Customary Land Practices

To better understand the architectural practices of traditional African communities, our intern, Mary-Margaret Ben-Chioma, researched some of the customary land practices of traditional Nigerian communities. By understanding the relationship these people formed with the land, we at CPDI Africa believe we can understand the inspiration behind their architectural designs. We have prepared an explanation video for Mary’s findings below.

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25 ELEMENTS OF TRADITIONAL YORÙBÁ ARCHITECTURE

The architecture of the ancient Yoruba of Southwest Nigeria was a communal endeavor and the house was a statement of ideological, economic and social position in the larger urban context. Below is a list of 25 elements of traditional Yoruba architecture, as I cannot detail all about the Yoruba people in this documentation due to how lengthy I would need to write, the brief bio of the Yoruba people samples the Ijebu kingdom. Read also: - The Most Interesting Facts I Learnt Researching Yoruba Architecture - 5 Proposed Standard Elements of Yoruba architecture: Inspiring a Modern Language! - About the Author

Mai Deribe's Palace - A hidden gem in Borno state, Nigeria

Little is known of the hidden gem in North-eastern Nigeria that attracted kings, princes, prime ministers and heads of state back in its heyday. While the media talks about insurgency and terrorism in North-eastern Nigeria and discourages people from visiting for security reasons, let's shine a light on the more appealing aspects of the region by looking at its not-so widely portrayed architecture. Late Alhaji Mai Deribe's palace in Maiduguri city was constructed in the early 1980s and is said to have been built over a period of 10 years with parts of it constructed with liquid gold. During its prime, it was known as the most expensive dwelling in West Africa. It is expansive and a sight to behold with four apartments for his three wives and his mother. While the building's architectural influences are clear to see, the architect behind the palace remains unknown. Its simple and geometrically etched courtyards, fenestrations, exterior wall embellishments, as well as its ri...

INTERESTING FACTS ABOUT HAITIAN ARCHITECTURE

Traditional Haitian architecture is inspired by Taino, Yoruba, and Europen architecture from the Bohios to the shotgun. A major contribution to the life of shared community spaces is made by the Galri (porch) arguably the actual “living room” of Haitian buildings. The interior of the house usually consists of two rooms and is used as a place to rest and to store possessions. The kitchen and bathroom are sometimes separated from the rest of the house. In Kreyol, the shared yard or courtyard is called Lakou. Traditionally this includes the sharing of material items, chores, food, space, and childcare. The Jaden (Garden) is essential for all Haitian houses. The Jaden produces fruits and vegetables for the household. Colors and ornaments are used repeatedly throughout traditional Haitian homes. Most traditional Haitian architecture is a single-story, two-room rectangular house. The porches bring private life into an in-between space: semi-outside, semi-inside....

25 ELEMENTS OF TRADITIONAL XHOSA (NGUNI) ARCHITECTURE. SOUTH AFRICA

Image:tony gum (https://www.instagram.com/tony_gum/) The Xhosa, also often called the “Red Blanket People”, are of Nguni stock, like the Zulu. The name Xhosa is a generalised term for a diversity of proud clans, the Pondo , Bomvana , Thembu and the Xhosa tribe itself. Red and the orange of ochre were the traditional colours of the Xhosa, Tembu and Bomvana (“the red ones”). There are approximately 8 million Xhosa people in South Africa, and the Xhosa language is the countries second most-populous language in the country, after Zulu.

Elements of Traditional Hausa Architecture

Emir's Palace Kano. Image: ⓒ Hauwa Mahmoud Hausa architecture, as dictated by culture, is traditionally designed to be inward-looking in order to maximize privacy. Residential architecture is characterized by high walls with openings few and small, large courtyards, and entrance porches meant to welcome but keep out strange male visitors from the inner private quarters. These features usually have the double function of ensuring privacy, which is an important consideration in Hausa architecture. They also aid temperature regulation which is vital in the hot and arid regions of the West African Sahel where the Hausas are predominantly located. Plan and layout of Emir's Palace, Kano Dmochowski 1990 The layout of a traditional Hausa residence rarely takes a defined shape. This flexibility allows for expansion as needed as most households tend to be polygamous. However, there are certain features that are consistent in any layout no matter how big...

25 ELEMENTS OF TRADITIONAL IGBO ARCHITECTURE

The Igbo people of Southern of Nigeria are more than 4000 years. Their architecture speak volumes as it cuts through all the expects of their very existence: Spirituality and Philosophy, Materials and Sustainability , Culture and lifestyle, Aesthetics and Form, Process and Cost. All these were always achieved to portray the very fabrics of the society the building or its element found itself. Pertinent also to note is the involvement of every tier of the society in building its architecture: Men, Women, Children. Why Igbo architecture was great was the level of green and sustainability in their Architecture. The 25 ELEMENTS show how organized their societies were through Architecture.

THE EVOLUTION AND TRANSFORMATION OF AN AFRICAN DESIGN LANGUAGE - Igbo Architecture by Ikechukwu Godspower

The language of our Continent is Beautiful and Spiritual. Africa is connected to the realm of Her Ancestors, for the cycle of Life is never broken in the Motherland! On the way to Mastering the architectural language of his culture, the IGBO of Nigeria, Ikechukwu Godspower, better known as 'Zhinche' unearthed the building blocks upon which technology, aesthetics, spirituality, materials and design philosophies were transferred into architecture and community building of the Igbo Nation. His goal was to specialize in speaking the architectural language of his Culture, a skill he intends to Master in his professional journey to becoming a Master in Igbo Modern Vernacular Architecture. Play video below to watch the design Quick Animation. Nnukwu Nmanwu was targeted at restoring the traditions of igboland gradually fading away. The mmanwu were effective in keeping/restoring traditional norms and values in the communities. They are performed only by males in exclusive secret societi...

NEW COURSES: Global Studio for African Centered Architecture

The CPDI Africa Global Studio for African Centered Architecture: an Academic Platform for Teaching a New Pedagogy in African Architecture. The CPDI Africa Global Studio for African Centered Architecture provides architects and designers an African centered academic platform for learning technical solutions for problem solving in their communities, while preserving culture and heritage through design. The global studio is organized by CPDI Africa - the Community Planning and Design Initiative, Africa. Our Global Studio Faculty are leading professors and architects, renowned for their pedagogy in teaching African centered architecture. Tenured at distinguished universities around the globe, our professors understand architecture is not separate from the lexicon of creative arts, but an integral part of the full human experience. CPDI Africa faculty is interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and represent a diversity of world cultures, languages and heritage. The CPDI Afr...

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