Villaggio II

Accra
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    Metrics
Height 71 m / 233 ft
Floors 19
Official Name
The current legal building name.

Villaggio II

Other Names
Other names the building has commonly been known as, including former names, common informal names, local names, etc.

Villaggio Vista

Type
CTBUH collects data on two major types of tall structures: 'Buildings' and 'Telecommunications / Observation Towers.' A 'Building' is a structure where at least 50% of the height is occupied by usable floor area. A 'Telecommunications / Observation Tower' is a structure where less than 50% of the structure's height is occupied by usable floor area. Only 'Buildings' are eligible for the CTBUH 'Tallest Buildings' lists.

Building

Status
Completed
Architecturally Topped Out
Structurally Topped Out
Under Construction
Proposed
On Hold
Never Completed
Vision
Competition Entry
Canceled
Proposed Renovation
Under Renovation
Renovated
Under Demolition
Demolished

Completed

Completion

2011

Country
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of Country, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.

Ghana

City
The CTBUH follows the United Nations's definition of City, and thus uses the lists and codes established by that organization.

Accra

Function
A single-function tall building is defined as one where 85% or more of its usable floor area is dedicated to a single usage. Thus a building with 90% office floor area would be said to be an "office" building, irrespective of other minor functions it may also contain.

A mixed-use tall building contains two or more functions (or uses), where each of the functions occupy a significant proportion of the tower's total space. Support areas such as car parks and mechanical plant space do not constitute mixed-use functions. Functions are denoted on CTBUH "Tallest Building" lists in descending order, e.g., "hotel/office" indicates hotel function above office function.

Residential

Structural Material
All-Steel
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from steel. Note that a building of steel construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of steel beams is still considered an “all-steel” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.

All-Concrete
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from concrete which has been cast in place and utilizes steel reinforcement bars and/or steel reinforced concrete which has been precast as individual components and assembled together on-site.

All-Timber
Both the main vertical/lateral structural elements and the floor spanning systems are constructed from timber. An all-timber structure may include the use of localized non-timber connections between timber elements. Note that a building of timber construction with a floor system of concrete planks or concrete slab on top of timber beams is still considered an “all-timber” structure as the concrete elements are not acting as the primary structure.

Mixed-Structure
Utilizes distinct systems (e.g. all-steel, all-concrete, all-timber), one on top of the other. For example, a Steel Over Concrete indicates an all-steel structural system located on top of an all-concrete structural system, with the opposite true of Concrete Over Steel.

Composite
A combination of materials (e.g. steel, concrete, timber) are used together in the main structural elements. Examples include buildings which utilize: steel columns with a floor system of reinforced concrete beams; a steel frame system with a concrete core; concrete-encased steel columns; concrete-filled steel tubes; etc. Where known, the CTBUH database breaks out the materials used within a composite building’s primary structural elements.

All-Concrete

Official Website

Villaggio II

Height
Architectural
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the architectural top of the building, including spires, but not including antennae, signage, flag poles or other functional-technical equipment. This measurement is the most widely utilized and is employed to define the Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat (CTBUH) rankings of the "World's Tallest Buildings."

71 m / 233 ft

To Tip
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest point of the building, irrespective of material or function of the highest element (i.e., including antennae, flagpoles, signage and other functional-technical equipment).
71 m / 233 ft
Occupied
Height is measured from the level of the lowest, significant, open-air, pedestrian entrance to the highest occupied floor within the building.
59.4 m / 195 ft
Floors Above Ground
The number of floors above ground should include the ground floor level and be the number of main floors above ground, including any significant mezzanine floors and major mechanical plant floors. Mechanical mezzanines should not be included if they have a significantly smaller floor area than the major floors below. Similarly, mechanical penthouses or plant rooms protruding above the general roof area should not be counted. Note: CTBUH floor counts may differ from published accounts, as it is common in some regions of the world for certain floor levels not to be included (e.g., the level 4, 14, 24, etc. in Hong Kong).

19

Floors Below Ground
The number of floors below ground should include all major floors located below the ground floor level.

1

# of Apartments
Number of Apartments refers to the total number of residential units (including both rental units and condominiums) contained within a particular building.

44

# of Elevators
Number of Elevators refers to the total number of elevator cars (not shafts) contained within a particular building (including public, private and freight elevators).

