CPDI AFRICA BLOG

Hello everyone, My name is John Ridley, I was born in Panama City Florida and raised in Kennesaw Georgia. I graduated from Kennesaw State University where I majored in African and African Diaspora Studies. My hobbies are health and fitness, and freshwater - saltwater fishing is another favorite hobby of mine. It naturally connects me with the hunter-gatherer spirit in a way! A fun fact about me, 3 years ago I decided to pick a guitar and self learn. I’m enjoying the challenge that comes along with it when learning to play a new song. I love architecture not just for its functional use, and creative use of materials, but for its cultural and symbolic meanings. As a researcher, the depth of scholarship and of course connection to identity, found in the subject matter grabbed my attention. I am thankful for my African architecture course at Kennesaw State University with Prof. Okwumabua, as it opened my eyes to so much of my cultural heritage as an African American that I would not have o...

Hello everyone, My name is Kherby Jean and I am a 4th year architecture major at Tuskegee University. Born in Haiti, my parents always told me to be humble and work hard. My parents brought me to the US in 2010 for one reason, a better life. I am pursuing architecture because I am passionate about helping and would like to create affordable housing for people in my home country, Haiti. Through faith, knowledge and community, I believe that this is possible. In addition to architecture, I am a partner at a clothing company called Blakhveny where we represent culture and social change. Overall, my goal is to help people, have an impact on the future generation, and inspire change.  Learning about African architecture and Haitian architecture was truly an exhilarating process, I learned so much about my history and culture. As stated above, I was born in Haiti, but I had never connected my Haitian identity to my African identity until CPDI Africa. Seeing and learning so much a...

Anyanwu is the Sun Goddess who also is an omen for good fortune. The Anyanwu resort is located at the base of Milkin Hill in Enugu State, Nigeria. In Enugu, Milkin Hill is a point of pride for the people. The story goes that the road up Milkin Hill was carved by the ancestors with their bare hands. The folklore that is passed down says that a serpent god was staking claim on his territory and he did so by wrapping his body around the hill creating the road they use today. Play video below to watch the design Quick Animation The resort is designed to stake claim on the land. The people of Enugu don’t have many tourist attractions but The Anyanwu was designed to serve the people while giving them a place that showcases their pride in their land just like their pride in their rode. These masks were her inspiration. she appreciated their symmetry and simplicity. The floor plan and its symmetry was inspired by these masks, (particularly, the one on the right) and others like it. Play video...

Hello everyone! My name is Udochukwu Anidobu and I am a sophomore in Architecture at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I was born in the US and grew up in the south suburbs of Chicago but my family is from ENUGU State Nigeria. My hobbies are reading and cooking. Fun fact, I used to be a football goalie in secondary school 😊.   I have been involved with architecture since secondary school and fell in love with the design process and how architecture can solve a variety of problems with one thoughtful design. African architecture is a passion of mine because I love how it truly “takes a village.” Eurocentric architecture tends to glorify the individual designer whereas African architecture focuses on the community and its involvement in the process.   I recently decided that I wanted to pursue an uncommon path. I wanted to be an Afrocentric architect. Most students my age aren’t thinking so far in the future, but I love my people and I love my heritage. So much of...

The Hausa Resort and Cultural Center aims to capture the essence of Hausa culture at a glance given the visitor an immersive experience at one location. Drawing inspiration from the layout of a typical Hausa city, and more specifically inspired by the Emir’s Palace in Kano, the resort has been laid out as a mini gated city that captures various activities that highlight Hausa culture and architecture. Play video below to watch the design  Quick Animation. Conceptual Statement The Gidan Hausa Resort and Cultural Center is designed to give the visitor an experience of Hausa culture from the large scale i.e. the city with its robust activities to the small scale of the home with its intimacy and privacy. Play video below to watch the full design Presentation. 15 elements of Hausa architecture incorporated into the design of the resort Illustration of the main entrance  Illustration of a villa entrance View from within a courtyard in a private villa Read also some of Hauwa res...

A Resort is defined as a place that is frequented for holidays or recreation or for a particular purpose. A cultural center or cultural center is an organization, building or complex that promotes culture and arts. Cultural centers can be neighborhood community arts organizations, private facilities, government-sponsored, or activist-run.  Igbo culture is a rich sub-Saharan way of life peculiar to this tribe. This Resort is an Architectural translation of this way of life, to promote and immortalize it, cutting through every aspect of their ways of life. Play video below to watch the design Quick Animation. Ventilation and Lighting are responsible for Thermal/Visual Comfort in Hot Tropic Zones (usually ridden by high temperatures coupled with high humidity). Having a fantastic Air flow and movement is then as key as choosing a sustainable green material that will improve thermal comfort fit for our climate. Unity  is more represented on the  Circle  better than any...

Greetings everyone! I am Arc. Chibuzo Chinonso OHANEJE and I’m thrilled to share with you a bit about myself, my professional journey and experience during my internship at CPDI AFRICA! I was born in Umuele, a village in Amazanor Autonomous Community in Njaba L.G.A. of Imo State of NIGERIA. Taken by my parents to Cameroon at the age of 3 months I did all my schooling (from Nursery till I acquired my Baccalaureate in Mathematics and Physics in Senior Secondary in a French Schooling System), being top of almost all my classes and more than 5 times overall school best, I returned to Nigeria to continue with my undergraduate (finishing top of my class, department and faculty in FUT-Yola 2006) and Postgraduate Studies (finishing top of my class in UNIUYO 2014) in Architecture. These were crowned with my Full Registration as an ARCHITECT of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. I like travels, watching movies and I am a Tech Enthusiast. A fun fact about me is the ability to work (Draw) at 100% wh...

Ti-Kay Resort is a tropical ambiance located in Labadee, Haiti on the bank of the northern coast. Ti-Kay Resort is designed with an array of openings for sunlight, surrounding vegetation, and wooden materials throughout, creating a sustainable experience for the guests. The Lobby space is used to educate guests on the concept of the resort. Additionally, there is a gift shop, bookstore, and a restaurant/bar on the ground level catering to the guests and residents. On the second floor, we have conferences and guest rooms with balconies facing the ocean. The master bedroom and gallery space are on the last floor with beautiful views and art all around.  Play video below to watch the design Quick Animation. Conceptual Statement: Neg Mawon by Albert Mangonès Neg Mawon stands strong and unafraid, as he blows the conch shell to alert the slaves that the enemies are approaching. The focus point was the connection of his mouth to the conch shell and the sound that it creates. The secondary...

I am a Haiti native, born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. I migrated from Haiti to Dominican Republic, Dominica, St. Thomas, and finally Miami, Florida. I started my architectural education at Miami-Dade College, and currently, I am the President of the American Institute of Architecture student chapter at Tuskegee University. My goal for every platform I occupied is to serve, motivate, and teach creatives to better themselves skillfully and academically.  My passion for architecture develops as I understood the influence a building has on a community. Through Afro-centric architecture, I learned how to design sustainable spaces for my Haitian community. Afrocentric Architecture is very detailed and has specific elements that speak to individual ethnic groups. My involvement with CPDI Africa was focused on Haitian architecture by designing a cultural resort that incorporates signature Haitian architectural elements. Within the Ti-Kay Resort, I include the high-double doors, cross raili...