{"id":20502,"date":"2015-04-06T13:00:00","date_gmt":"2015-04-06T13:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/architizer.wpengine.com\/african-projects\/"},"modified":"2022-05-31T11:25:11","modified_gmt":"2022-05-31T15:25:11","slug":"african-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/collections\/african-projects\/","title":{"rendered":"8 Architecture Projects That Showcase African Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"

Architects: Showcase your next project through <\/span><\/i>Architizer<\/span><\/i><\/a> and sign up for our <\/span><\/i>inspirational newsletter<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n

Although the Western media tends to focus on the humanitarian side of architecture in Africa, the continent is home to amazing design of all varieties<\/a>. While it is certainly important to build schools, hospitals, and housing \u2014 too easily taken for granted in the Western world \u2014 it is also worth examining the general level of creativity of all African architecture, humanitarian or not.<\/p>\n

There are many challenges to building there. The intense heat, different levels of local construction knowledge, and the availability of materials all factor into designs. However, with a little ingenuity, some incredible things can happen.<\/p>\n

Here are some of our favorite projects from Africa in the Architizer database.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 TERRENEUVE Architectes<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

High School Jean Mermoz<\/b><\/a> by TERRENEUVE Architectes<\/a>, Dakar, Senegal<\/p>\n

This simple, clean school building was built with local construction knowledge, and its terra-cotta color is derived from its surroundings.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 Dive Architects<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

British Council<\/b><\/a> by Dive Architects<\/a>, Khartoum, Sudan<\/p>\n

This refurbishment incorporates a brise-soleil wall made from locally available concrete blocks, as well as a more extensive reorganization of the internal spaces.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 GoDesign Inc<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

School Expansion<\/b><\/a> by GoDesign Inc<\/a>, Ethiopia<\/p>\n

Because the nearest market is two hours away, the architects built the walls out of rocks. This material makes the building’s thermal mass larger than other construction techniques.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 Mecanoo<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Ethiopia Dutch Embassy<\/b> by Bjarne Mastenbroek<\/a> and Dick van Gameren<\/a>, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia<\/p>\n

The untreated concrete is the same red tint as the earth, and a surrounding eucalyptus forest provides a serene backdrop.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n<\/div>\n\n

Container Medical Compound for the Salam Centre<\/b><\/a>, Khartoum, Sudan<\/p>\n

An exterior bamboo brise-soleil panel system protects the shipping-container structure from the sun.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 MASS Design Group<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Butaro Doctors’ Housing<\/b><\/a> by MASS Design Group<\/a>, Butaro, Rwanda<\/p>\n

This doctor’s housing was developed alongside local artisans and builders using an innovative compressed stabilized earth block (CSEB) fabrication. It was meant to give locals new skills that they could utilize after the designers were gone.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 NL\u00c9 Works<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

Makoko Floating School<\/b><\/a> by NL\u00c9 Works<\/a>, Lagos, Nigeria<\/p>\n

In the water community of Makoko, this mobile school travels around offering education. It is a prototype for addressing the social and physical challenges of Makoko as well as other water-based coastal communities.<\/p>\n

\n\t\n\t\n\t

\u00a9 The Manta Limited \/ Genberg Art UW Ltd<\/p>\n\t<\/div>\n\n

The Manta Underwater Room<\/b><\/a> by The Manta Limited \/ Genberg Art UW Ltd<\/a>, Tanzania<\/p>\n

This three-level, Swedish-engineered floating structure has an underwater bedroom.<\/p>\n

Architects: Showcase your next project through <\/span><\/i>Architizer<\/span><\/i><\/a> and sign up for our <\/span><\/i>inspirational newsletter<\/span><\/i><\/a>.<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The intense heat, different levels of local construction knowledge and the availability of materials all factor into designs.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":30,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"architizer_featured_type":"projects","architizer_featured_image":"1144627","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,3],"tags":[15],"architizer_project":[],"architizer_brand":[],"architizer_firm":[],"architizer_product":[],"class_list":["post-20502","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-collections","category-inspiration","tag-collection"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n8 Architecture Projects That Showcase African Innovation - Architizer Journal<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The intense heat, different levels of local construction knowledge and the availability of materials all factor into designs.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/architizer.com\/blog\/inspiration\/collections\/african-projects\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"8 Architecture Projects That Showcase African Innovation - 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