Asharami School of Architecture

Tengen: The Pantheon Office was commissioned by a retired CEO of one of West Africa’s largest banks as a new kind of business address. He wanted a place where financial and economic discussions could take place, where new businesses could emerge and where visiting executives could meet, exchange ideas and make deals. The chosen site was an old colonial house set within a landscaped compound. ECAD’s challenge was to convert it into a modern, efficient office while preserving the architectural character that made the original building distinctive. The aim was not to erase its history, but to give it a new role as an economic and business hub. The refurbishment retains important parts of the existing site, including the swimming pool and a significant artwork on the front façade. The identity of the original artist remains unknown, but the decision to preserve the work means that it continues to form part of the building’s public face. This small mystery gives the project a further connection to the history of the house. Steel, bronze, timber and green stone bring a new material richness to the office, balancing the retained colonial fabric with a more contemporary expression. Beyond the building itself, a visually permeable fence and generous landscaping make the site feel connected to its surroundings. Tengen Office is significant because it shows how a historic property can be adapted without losing its spirit. It is at once a restored colonial house and a contemporary setting for business, designed to support the conversations and relationships through which new economic activity can grow.

Location

Ikoyi, Lagos

Typology

Commercial

L5 is conceived as a refined waterfront residential development that brings together sculptural architecture, expansive terraces, planted balconies, and direct connections to the marina. Positioned as a contemporary lifestyle destination, the project creates a layered waterside silhouette that responds to both the skyline and the calm openness of the water. The building is defined by its stepped massing, generous private outdoor spaces, and softened horizontal lines, which give the architecture a sense of movement and elegance. Large glazed openings allow natural light to flood the interiors while framing panoramic views of the waterfront, marina, and surrounding city beyond. The repetition of terraces and balcony gardens strengthens the building’s identity and gives each residence a more open, relaxed relationship with the outdoors. At ground level, L5 establishes a premium arrival experience through landscaped promenades, a carefully designed entrance sequence, and a strong visual connection to the water’s edge. The marina frontage, planted public realm, and outdoor leisure spaces help create an atmosphere that feels both exclusive and welcoming. The planning concept is centred around comfort, privacy, and elevated residential living. Homes are envisioned with spacious living areas, open layouts, broad terraces, and carefully considered views, while shared amenities and circulation spaces are arranged to support convenience, lifestyle, and community. Overall, L5 is designed as a contemporary waterfront address that combines luxury living with openness, greenery, and a strong sense of place. Through its layered terraces, planted edges, and direct relationship with the marina, the project presents a distinctive vision of refined living on the waterfront.

Location

Eko Atlantic, Lagos

Typology

Residential

The Coronation Bank Abuja was commissioned as the bank’s growing client base required a more substantial presence in the city. Moving beyond its earlier, smaller branch, Coronation needed a building that could express its position as a specialist private bank while providing an appropriate setting for high-net-worth clients and the services offered to them. The brief called for something stylish, distinctive and timeless. ECAD responded with a building conceived as an architectural arrival from Lagos into Abuja. Rather than relying on a conventional curtain-wall office façade, the design uses stone cladding and fair-faced concrete to create a more enduring and formal expression. The building is raised on pilotis, with V-shaped columns forming a colonnade at street level. This sequence draws visitors underneath the upper volume, giving the approach both a sense of ceremony and a clear relationship to the city. At night, the building is intended to read as a lantern, becoming a beacon and landmark within its Abuja setting. The project’s main challenges lay in the site. Changes to levels, basement parking requirements and encroachments required the design to be repeatedly tested and adjusted. Resolving these conditions allowed the building to sit purposefully within its constrained environment. The choice of stone and fair-faced concrete was fundamental. These natural materials create a timeless, almost Romanesque quality that supports Coronation’s aspiration for an international yet grounded identity. A roof garden further extends the building’s role, providing a place for terrace events and conversations around wealth enhancement. Coronation Head Office Abuja is significant because it uses architecture as part of the bank’s service offer. The building is intended not simply as an office or outlet, but as an environment that makes clients feel respected and assured, while giving a growing institution a distinctive and enduring address in the capital.

Location

Abuja, FCT

Typology

Commercial

Paramount Twin Towers is conceived as a waterfront residential community organized around framed balconies, warm façade accents, and shared amenities overlooking the Atlantic. The project brings together contemporary coastal architecture and elevated urban living, creating a development that feels both distinctive on the skyline and closely connected to its beachfront setting. Defined by its twin-tower composition, the architecture uses strong vertical forms, layered balcony frames, and contrasting warm-toned accents to give the buildings a clear and memorable identity. These framed openings not only shape the façade visually, but also provide private outdoor spaces that extend the living experience outward toward the sea, the city, and the horizon. At podium level, the project is designed as a social and lifestyle-focused base, integrating arrival spaces, parking, landscaped edges, and communal amenities into a cohesive waterfront environment. Shared facilities such as leisure terraces, lounge areas, and elevated amenity spaces are positioned to take advantage of views over the Atlantic, reinforcing the development’s emphasis on comfort, relaxation, and everyday luxury. The residential planning concept is centered on openness, light, and livability. Apartments are envisioned with generous living spaces, private balconies, large glazed openings, and carefully framed views that allow residents to experience the water and skyline as part of daily life. The overall composition balances privacy within each home with a strong sense of community through its shared spaces and outdoor amenities. Overall, Paramount Twin Towers is designed as a refined coastal address that combines bold architectural character, premium residential comfort, and a direct relationship with the waterfront. Through its framed balconies, warm façade detailing, and amenity-rich podium, the project presents a contemporary vision of seaside living that is elegant, social, and enduring.

Location

Lekki, Lagos

Typology

Residential