Accra Revisited

‘Nkomo/ gbaa sane’ Urban Design Conference on Accra: Accra Revisited 25th to 27th February 2015 Children’s Library Accra, Ghana

In March 2013, at the Adventurers in the Diaspora event Preserving Accra’s Architectural Heritage, ArchiAfrikaChairman Joe Osae-Addo drew attention to the historic Children’s Library, a modernist gem in Accra, speaking of the need to return this remarkable building built in 1966 to its full grandeur. Today, ArchiAfrika has fulfilled its promise to the city. The Children’s Library is undergoing a magnificent transformation, with plumbing, painting and glazing being renovated through the sponsorship of Coral Paints Ghana, Micheletti & Co. Ltd, A&C Development .

This great step towards complete restoration is in preparation for the upcoming DASUDA Nkomo Conversations Urban Design Conference on Accra, taking place from 25th to 27th February 2015 at the Library. The event – a DASUDA initiative, organised with Dutch partners AAmatters and Cityförster and local partners ArchiAfrika – is a series of presentations, discussions and workshops funded and supported by the Government of the Netherlands, the Netherlands Enterprise Agency [of the Dutch Ministry of Economic Affairs (RVO.nl)] and the Kingdom of the Netherlands Embassy in Ghana.

The conference is a follow up to the 'Accra Revisited: How Creative Impulses Underpinned by Economy and Culture, Can Reshape It’ mini-symposium organised by the Netherlands Embassy in Accra on the 9th of January 2015. This conference seeks to build upon existing development plans and initiatives in Accra and Ghana in order to initiate outcomes that can be built upon and executed in the medium to longterm. Invited are some of the leading voices and advocates in the realm of economy, finance and economy, design and architecture, and the creative arts and culture. This broad range of participants will lead to a balanced and unique perspective on how Accra could develop into a city that is about context, culture, economy, and most importantly, unique infrastructure in its broadest terms.

Key participants of the conference include the Deputy Minister of Finance Hon. Mona Quartey and Deputy Minister of Transport Joyce Bawah-Mogtari; Representative of the Mayor’s office in Accra Honourable Robert Ansah, former Mayor of Accra Honourable Nat Amarteifio, Ghana Institute of Architects President Joseph Hayford, prominent architects from Ghana and the ECOWAS region and many others who will lend their voices and thoughts to be relook at the great potential that Accra offers.

Berend van der Lans from AAmatters will contribute with a workshop on Heritage as Capital, focusing upon private interest in historic urban context that could become an important driver for the regeneration of important historic areas in Accra. The model that will be presented is based upon Stadsherstel Amsterdam NV. It is currently being established in Zanzibar as Hifadhi Zanzibar by visionary shareholders from the local private sector, in collaboration with Stadsherstel and AAmatters.

The event is open to the public and takes place at the Children’s Library from the 25th to the 27th of February 2015.