Decolonizing architecture in Africa
(2023) AAHM10 20231Department of Architecture and Built Environment
- Abstract
- For many cultures, architecture represents more than just physical structures. It signifies culture, affiliation, and ownership within a specific society. However, in many African contexts, various coercive and assimilative historical, socioeconomic, and cultural phenomena, such as colonialism, have caused a divergence between the people’s architecture, way of life, and culture. Furthermore, the impacts of these developments on theoretical and practical aspects of architecture and design remain under-researched.
Using a research-design inspired methodology, this degree project aims to link or establish a connection between pre-colonial architecture and contemporary architecture in Africa, considering the specific case of Kenya. The... (More) - For many cultures, architecture represents more than just physical structures. It signifies culture, affiliation, and ownership within a specific society. However, in many African contexts, various coercive and assimilative historical, socioeconomic, and cultural phenomena, such as colonialism, have caused a divergence between the people’s architecture, way of life, and culture. Furthermore, the impacts of these developments on theoretical and practical aspects of architecture and design remain under-researched.
Using a research-design inspired methodology, this degree project aims to link or establish a connection between pre-colonial architecture and contemporary architecture in Africa, considering the specific case of Kenya. The project begins its investigation by analyzing various African architectural and decolonial movements associated with indigenous architecture, such as recontextualizing architecture and designs that center on African concepts. In addition, the paper investigates the architectural ethnography of traditional Kenyan architecture through the careful unlearning of current architectural trends that do not directly respond to the specific context and the relearning of precolonial architecture’s teachings.
The research project concludes by proposing a flexible co-working space in Nairobi, Kenya, as a demonstration (proof of concept) of the unlearning and relearning undertaken in the study. The choice of designing co-working spaces is reinforced by the observation that there is a high demand for collaborative working spaces by emerging start-ups in the city. The proposed workspace blends the collaborative local work culture and the understanding of local architectural ethnography using hybrid design technics and building tectonics.
This research will serve as a point of departure for future decolonization-focused research. In addition, it will serve as a starting point for architects to link the past to the present and influence a sustainable future. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9121800
- author
- Yalew, Emaelaf Tebikew LU
- supervisor
- organization
- alternative title
- Rethinking co-working space in Nairobi
- course
- AAHM10 20231
- year
- 2023
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Decolonizing architecture, vernacular architecture, African architecture, co-working, Kenya, architecture
- language
- English
- id
- 9121800
- date added to LUP
- 2023-06-08 17:09:11
- date last changed
- 2023-06-08 17:09:11
@misc{9121800,
abstract = {{For many cultures, architecture represents more than just physical structures. It signifies culture, affiliation, and ownership within a specific society. However, in many African contexts, various coercive and assimilative historical, socioeconomic, and cultural phenomena, such as colonialism, have caused a divergence between the people’s architecture, way of life, and culture. Furthermore, the impacts of these developments on theoretical and practical aspects of architecture and design remain under-researched.
Using a research-design inspired methodology, this degree project aims to link or establish a connection between pre-colonial architecture and contemporary architecture in Africa, considering the specific case of Kenya. The project begins its investigation by analyzing various African architectural and decolonial movements associated with indigenous architecture, such as recontextualizing architecture and designs that center on African concepts. In addition, the paper investigates the architectural ethnography of traditional Kenyan architecture through the careful unlearning of current architectural trends that do not directly respond to the specific context and the relearning of precolonial architecture’s teachings.
The research project concludes by proposing a flexible co-working space in Nairobi, Kenya, as a demonstration (proof of concept) of the unlearning and relearning undertaken in the study. The choice of designing co-working spaces is reinforced by the observation that there is a high demand for collaborative working spaces by emerging start-ups in the city. The proposed workspace blends the collaborative local work culture and the understanding of local architectural ethnography using hybrid design technics and building tectonics.
This research will serve as a point of departure for future decolonization-focused research. In addition, it will serve as a starting point for architects to link the past to the present and influence a sustainable future.}},
author = {{Yalew, Emaelaf Tebikew}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{Decolonizing architecture in Africa}},
year = {{2023}},
}