further afield (roadside electronics repairers, mechanics, welders, glaziers, furniture craftsmen, seamstresses and tailors city-wide) who make and repair items for a living. (Osseo-Asare and Abbas, 2015)

Makers & Development (M&D) design research seminar at l’Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Fall 2015: ABDELKADOUS, Mouna + BONGARD, Tomas + BUREL, Clara + CANADAS, MEGIA Pilar + El SOKARY, Amin + FICINI, Elisa + GUIRARD, Vincent + JIAZHEN, Lin + KENNEDY, Laura + KIERZKWOWSKA-KLYS, Maria + KSIKES, Amine + LEFEBVRE, Isabelle + Le NAY, Erwan + ORTEGA, Carla + MIYAJI, Karin + MORBELLI, Delna + POUMAILLEUX, Alexis + SORTES, Thibault + STEPHENS, Amanda + TIBOURKI, Al Mahdi

Makers & Development (M&D) design research seminar at l’Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Spring 2015: BASTIAN, Hadrien + CHAOUKI, Sarah + CHEHAB, Hussein + DIENG,  Dior + ESPEJO FERNANDEZ, Adrien, HABIS, Tara + HENRY, Arthur + KHOURY-KLINK, Monica + KOMAR,  Anna + LETINTURIER, Mathieu + PEYRICHOU Ségolène + SKIBINSKI, Dominik + SOUNIGO, Eliott + VINCENT, Marine

Makers & Development (M&D) design research seminar at l’Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Fall 2014: COLOMB, Gilles + MARION-ARDALAN, Cyrus + TOSTIVINT, Théo; SEBBAN, Julien; GHABRA, Hania; BALAS, Léonard + WOLF-HANSEL, Ginosar; HIGA, Akemi; KIM, Joongi + KIM, Yongyeob + KWON, Seulkee; ABREO, Daniel; VILLALBA, Joaquin

Makers & Development (M&D) design research seminar at  l’Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Spring 2014: Oscar AGUILA, Nicolas BENMUSSA, Charles CLEMENT, Vlad DARABAN, Diana DURAND-RUEL, Sibylle PERRIER, Gautier PIECHOTTA, Edouard REGNIER Maryam SAAD, Ferdinand SIMON

Makers & Development (M&D) design research seminar at  l’Ecole Spéciale d’Architecture, Fall 2013: Asaf Cem ASFUROGLU, Félix CHICOTEAU, Quentin DEJONGHE, Clément FOREST, Thomas GIROUD, Nolwenn MONTAGNY, Thomas ROBIN

Graduate Tangi DEFACHELLES who explored the subject of e-waste and Agbogbloshie for his diploma