A continental platform.
ARCCA is the Architecture Challenge Africa — a triennial summit, competition and exhibition convened by Central University's School of Architecture and Design (SADe) in Accra, Ghana.
2026
Current Edition
32
Countries
60+
Universities
Accra
Ghana
To position African architecture at the centre of the global conversation on the built environment.
ARCCA was founded to create a continental stage where students, scholars, practitioners and policymakers can exchange ideas about how architecture shapes — and is shaped by — African realities. We believe the next decade of global design will be defined in places like Accra, Lagos, Nairobi and Addis.
The summit programmes keynote lectures, working sessions, a student competition, exhibitions and city tours. It is hosted on a rotating basis by African schools of architecture; the 2026 edition is convened by Central University's School of Architecture and Design.
What ARCCA Is
Summit
Three days of keynotes, working sessions, panel discussions and city tours in Accra.
Competition
The ARCCA Challenge — five thematic categories open to students and recent graduates worldwide.
Exhibition
A curated exhibition of shortlisted entries, open to the public throughout the summit.
Summit Themes
Earth & Material
Reclaiming vernacular materials as high-performance systems.
Climate & City
Designing for African urbanism under planetary pressure.
Pedagogy
Reimagining the African school of architecture.
Heritage Futures
Archiving, restoring and reinterpreting the continental canon.
Central University SADe
The School of Architecture and Design at Central University, Accra — a leading African institution training the next generation of designers, urbanists and heritage stewards.
Location
Steering Committee
Prof. Adwoa Mensah
Dean, SADe — Chair
Dr. Kofi Bediako
Programme Director
Amara Diop
Curatorial Lead
Tunde Adeyemi
Competition Director
Léa N'Diaye
Partnerships
Dr. Hagos Tesfaye
Academic Council