In the winter of 2008, I travelled to Ghana to build a residence/painting studio for a good friend, who owns land on the coast in the remote area of Cape Three Points, not far from the border with Ivory Coast.  I came up with a design that features a living area sunk several feet into the ground (to help keep the living space cool), a large screened porch that overlooks the sea and catches the constant sea breeze, and a two-level sleeping loft.  This structure was built entirely without electricity, and of lumber milled free-hand with a chainsaw.  The building is one of the facilities of the non-profit community school, Trinity Yard, founded by my friend.