The Marine Drive Accra is a 241-acre redevelopment scheme of Accra’s waterfront initiated by Ghana’s Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture. The brief for the project — the origins of which trace back to the country’s independence 60 years ago — called for a scheme that would establish an iconic skyline for Accra and transform the capital’s city centre into a world-class tourism enclave.  The Marine Drive Accra project will also provide essential infrastructure to support the country’s developing cultural and creative industries.

Adjaye Associates’ plan introduces a new waterfront promenade that reimagines the coast as a vibrant leisure and recreation space. The promenade will extend across the site, creating a seamless link between the capital city’s most celebrated landmarks and unlocking access to the city’s beachfront. This new public infrastructure will be punctuated by three civic anchors, each of which celebrates Ghana’s rich history. At the heart of the promenade will be a new centerpiece public park honouring the forefathers of Ghanaian independence. Extending from Independence Square down to the waterfront, this park will culminate in a coastal overlook that offers sweeping, dramatic vistas across this part of the Gulf of Guinea. Anchoring the promenade on East will be The National Concert Hall, a new cultural hub and public convention centre envisioned next to Nkrumah’s monument. Meanwhile, the West end of the promenade will terminate at the rejuvenated and refurbished Osu Castle and grounds.

These three anchors form a framework for subsequent phases of new mixed-use beachfront developments. Together, they will establish a defining skyline for Ghana’s capital and initiate commercial, office, leisure and retail infrastructure aimed at harnessing the tourism sector as a transformative economic force for the benefit of the country and her people.