The opening of dot.ateliers | Ogbojo in Accra marks the launch of a new creative hub for Ghana – and beyond. The building was designed by emerging local studio DeRoché Strohmayer, which is also behind Surf Ghana collective’s recently refreshed home. With this new project, the architects worked closely with dot.ateliers | Ogbojo's initiator, artist Amoako Boafo, to craft the HQ of a writer's and curator's residency project that aims to offer a dedicated space for 'rest and reflection' in the outskirts of the Ghanaian capital.
Step inside the oasis of dot.ateliers | Ogbojo in Ghana
The structure was conceived as an 'oasis' for creativity, 'meant to be a place for invited intellectuals and artists to share a place to live, ponder and rest over the course of several months during the respective time they spend at this creative incubator', the architects write.
The project is an interesting case study for the adaptive reuse of an existing structure, which the architects reworked to the needs and specifications of its new function. The site is defined by its indoor/outdoor relationships, featuring a wealth of courtyards and 'voids', which dot the floorplan, bringing a sense of the outdoors in throughout.
These open air sections also act as al fresco living areas, where the creatives in the building can meet friends, hosts dinners and invite like minded people to share and foster ideas and conversations amid greenery and lush planting.
The building's programme includes communal areas, such as the living space, library, gym and kitchen, which are mainly placed on the ground floor. Upstairs is where the private, ensuite rooms of the residents are located. Each interior features openings designed to frame views of the gardens, sky or the cityscape beyond, and bring in plenty of natural light.
Studio founders Glenn DeRoché and Juergen Strohmayer made sure their project incorporates numerous passive sustainable strategies. As part of their toolkit, natural air circulation helps to minimise heat gain, stormwater is retained for irrigation, there is a low carbon render on the walls, and solar energy is used for lights and water heaters.
'Created by Amoako Boafo, dot.ateliers is an innovative series of initiatives designed to enrich the creative ecosystem by addressing gaps in infrastructure, drawing from Boafo’s own experiences and those of other artists. It focuses on fostering community engagement across different geographical areas and creative subgroups, with the aim of highlighting the benefits of a career in the arts. Led by artists for artists, dot.ateliers emphasises art and the artist’s role in community development and empowerment,' the architects write.
'dot.ateliers | Ogbojo has emerged as a sanctuary tailored exclusively to writers, curators and filmmakers, offering an invitation-only residency designed to foster creativity and renewal. Designed by DeRoché Strohmayer, this adaptive reuse project is characterised by courtyards and voids at all scales, creating spaces of calm and varying privacy levels, in an otherwise heterogeneous and dynamic urban context. [The location] features residential and collaborative areas interwoven with nature, enabling a seamless transition between indoor and outdoor activities and establishing a serene retreat for the creative mind, while offering a subtle sculptural gesture to the street.'
