#african architecture

[thrdnarrative]

Mariam's Library in Tanzania, Zanzibar by Nassor Othman

[1five1two]

[germanpostwarmodern]

During the 1960s numerous subsaharan African countries gained independence from their colonial rule, a process that put an end to a grim period of history during which European rulers conquered and subjugated African peoples and tribes. But the African independence movement not only shook off the shackles of foreign rule but also initiated a boom in modern architecture that has gone largely unnoticed outside of Africa: as a sign of modernization and ambition conference centers, administrative buildings, universities, high rises and luxury hotels were erected, predominantly as concrete constructions and under the aegis of European architects. The employment of the latter obviously came at the expense of local building traditions and techniques but at least local climate conditions were accounted for, a concession that resulted in expressive details and unusual forms.

Over time these buildings have nonetheless fallen into disrepair and often lost their initial purpose. Against this background and in view of their obscurity beyond Africa the architect Manuel Herz at the ETH Zurich initiated a research project focused on Ghana, Senegal, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya and Zambia. The result is the monumental compendium „African Modernism: The Architecture of Independence“, originally published in 2015 by Park Books and presented here in its second edition from 2022. On 640 pages the volume documents a stunning selection of buildings, cities and architects that are expertly captured by photographers Iwan Baan and Alexia Webster. In an unconventional move they go beyond the purely architectural documentation and also take into account the everyday life and hence demonstrate the lively goings-on in and around the buildings.

In light of these qualities the present volume is a highly recommended opportunity to get familiar with African post-independence architecture and hopefully only the starting point for increased interest and research into the architecture of the continent.

[arc-hus]

Ogbojo House, Accra, Ghana - DeRoché Strohmayer

[dyingroses]

[lifeandtimesofvenus]

Villa Aram

Located in Ngaparou

Designed by Cyrus Ardalan✨

[afrocastle]

The Goundam-Tokossel Mosque, located in the town of Goundam, Mali, stands as a testament to the rich history and diverse cultural heritage of the region. This historic mosque holds a special place in the hearts of the locals and serves as a focal point for the community.

[didierleclair]

Timbuktu!

[panafrocore]

A Tuareg Village Tents in the Ubari Lakes Area

A Tuareg village can be found in the stunning Ubari Lakes area of the Sahara Desert in Libya. The Tuareg people are semi-nomadic herders and traders. They primarily live in Northern Mali. Their presence extends into Niger, Burkina Faso, Algeria, and Libya. They trace their ancestry back to the Berbers of North Africa and speak a Berber language called Tamasheq, often referring to themselves as…

[kvetch19]

[thehi8usza]

Why is history taught in a linear way?

I’ve been seeing this discussion all over my TikTok feed about how history is taught in a certain way to push a certain narrative. Rhetoric, if you will.

So I’m currently trying to learn more about architecture. The history, to help me understand what is being signified when one alludes to a building as Mid-Century modern.

In that spiral, I’ve learnt that the Cradle of Civilisation is Mesopotamia. And obviously, as I always wonder. What is civilisation? Who decides what civilisation is?

So let me define and unpack the idea of civilisation (in western thought). Civilisation according to the Oxford Dictionary is “the stage of human social and cultural development and organization that is considered most advanced”.

These advancements are determined most specifically by scholarly advancement. Through cultural, scientific, technological, economic growth or development.

But there is also a set criteria on how scholarship is classified as such. For the West, it is through epistemologies and certificates to show that one has indeed gone through the rigorous and systematic process of schooling.

So for the global south cultures, where learning does not follow the same set of principles. Or as a matter of fact, has been deprived of the ability to develop and immortalise their epistemologies in writing. The knowledge systems and architecture are not regarded as examples of great civilisation.

And to link this back to architecture. Our cyclical structures, and sustainable material such as mud and thatch are seen as primitive. Which then effectively excludes us from being seen as civilised.

Any way, that’s all I have to ramble about today.

[kwvme]

Gold Coast

[anotherhumansthings]

Lewis Hamilton in Morocco

[mohomotsi]

Diary entry #3

Jozi Architecture

I'm obsessed with the buildings in Joburg and I love capturing them always. It's almost like a time capsule because you get transport to 80-esque buildings.

Rest in peace to the victims of the Marshalltown fire. They deserved better as does the rest of the infrastructure in Joburg.

[heifercatmoon]

[lookattheceilings]

Modern Ghanaian Airbnb Filled With Chic Sustainable Pieces

Join us on a tour inside @1928apartment, an eco-chic Airbnb in Cantonments, Accra, designed by @adomako_architekten, where style and sustainability meet. In this video, Kofi Adomako, founder of Adomako Architekten talks about the repurposed family pieces that fill the apartment, his philosophy of using green architecture in African design, supporting up and coming architects and more.

By African Interiors