African Modernism: The Architecture of Independence — Ghana, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Zambia
The dearth of literature on African architecture has long been a source of frustration for the continent’s design community. The last decade, however, has seen a gradual change, as young designers witness the stunning rise of African metropolitan centers like Lagos, which has now surpassed Cairo as Africa’s largest city, and have become eager to engage with narratives of post-colonialism. These days, investors are directing enormous resources to the continent’s development, energizing its cities and opening up a new era in its urbanization. A similar wave of hope during the era of African independence in the 1950s and ’60s inspired the continent’s leaders to commission ambitious and extraordinary buildings that might elevate their nations to the world stage. The architects who designed these works were, in large part, imported from Europe, North America, and Israel, and they came with their own ideologies and biases, modulating them—genuinely or otherwise—to suit the local climates, cultures, and conditions.
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