Description

After Ghana gained independence in 1957, Kwame Nkrumah, the country’s first president, embarked on a visionary quest to transform Ghana’s education system, encouraging every child to embrace the gift of knowledge, free of charge. The central government of Ghana, through the Ministry of Education, allocated a substantial portion of the national budget to support educational initiatives and the construction of schools throughout the nation. The philosophy that informed the designs was Ekistics – the science of human settlements –, a term coined by Constantinos Doxiadis himself. When the Greek architect was commissioned in 1960 to redesign the masterplan of Tema, the city soon became a pilot project for educational reform in Ghana.

Doxiadis, renowned for his architectural and urban planning expertise, emphasised the importance of creating neighbourhoods that provided a safe environment for children’s growth. This approach was in line with Nkrumah’s vision of ensuring access to quality education for all Ghanaian children. The planning and design of community schools in Tema by Doxiadis Associates was based on relevant data collected from May 1961 onwards, with due consideration of a new educational programme and the proper distribution of educational buildings (Final master plan, DOX-GHA-A 91, 1964).

Tema, a planned city on the outskirts of Accra, embraced principles of modern New Town planning. The city’s layout adhered to an orthogonal grid system influenced by mathematical and hierarchical considerations, and it was oriented to harness the prevailing southwest winds. Central to the distribution of educational facilities in the Tema master plan was the inclusion of a community school in each neighbourhood. These schools were deliberately positioned to eliminate the need for children to cross highways when commuting to school, thereby ensuring that the longest distance from home to school did not exceed 500 metres. Given the large number of community schools to be built in Tema, Doxiadis developed a prototype for these institutions that could be replicated across the city. Such proximity and the proliferation of schools were crucial elements of Nkrumah’s vision for universal educational access. Padmore School, found in Community 1, and Republic Road School, situated in Community 4, are two cases of community schools built in Tema.

The community school designs had a similar aesthetic, with minor variations such as the designs of breeze block walls. The typical classroom unit adhered to a linear configuration made up of two classrooms and a washroom, occupying a total area of 240 square metres. Repetition and standardisation were deliberate and essential design elements found in a classroom unit, involving prefabricated barrel roofs, breeze block walls and structural columns, resulting in a rhythmic façade. According to Doxiadis, such repetition was not only integral for the rational formation of schools but also a fundamental aspect of aesthetic appeal. The classroom units facilitated the seamless flow of activities from indoor to outdoor spaces, with breeze block walls, verandas and courtyards serving as vital connectors. The breeze blocks served a dual purpose, functioning as both exterior walls and openings to ensure adequate daylighting and natural ventilation throughout the day. The presence of verandas on the southern side, which also featured long roof overhangs for solar shading, aided circulation along the classroom units. Outdoor areas were thoughtfully integrated into the design, with placement of vegetation in courtyards to mitigate heat and enhance the visual appeal of the environment. The predominant east–west orientation of these classroom units, coupled with courtyards interspersed between the classroom units enabled free airflow across the site, enhancing the overall climate responsiveness of the design.

Remarkably, more than half a century since their establishment, these community schools have remained resilient, retaining their original form and function. They have required minimal renovations, and the utilisation of classroom spaces has remained largely unchanged. In some instances, extensions have been added to accommodate the growing student population. The community schools in Tema stand as a testament to the enduring significance of thoughtful, functional and climate-responsive architectural design in creating conducive and inspiring learning environments. The collaborative vision of Kwame Nkrumah’s commitment to free education in Ghana, and the innovative design approach of Doxiadis Associates with the use of standardised, prefabricated elements brought to life a pioneering educational infrastructure.

References
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Ghana Reports Tema DOX-GHA-A 91, vol. 56. (1964). Constantinos A. Doxiadis Archives, Benaki Museum, Pireos St. Annexe, Athens.

Jackson, I. (2022). “Development Visions in Ghana: From Design Schools and Building Research to Tema New Town”, Architectural History, 65, 293–326. https://doi:10.1017/arh.2022.13

Provoost, M. (2016). “Tema, Tema (GH) Constantinos Doxiadis”. In: Global Housing: Affordable Dwellings for Growing Cities, No. 12/13, pp. 194–205. DASH Delft Architectural Studies on Housing. https://doi.org/10.7480/dash.12/13

Provoost, M. (2020). “New Towns on the Cold War Frontier”. In: The Flagship of Nkrumah’s Pan-African Vision: Vol. Urban Planning as a Weapon in the Cold War,pp. 394–559. Crimson Historians and Urbanists. https://issuu.com/internationalnewtowninstitute/docs/newtownsonthecoldwarfrontier-part2

“The Role of Constantinos Doxiadis in the Development of the Master Plan for Tema, Ghana” (2022). In: Athens Journal, paper code: 2022-4984-AJA-ARC.(under review).

Wakely, Patrick (1968). Development of a Primary School Building System for Ghana. Kumasi: Dept. of Housing and Planning Research, Faculty of Architecture.

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Originally published in: Uta Pottgiesser, Ana Tostões, Modernism in Africa. The Architecture of Angola, Ghana, Mozambique, Nigeria, Rwanda, South Africa, Sudan, Tanzania, Uganda, Birkhäuser, 2024.