Villaggio Vista

The buildings of Villaggio Vista provide 146 homes ranging from 100m² two-bedroom apartments to 360m² four-bedroom apartments and penthouses. The complex’s amenities also include a gym, a lounge, private meeting rooms, retail spaces, as well as parking in the basement and terraces with outdoor swimming pools and a rooftop bar. 

Several techniques sought to provide solutions for the climate and energy challenges the project faced. The three towers are oriented to optimise climate efficiency through shading and the façade design creates additional thermal protection, as well as employing a rain screen with an enlarged ventilation cavity to provide ample drainage without affecting solar load. Solar hot water heating helps to reduce energy demand, and the use of internal courtyards to provide ventilation echoes traditional Ghanaian plans. The whole construction process was carried out by local firms using local materials, creating jobs in the building sector alongside a vision for a new form of living in Accra.

The construction had to be both relatively simple but resist the mild earthquake loading. The apartments also had to respond to the hot, humid climate, reducing the need for excessive air conditioning by reducing direct solar gain, yet retain the bright open feel and capitalise on the views across the city. 

Four thermally massive buildings, ranging from seven to 30 storeys, are positioned to capture a central leafy landscape. Each building has a patterned skin inspired by Kente weavings and cantilevering upper floors that address specific local and more distant landmarks. Developed in collaboration with engineers AKT II, these cantilevers harness local conditions by maximising high-level internalised spaces; apartments centre on large, semi-enclosed sky courtyards that bring light into the deep plans.