The work of Kingelez can be seen elsewhere on these pages; beautiful models of a futuristic African city. Pierre Goudiaby Atepa (Senegal) creates buildings that bring reality to these models. From his offices in Dakar, Paris, Dubai, New Delhi, Moscow and Washington he has built an impressive oeuvre over the past decades.
ECOWAS offices by Atepa architects.
Project by students from KNUST in Ghana.
These models were made in 2007 by architecture students of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi. These students undoubtedly became acquainted with the work of Kingelez and Atepa while they developed their ideas for the new African city.
Nowadays, the appearance of the African city is largely determined by modernism. Shortly before and after independence, construction took place on a large scale, as a result of which the then current architectural trend, not restricted to a particular location and suitable for use anywhere in the world, had a great impact on African cities.
Housing block by Jean Hentsch and André Studer in Casablanca, photo 2008.
Some people consider it only natural that this architecture should be applied here, for others it is an eyesore: this Western style of architecture is too reminiscent of colonial rule. As a result of the economic development of certain African countries over the last decades, these buildings have sometimes had to be demolished. Elsewhere, however, they are seen as the basis for a new life cycle. … Read more
Sandbags as building bricks, a project by MMA architects in Cape Town, South Africa.
MMA architects has developed a simple building method using sandbags to create affordable housing in the townships of Cape Town. Sandbags are stacked onto a wooden frame, resulting in a thick wall which keeps both the heat and the cold out. This wall is then finished with stucco, which enhances the appearance of the houses. … Read more
Plans for La Cité du Fleuve in the Congo River near Kinshasa.
A new city is under construction in the immense Congo River near Kinshasa (DR Congo). Near to the capital city, an island is emerging at great speed, with ultra-modern buildings, technology and architecture from all corners of the globe. Will La Cité du Fleuve really detach itself from the reality of Kinshasa, where things look very different indeed? Is this a project that is likely to be imitated elsewhere on the continent? … Read more
Among the work of African artists, the work of Aboudramane and Kingelez is already practically classic.
In their own highly individual way, they each give their vision of the Africa of the future.
Aboudramane, La case camouflé.
With Doual’art, Danièle Diwouta - Kotto designed a pavilion with a water pump.
With its urban art interventions, Doual’art focuses on daily life in the communities of Douala. … Read more
The term ‘sustainability’ and the ‘Cradle to Cradle’ (C2C) philosophy seem to have also reached Africa. Indeed, you might think that the origin of the C2C approach lies in Africa. And maybe it does. It seemed that the Western world had to re-invent the wheel. While C2C is still commonplace in the African country, this approach has disappeared from the cities. Recycling is nevertheless widespread, often out of sheer necessity.
Building kits at the side of the road in Mamelodi, Tschwane, South Africa.