dot.ateliers | Ogbojo: A Restorative Artist Residency in Accra by DeRoché Strohmayer

Located on the outskirts of Accra, Ghana, dot.ateliers | Ogbojo is a thoughtfully crafted artist residency and cultural center designed by DeRoché Strohmayer. Conceived as a place of rest, reflection, and creative regeneration, the project redefines the contemporary artist residency by shifting focus away from production-driven outputs toward contemplation, community, and well-being.

Initiated by renowned Ghanaian artist Amoako Boafo, dot.ateliers | Ogbojo offers invited artists and intellectuals a space to live, think, and recharge over extended stays. Rather than functioning solely as a workspace, the project positions architecture as a quiet facilitator of creativity: one that is deeply connected to nature, climate, and the rhythms of everyday life in West Africa.

Architecture Rooted in Adaptive Reuse and Landscape

Covering an area of 500 square meters, the project is an adaptive reuse of an existing two-story structure, complemented by newly added ancillary buildings that complete the residency program. The original building was retained and carefully reworked, housing all communal functions such as the living areas, library, kitchen, and gym on the ground floor, while private ensuite bedrooms occupy the upper level.

A defining feature of the design is the strategic use of courtyards, voids, and gardens at multiple scales. These spatial pauses introduce varying degrees of privacy and calm within Accra’s dynamic urban context, creating an oasis-like environment that encourages slow living and introspection. The architectural language balances institutional clarity with domestic warmth, expressed through restrained massing, lush vegetation, and finely detailed finishes.

Courtyards, Canopies, and Tropical Living

The old and new structures are unified through landscaped gardens and a continuous canopy system that promotes outdoor living in a tropical climate. This canopy defines the central courtyard: an essential social space used for contemplation, informal gatherings, and communal dinners among resident artists and guests.

The canopy also plays a critical environmental role. Acting as a climatic mediator, it filters daylight, reduces direct solar heat gain, and provides shaded circulation between buildings. The result is a seamless indoor-outdoor experience that aligns with traditional Ghanaian spatial practices while addressing contemporary sustainability goals.

Light, Views, and Passive Climate Strategies

Throughout the ground floor, each room is oriented toward the landscape through carefully framed picture windows, maintaining a constant visual connection to themed gardens and outdoor spaces. These deep-set openings reduce heat gain while enhancing spatial depth and sensory engagement with nature.

Natural light is further introduced through a series of light shafts that puncture the building at varying depths, framing views of the sky and allowing daylight to permeate the interiors without introducing excessive heat. Large operable openings support cross ventilation, significantly reducing the reliance on mechanical cooling systems.

Sustainable Materials and Low-Carbon Construction

Sustainability is deeply embedded in both the construction process and material palette. All new concrete elements were cast using locally produced, low-carbon concrete, reducing the project’s embodied carbon footprint. Externally, the structure is finished with a rough-earth render that references Ghana’s traditional earth construction techniques, grounding the building in its cultural context.

Inside, the same low-carbon render is applied smoothly to façade walls, while select interior surfaces are clad in locally sourced walnut timber, adding warmth and reinforcing the project’s holistic approach to sustainability, craftsmanship, and beauty.

Additional passive strategies include stormwater retention for landscape irrigation and the use of solar energy to power lighting and water heating systems, ensuring that environmental performance remains integral to daily life within the residency.

Architecture as a Framework for Reflection

Rather than imposing a singular architectural statement, dot.ateliers | Ogbojo operates as a quiet framework: one that supports creativity through rest, sensory richness, and spatial generosity. By combining adaptive reuse, passive design strategies, and a strong relationship to landscape, DeRoché Strohmayer has created a cultural space that is both deeply contextual and forward-looking.

In an era where creative spaces are often driven by speed and productivity, dot.ateliers | Ogbojo offers an alternative model: one where architecture slows time, nurtures community, and allows creativity to emerge naturally.

All photographs are works of  Julien Lanoo