Eco-Friendly Containers Serving Accra’s Creative Economy
Location: Accra, Ghana
Completion Date: March 2020
Project Type: Commercial – Creative Hub
Project Duration: 4 Weeks
Built Area: 45m2
Containers Used: 2 × 20ft
Project Overview
The Stub Accra is a creative micro-campus developed as part of the growing wave of grassroots cultural infrastructure in urban Ghana. Located in the heart of Accra, The Stub needed a cost-effective, mobile, and sustainably built structure to serve as the office and reception for a commercial music recording studio.
The client’s mandate was simple yet ambitious:
“Transform two stacked 20ft shipping containers into a warm, inviting front-of-house for our studio—preserving the existing tree on site and ensuring the structure remains fully relocatable in the future.”
The result is a compact yet impactful intervention that not only addresses spatial and acoustic needs but also acts as a beacon of biophilic urbanism and sustainable design in a densely developed commercial corridor.
Design & Execution Strategy
- Site-Sensitive Planning
The standout feature of the site was an existing mature tree, offering shade, identity, and a natural windbreak. Instead of removing it, we oriented the containers around the tree, to preserve its ecological and aesthetic value. This approach allowed for:
- Reduced solar heat gain on western facades
- Improved flow between studio, reception, and ancillary spaces
- A calm, shaded waiting zone for creatives
- Material & Façade Language
- In dialogue with the surrounding vegetation and urban textures, we curated a material palette that was both natural and industrial:
- Sanded timber battens were mounted on the container exterior as cladding—offering solar shading, visual warmth, and a nod to tropical vernacular architecture.
- The Corten-like patina of the steel containers was intentionally preserved and resprayed, retaining the raw honesty of upcycled material.
- Planters from flooring offcuts: Upcycled laminated wood used to fabricate custom flower pots.
The resulting elevation creates a dialogue between timber and steel, blending resilience and warmth.
- Structural Modifications & Access Design
- Square pipe railings and checker plate staircases were custom-fabricated and welded onsite to provide safe access to the elevated office container.
- Window and door portals cut into the containers for light, air, and circulation.
- Artificial turf and potted plants were added at the entrance area to soften the hardscape and enhance user comfort.
- Interior Fit-Out & Environmental Comfort
Given its proximity to a recording studio, we prioritized thermal performance and sound control:
- Rockwool insulation was installed in wall cavities and ceilings, providing both thermal inertia and sound absorption.
- Large operable windows and doors enabled effective cross-ventilation, minimizing reliance on fans or air-conditioning.
- Interiors were skimmed and finished with moisture-resistant drywall, then painted with low-VOC washable paints for durability.
Scope of Work Delivered
- Structural cutouts and modifications
- Rockwool insulation and drywall
- Interior skimming and painting
- Electrical wiring and fixtures
- Tiling and window/door installations
- Staircase fabrication and installation
- Artificial turf and site softscape elements
- Windows and glass doors installation
- External respraying and cladding (timber battens)
- Custom-built planters from recycled wood offcuts
Environmental & Urban Impact
- Embodied Carbon Reduction: Reuse of 2 × 20ft containers = ~3,400 kg of steel diverted from the waste stream
- Zero tree felling: Site-adaptive planning preserved all major vegetation
- Recyclability: Entire structure is mobile and modular, allowing future relocation without demolition waste
Challenges & Problem Solving:
Timber Sourcing & Drying:
Sourcing suitable wood that wouldn’t warp under Accra’s humidity posed a timing challenge. We mitigated this through strategic pre-drying and rapid installation—finishing within the tight 4-week timeline.
For Architects & Engineers: Lessons and Takeaways
- Biophilic Urbanism: Even small interventions can serve as case studies in tree-sensitive design in dense city contexts.
- Acoustics in Container Architecture: Rockwool insulation offers an affordable, accessible solution to sound control in modular builds.
- Hybrid Aesthetics: Combining timber and Corten can soften the industrial feel of container buildings—creating commercial viability for creative and hospitality spaces.
- Reusability & Modularity: The Stub project illustrates how mobility and permanence need not be opposites in contemporary architecture.
Credits
Project Manager: Rukie Kwaku Agyeman
Project Team: Walid Sbaiti, John Kuduahor, Edward Mensah
Technical Summary
Feature | Specification |
Structural Modules | 2 × 20ft HC |
Built Area | 45 m² |
Recycled Steel Used | Approximately 4,000 kg of structural steel |
Insulation | Rockwool (walls and ceiling) |
Interior Finishes | Emulsion paints |
Foundations | Slab-on-grade concrete |
External Coating | Oil paint + timber battens |