victoriaokoye fes@aub presentation_placemaking

RE-IMAGINING PUBLIC SPACES: ACCRA, GHANA

VICTORIA OKOYECOMMUNITY PLANNER + COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST, AFRICAN URBANISM

“TOWARDS A ROADMAP FOR SUSTAINABLE CITIES IN THE MENA REGION”NOVEMBER 5, 2014

ACCRA

• Independence in 1957• 27 million people (est.)• Stable, peaceful and democratic• Began extracting oil, natural gas in 2010• GDP: US$ 103 billion• Lower-middle income country

GHANA, WEST AFRICA

1960 1970 1984 2000 20130

500,000

1,000,000

1,500,000

2,000,000

2,500,000

3,000,000

POPULATION GROWTH, 1960-2013

• Population: 2.3 million• Annual growth rate: 2.6%• Economic, financial, political center• Regional trade and investment hub• Immense rural-to-urban growth• 60%+ engaged in informal economy

ACCRA, GHANA

65+55-5945-4935-3925-3915-195-9yrs

-150,000-100,000 -50,000 0 50,000 100,000 150,000

POPULATION DEMOGRAPHICS (2013)

Male Female

ACCRA, GHANA

• 56% of population below 24 years

PARKS IN ACCRA

EFUA SUTHERLAND CHILDREN’S PARK

EFUA SUTHERLAND CHILDREN’S PARK

EFUA SUTHERLAND CHILDREN’S PARK

AKO ADJEI PARK

WHAT’S MISSING? WHAT FACTORS CONTRIBUTE TO ACCRA’S MOST VIBRANT SOCIAL SPACES?

#1 SOCIAL ACTIVITIES, COMMUNITY LIFE, EVENTS

#2 COMMERCIAL ACTIVITY

#3 ACCESSIBILITY / TRANSPORT LINKAGES

#4 SUPPORTING INFRASTRUCTURE (CHAIRS, SHADE)

#5 SAFETY AND SECURITY (WE KNOW EACH OTHER)

PLACEMAKING APPROACH: IMPROVING COMMUNITIES, FOCUSING ON PUBLIC SPACES

TRANSFORMING A CAR PARK INTO PEOPLE’S PARK

BEFORE AFTER#1 IDENTIFY EXISTING SOCIAL SPACE WITH POTENTIAL

#2 ENGAGE COMMUNITY TO SEE THEIR VISION

#3 CREATE IN COLLABORATION WITH COMMUNITY

BEFORE AFTER

JAMESTOWN, OLD ACCRA

CHALE WOTE STREET ART FESTIVAL, JAMESTOWN

CHALE WOTE STREET ART FESTIVAL, JAMESTOWN

THANK YOU!

Victoria Okoyewww.africanurbanism.netvictoria.okoye@gmail.com@africanurbanism