Dorothy Engmann

The Center is housed in Lokko House, a historic building situated within a significant cultural enclave in Osu, close to Christiansborg Castle, Independence Square, and Oxford Street. Lokko House was built in the early twentieth century, though the family history connected to the house dates back to Hans Lykke, a Danish governor at Christiansborg Castle (1681–1687) during the Danish transatlantic slave trade. As such, the building holds significant value both as a heritage site and as CAHP’s community center. Its adaptive reuse ensures that this history is not only preserved, but actively engaged in ways that generate cultural, educational, and social benefits for the local community.

With careful attention to restoration and conservation, The Center now functions as a vibrant community hub. It accommodates a community gallery, studio workshop/ laboratory space, two libraries (for children and adults), and a gift store.

The Center is an inclusive and accessible space dedicated to educational and cultural programming. It hosts exhibitions, performances, lectures, workshops, and social exchanges that are free or low-cost and open to all. Importantly, community members of all ages, abilities, and socio-economic backgrounds play an active role in shaping The Center’s identity, activities, and ongoing care. In this way, The Center serves not only as a site of learning and creativity, but also as a springboard for community revitalisation.