In Accra, where public investment in recreational space is limited and green areas increasingly scarce, the Backyard Community Club by DeRoche Projects proposes a new model for shared civic life: a community sports facility centered on a tennis court, demonstrating how design can deliver inclusive, sustainable, and socially transformative environments. Designed by DeRoche Projects, it is Ghana’s first project using a precast rammed earth system – an innovative method pioneered by the studio that reimagines an ancestral material for contemporary, scalable use. At once a local landmark and a replicable prototype, Backyard exemplifies how design can respond to urgent questions of civic quality, environmental stewardship, and cultural identity.

Set within a compact plot in the dense neighbourhood of Osu, the project is more than a sports facility. It establishes a youth community space where training, cultivation, gathering, and learning take place side by side. By connecting sport with ecological practice, the Backyard Community Club sets out a model of public space that supports social exchange, environmental responsibility, and the sustainable use of resources. Built to international standards, the clay tennis court is designed for professional-level doubles play, providing athletes under 18 with a high-quality training environment while fostering access to the sport through free lessons for children in the community.