5 On Akosua Kumi | Dickson Adu Agyei

Nestled in the tropics of Kumasi, Ghana, is a three-bedroom house designed to blend in with nature and allow for natural flow of light and air. The building is designed to sit lightly in the landscape and the intention behind the design is in creating a building that deals with the climatic conditions of its context. Protecting the habitable spaces from the sun, while allowing it to blend into its tropical surroundings are the use of local materials such as brick and adjustable wooden louvres. The project borrows from the local tradition of using adjustable wooden louvre windows to create an envelope around the building that limits the sun’s direct heat from entering the building but allows light to pass through the spaces, while creating a sense of privacy.

This subtle, modest and sustainable building that is tailored to its context, aims to create a sense of peace through its use of a semi-private landscaped backyard, that features water and plants installations to enhance the cooling effects of the design. The roof is also used as a tool in limiting the amount of heat that is allowed into the building. This is achieved through the creation of a void between the roof sheets and the ceiling which allows the hot air trapped underneath the roof’s surface to be cooled before radiating into the habitable spaces below.