4

Top Elevator Speed
Top Elevator Speed refers to the top speed capable of being achieved by an elevator within a particular building, measured in meters per second.

1.6 m/s

Rankings

#
204
Tallest in Africa
#
1
Tallest in Ghana
#
1
Tallest in Accra

Construction Schedule

2007

Proposed

2009

Construction Start

2011

Completed

Architect
Design

Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Structural Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Owner/Developer
Metropolis Developments
Architect
Design

Usually involved in the front end design, with a "typical" condition being that of a leadership role through either Schematic Design or Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Structural Engineer
Design

The Design Engineer is usually involved in the front end design, typically taking the leadership role in the Schematic Design and Design Development, and then a monitoring role through the CD and CA phases.

Engineer of Record

The Engineer of Record takes the balance of the engineering effort not executed by the “Design Engineer,” typically responsible for construction documents, conforming to local codes, etc.

Halcrow Yolles
Contractor
Main Contractor

The main contractor is the supervisory contractor of all construction work on a project, management of sub-contractors and vendors, etc. May be referred to as "Construction Manager," however, for consistency CTBUH uses the term "Main Contractor" exclusively.

Trasacco Estates Development Company Ltd

CTBUH Awards & Distinctions

Best Tall Building, by Region, Middle East & Africa 2012 Award of Excellence

2012 CTBUH Awards

 

Videos

11 June 2013 | Accra

Session 10: Developing High-Rise Living in the European Context

An increase in high-rise living in traditionally commerce-focused urban centers has been a key urban trend in cities across the entire globe. This has great...

 

About Villaggio II

The second phase of the Villaggio development in Accra carefully references its culture, both visually and structurally. Though the design architect was based in the UK, the construction planning and process were undertaken by local organizations to bolster community involvement while staying true to traditional methods.

Accra is a swiftly growing urban area which is predominantly low-rise, contributing to a high rate of sprawl. As the Ghanian economy continues to strengthen, middle- and professional-class families are looking for appropriate housing opportunities within the city. As the tallest completed building in Ghana, Villaggio addresses the needs of an expanding city and changing population.

The overall scheme for the Villaggio development includes four buildings, each of which is oriented to address a local landmark. The inspiration for the colorful rainscreen façade treatment came from traditional Ghanian Kente fabric: a brightly colored and geometrically patterned textile that is native to the region. This material comprises a ventilated rainscreen that is appropriate for the equatorial climate, and stands in contrast to the more traditional and sober white concrete façades. These walls are simply poured concrete that were stuccoed over to allow for a high-performing thermal mass. Each building in the development has its own unique color and façade treatment, but the shared language of materials brings a uniformity to the complex as a whole.

The overall building construction is poured-in-place concrete with light-gauge steel infill walls which are highly insulated against the tropical heat. The window penetrations are tall and slender as well as recessed into the façade to provide shading against the harsh sun. This also reduces glare and increases occupant comfort. To compensate for the lack of direct sunlight, the plan of the buildings incorporates shaded and partially enclosed sky courtyards to allow outside access and light penetration to interior spaces in the complex.

Boasting “the essence of the village in the heart of the city,” the complex creates a sense of community through its architecture. At the center of the development is a landscaped courtyard with native plantings and wading pools for the residents. The ground treatment involves linear paving in conjunction with the vegetation to form “rugs” that are associated with each building in the complex, creating landscaped neighborhoods. The paving is locally produced and permeable while the planting is all native and provides a good deal of shading against the heat of the sun.

Taking advantage of the climactic conditions, the building also has solar hot-water heating to reduce its energy demand. Though the building must rely on air conditioning to combat summer heat, the heavily insulated and shaded strategy for the building was created to prevent overall heat gain. The distinctive projection of the tower’s offset floor plates also provides additional shading along the façade.

The roof level boasts a pool and terrace along with unique views of the surrounding city. The building also has underground parking, a restaurant, and a fitness center for its residents. The Villaggio complex will continue to grow with the new addition of the Vista tower, set to be 27 stories tall. Once complete, the development will represent a new typology in community growth for a rapidly developing area.

CTBUH Awards & Distinctions

Best Tall Building, by Region, Middle East & Africa 2012 Award of Excellence

2012 CTBUH Awards