The house condenses the common areas into versatile indoor spaces that bridge its private areas. But in contrast to the horizontal arrangement of the traditional compound house typology, the house shifts this arrangement vertically, halving the footprint of the building. This gesture addresses the scarcity of land in the city while preserving traditional living elements in a modern Ghanaian family house and a generous garden.
The material palette and construction technique consider cost-effective and environmentally friendly solutions. The project relies on limewashed compressed earth blocks envelope with a skeletal concrete structure. With the increasing demand for quickly and cheaply built homes in Ghana, many local craftspeople are unable to remain competitive, making local skills harder to access. Additionally, the reliance on industrially produced imported building materials and construction techniques in recent times has shifted the focus of skills training making it challenging to work with local craftspeople. Hence, designing a building in earth, wood, and customized-metalwork means a slow process which relies on the limited availability of skilled labor from small-scale workshops.

On approach to the site, the building extends an invitation through its cantilevered common room and roof terrace towards the street. Made possible by its shallow form and large openings, the building benefits from an improved indoor microclimate through natural cross-ventilation throughout all its spaces. The limewashed compressed earth block envelope plays a key role in facilitating breathability. The roof structure forms an important part of the interior design, amplifying the volume of the rooms while celebrating the tropical hardwood of its exposed rafters.

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