Discussing the design: S.Tetteh and Associates speak on their design for Advantage Place in Accra, Ghana.

Located along Mayor Road in the upscale neighbourhood of Ridge, Accra, Advantage Place is a landmark office block for Enterprise group, Ghana’s oldest insurance company.

Designed by Ghanaian Architects, S Tetteh and Associates, advantage place is conceived as a climate sensitive modern office building, representing a critical view of the ‘steel and glass block’ typology, with a sculpted form, evocative of vernacular art and architecture in Ghana. In this video courtesy Enterprise Group Ltd & Innova DDB Ghana, the architects and other stake holders speak about the journey leading up to the realization of what is now an iconic landmark in Ghana.

Project Description

The winning entry in a two-phase design competition, Advantage Place, by S. Tetteh + Associates, was conceived as a landmark office block that would match the status and ambition of the client. Enterprise Group, the oldest insurance company in Ghana, has been in operation for over 90 years.

Located at Ridge a suburb of Accra, the project was driven by a wholly Ghanaian team of consultants, client and contractor. Before the intervention, the site was ran down and loosing value. The project was therefore a way of revitalizing a blighted urban site and maximizing its potential.

The facility offers a multi-storey car park and a 12-storey structure that provides high end office space and amenities targeted at major local and international organisations. It is a modern office building, sensitive to its climatic and economic context, and reflects the architects’ critical view of the glass block typology. It features a graceful sculpted form, which is evocative of vernacular art and architecture in parts of Ghana.

Advantage Place’s distinctive kente-inspired sunscreens provide visual and solar shading on the east and west, while its sculptured form is clad in a porcelain ventilated façade that keeps the interior cool and is easily washed clean by rain. The extensive use of balconies and ledges provides additional solar shading and minimize the building’s heat load and energy consumption. In the context of of Ghana’s perennial power crises, this is considered a critical design decision. Warm-coloured marble chip plaster offers a visual contrast to the porcelain and glass facades and presents a colourful backdrop for urban activity.

The interior is dominated by natural stone finishes (travertine and granite) in main circulation areas, complimented by brushed stainless steel signage and a decorative perforated aluminum ceiling in the main reception lounge. A central corridor is flanked by open offices that receive generous daylighting and provide great views of Accra. The high levels of natural lighting is augmented by light-coloured surfaces which optimise lighting distribution and eliminate the need for artificial lighting during the day.

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