The winning entry in a two-phase competition, Jane’s Towers, by Build with Layers, was conceived as a landmark office block that would match the status and ambition of the client. Enterprise Group, the oldest insurance company in Ghana, have been in operation for over ninety (90) years.

Located at Ridge a suburb of Accra, the project was driven by a wholly Ghanaian team of consultants, client and contractor. Before the intervention, the site was run down and loosing value. The project was therefore a way of revitalizing a blighted urban site and maximizing its potential.

The twelve (12) storey structure provides high end office accommodation, supported by a bank, a gymnasium and a cafeteria, all targeted at major local and international organisations. It is a modern office building, sensitive to its climatic and economic context, and reflects the architects’ critical view of the glass block typology. It features a graceful sculpted form, which is evocative of vernacular art and architecture inparts of Ghana.

Jane’s Towers distinctive kente-inspired sunscreens provide visual and solar shading on the east and west, whilst its sculptured form is clad in a porcelain ventilated façade that keeps the interior cool and is easily washed clean by rain. The extensive use of balconies and ledges provides additional solar shading and minimise the building’s heat load and energy consumption. In the context of Ghana’s perennial power crises, this is considered a critical design decision. Warm-coloured marble chip plaster offers a visual contrast to the porcelain and glass facades and presents a colourful backdrop for urban activity.

The interior is dominated by natural stone finishes (travertine and granite) in main circulation areas, complimented by brushed stainless steel signage and a decorative perforated aluminum ceiling in the main reception lounge. A central corridor is flanked by open offices that receive generous daylighting and offer great views of Accra. The high levels of natural lighting is augmented by light-coloured surfaces which optimise lighting distribution and eliminate the need for artificial lighting during the day.