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29.06.2012 Opinion

A view into Ghana's top architectural masterpieces

By Frederick Thompson
A view into Ghana's top architectural masterpieces
29.06.2012 LISTEN

Having had the opportunity to travel to some parts of the world, I have been very fortunate to see some outstanding architecture, buildings that would literally make you go "WOW”, just with its shear level of detailing.

After having spent the last 7yrs studying Architecture in the UK (Foundation and RIBA Part 1), I would have to admit, I have been really impressed with how the architecture has rapidly progressed within Ghana. Though the architecture of the buildings within the country hasn't reached that iconic status of designing yet, we have really come a long way from the designs we were previously used to.

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The only sad and worrying part is that most of the buildings with very impressive architecture were designed by non Ghanaians. But I do not blame the Ghanaian architects per say because most clients who are fortunate enough to have the money to allow architects to design buildings with amazing architecture for some reason always prefer to employ the services of architects based outside the country i.e South Africa, UK, USA and most European countries.

A couple of buildings have sprung up which are changing the outlook of the architecture within the capital; buildings like the Manet Towers (which house's both Vodafone HQ and The UT Bank),the Villaggio Villa(Modern Residential Apartments),the Accra Mall(shopping mall housing different shops and brands), the Movenpick Hotel( A 5* rated hotel within the centre of Accra) ,One Airport Square(the first green certified commercial building in Ghana which is soon to be built) just to name a few.

The building business/Architecture business is taking a real storm within the country and with the finding of Oil and recently uranium; you can suddenly see the influx of wealth within the country through the buildings with a modern appeal springing up.

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I'm hoping that fellow junior architects like me would one day return home to help keep changing the face of the architecture movement in Ghana

Frederick Thompson

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