Client: Private

Status: Under Construction

Services: Architecture, Interiors & Project Management

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Quartey Residence is a new two storey dwelling at the heart of Appolonia City, Accra - an ambitious master plan that seeks to create a seamless live-work-play satellite city approx. 45 mins from Accra.

The project is a deeply personal residential development that has two parts in consecutive phases; a primary dwelling for the family and a secondary property intended for future lease. Given the nature of the site, there was very little to draw from the context. As such, this milieu required a tempered approach that married the client’s desire for contemporary design and ambitious sustainability requirements, with development controls required by local planning authorities.

The client approached us with a very clear vision for the project which manifested through a highly detailed and discursive brief, capturing needs and desires and including an exploration of several precedents (Japanese, Spanish and African) which provided rich ground from which the project was birthed. The main house is a double wythe-fired brick load-bearing structure featuring a central courtyard, high internal ceilings revealing the exposed roof pitch and rafters as wall as large crittal style iron-framed windows. There are five en-suite bedrooms, private gym, personal study and creative studio.

In addition, there are many intimate nooks and reading seats for rest and retreat, custom joinery in each room and a neutral interior palette with plenty of wall space for the display of art, photography and a personal collection of vintage speculative fiction. The staircase adds playful connections to the upper floor as well as enhancing the spaciousness of the house by creating a three story high void framed by carefully detailed patterned brick façade.

To maximise the building’s footprint, a lower ground level has been added to significantly increase the living space of the home and provide ample storage for rainwater recycling. To keep the lower ground level spaces fresh and exciting, light is introduced via a brownstone style light well positioned between the courtyard and the main entrance. Prioritizing natural lighting and ventilation, built from “green” bricks and featuring a rainwater recycling system and solar power, and pursuing IFC EDGE Green Building Certification. It will be among the most sustainable projects in this community upon its completion.