Afritecture

The Afritecture website says "..The influence of Africa in modern art and music is well documented. From the the works of Pablo Picasso to the sounds of Rhythm and Blues, elements of African styles are globally acknowledged. The African accent on today’s built environment, however, remains less celebrated.

Unlike the term ‘Western Architecture’, which conjures up images ranging from Greek Temples to Post Modern high rises, African architecture tends to be viewed through a very narrow prism. A hut is usually what comes to mind. Rarely is African architecture observed with reference to antiquity or to exemplary contemporary architecture.

This website aims to change that.

Over the centuries, cultures within continental Africa have developed and used numerous design principles in the design and construction of their surroundings. Out of necessity, availability, and creativity, these aesthetics - which are as varied as the continent’s vast cultural diversity, and further modified as they have passed through the screens of Eastern and Western cultures - are still prevalant within today’s urban context not only in Africa, but throughout the world.

This website , a platform through which the influence of this design vernacular in modern day Architecture, Landscape Architecture and Interior Design is showcased, is less about architecture in Africa, but more Africa in architecture. We also aim to be an exploration of this vernacular, within the context of the past, the local, and the present, with the hope of inspiring further investigation and admiration..."

Compressed Earth Block Prototype

Open Source Ecology writes about the Compressed Earth Block Making machine that can me fabricated by small communities to enable them produce their own cheap sustainable eco-friendly blocks.

African Digital Art

African Digital Art Blog "...is an online collective, a creative space, where digital artist, enthusiasts and professionals can seek inspiration, showcase their artistry and connect with emerging artists..."

It recently featured the work of of Amina Abdala an Architectural Designer based in Tokyo with more than 10 years experience in architecture, 3D computer graphic design, project management and production management.

Bio Degradable Insulation

A cutting edge Bio degradable Insulation for Construction and other purposes has appeared in the market.Their website says "...Greensulate™ is an affordable, environmentally-friendly drop-in replacement for the expanded polystyrene used in cavity walls and structural insulating panels.

Greensulate™ is produced from natural byproducts, such as buckwheat hulls and cotton burrs, without heat or light input. With superior strength and comparable insulating properties, Greensulate™ insulation helps you reduce the amount of energy used to build your home, and increases your efficiency over the long haul..."

Constructs LLC

According to their website "...Constructs LLC is a company that synergizes architecture, urban planning, landscaping, and building technology into a single unit geared towards bringing modern architecture and building techniques to Africa.

Sustainable Human Settlements Consult Limited

According to their website "...SHSC Sustainable Human Settlements Consult Limited, founded in Lagos, Nigeria in 1995 as a partnership of Mustapha Zubairu (Architect/Planner and urban development and management expert), and Stella Zubairu (Architect and Facilities Management Expert), has continued to grow in organization resources and experience to meet the challenges of increasingly complex projects..."

"...We continue to operate as a general practice and have provided a full range of architectural and project coordination and management services, environmental management, urban development and management, urban governance related projects. We maintain long-standing relationships with consultants, construction industry and product supply interests. Since our inception we have sought public and private project assignments emphasizing changes that result in distinctive lasting and serviceable design..."

Images courtesy of SHSC

Abodes for the Coastal Inhabitants of West Africa

While accompanying my mum to one of the markets in Enugu about 4 months ago, we went the section that sells dry shrimps(aka crayfish). While she was buying some crayfish she told me that most of the crayfish in the market now comes from Bakassi area of Nigeria area now. This is because the catches which mainly came from the central Delta is no longer in demand because a lot of their crayfish is tainted by oil and fuel slicks from the leaking crude oil pipes in the creeks. This rather unfortunate calamity has destroyed the means of livelihood of a lot of fishing villages in the Niger Delta.

I believe that a lot of the fishing communities do have to re-settled to land based housing schemes because we can design modern housing schemes that borrow a lot of ideas from their traditional architecture which could end up serving them better.

Most of the fishing communities of West Africa tend to live in houses built on stilts or poles embedded in the river or sea-bed because of constantly changing daily or seasonal level of the river and sea water around them.

By incorporating rain collection devices on the roof as well as portable solar distillation equipment will alleviated a lot of problems the inhabitants have with access to clean drinking water.

The intended source of power supply will be from Photovoltaic and wind generated power.

Fish, crayfish and seafood drying can also be carried out on the retractable canopy of the proposed building prototype. Collection tanks for sewage and Grey water incorporated with algae will gradually break down the waste which could be used in the suspended vegetable gardens attached to the abode.

The concrete substructure will be held up by friction piles driven to the shallow seabed. The superstructure will be a light wooden/aluminum/polyethylene building bolted to the concrete base that could be easily adapted to the family size of the inhabitants.

With a lot of the Nigerian coastal communities facing problems from poverty, destruction of their ecosystems, lack of clean drinking water I believe that we can contribute design,construction and technological ideas that could be used to develop modern housing schemes. These design could be influenced by Ijaw,Kalabari, Ogoni, Urobo, Iteskiri traditional architecture but still maintain the functionality, durability of an abode built on top of water.