A New Paradigm Design of Commercial Centre in Tema, Ghana.
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Date
2010-07-18
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Abstract
The aim of the thesis is to develop an ever vibrant commercial centre by introducing
recreational facilities surveyed from a suburban community in Tema. It evaluates the key
attributes of major commercial centres in Accra and Tema that may be adopted for the
development of a new design model of commercial centres. It also outlines the general
concepts and trends of commerce, and operative methods of the major types worldwide to
develop a general guideline to realise the new model. Hopefully, the new way of designing
the centres would make them friendlier, less stressful and more fun to shop in thereby
developing an ever vibrant centre of commerce. The methods used are, literature review on
existing concepts and trends of commerce and current types of commercial centres in the
above cities. Questionnaires were distributed to shoppers, sellers and residents of
community 22 in Tema on their preferred commercial centres and pull factors. Interviews
were conducted at Tema Development Corporation and Accra Municipal Assembly on
types of commercial centres existing in the study areas. Studies were also conducted on
major design approaches locally and internationally for an understanding of their
functioning. The results outline two major types of commercial designs; the traditional
market style (60%) and the modern mall style (40%). Most of the residents in the study
areas require entertainment facilities such as a golf course and a table tennis court which
are the major pull factors aside the normal restaurant and sale points. The results obtained
helped to design a new prototype commercial centre by merging the two major types of
designs on an actual site in Tema and adding the community based pull factors mentioned
above. Two sets of conclusions and recommendations were made: theoretical, based on
literature review and case studies and practical; based on findings on community 22
(resident community for the model).
Description
A Thesis submitted to the Department of Architecture,
Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and
Technology
in Dartial Fulfillment of the requirements for the Degree
of
MASTER OF ARCHITECTURE, 2010.