Bamboo explorations: Joe
Addo loves bamboo, a
natural material that is in
plentiful supply in Ghana.
He has spent a lot of time
experimenting with the
material and is working
towards introducing the
bamboo processing industry
in Ghana.
adobe and laterite as construction and finishing
elements of structure. The result was a beautiful,
contextually appropriate home, nestled coolly in a
beautiful setting almost overridden by nature.
Following the great success of this project, the firm
has continued to explore vernacular materiality,
using shipping containers and bamboo in the Oguaa
Football for Hope Academy building, Pozzolana,
bamboo and timber in the African Village and in
other projects. Such is his belief in the value of local
material use that Addo has invested in Pozzolana
Ghana, the only manufacturers of Pozzolana cement
in Ghana; recent ventures into bamboo processing
will serve to further the exploration of local
materials in Ghana, furthering the advances towards
sustainability in Ghana.
Addo residence: ‘The
prototype’. This project
was used as the canvas for
explorations in the use of
local materials. The house is
nestled in a cradle of natural
elements and sits well within
the context, using local
materials instead of concrete,
a material popular in Ghana.
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The firm’s latest project is the Jamestown Artists’ loft,
a concept developed by Addo to contribute to the
regeneration of the forgotten urban area of Jamestown
in Accra. The area is currently inhabited by locals
living below the poverty line, though it is a popular
artis t destination (the 2014 Chale Wote festival was
held in Jamestown). The project is intended to create
a space for both local and visiting artists, with a cafe,
studios, and accommodation, and will become a hub of
interaction and creativity in the area.
To Joe Addo, architectural practice is ultimately all
about the people. He has committed his career to the
betterment of architecture, from the simplification of
construction to suit contextual conditions, to the creation
of spaces appropriate to the context – environmental,
social and economical – in which they exist. AD