Africa

The design of the Fair Trade Zone understands circular economy as a spatial metabolism between architecture and landscape. Led by a women’s cooperative, the Fair Trade Zone in Akuse, Ghana, is based on an alternative model for integrated sustainable manufacturing, agriculture, and eco-tourism in Ghana. While the raw materials processed in the built interior grow outdoors in productive gardens, the buildings harvest rainwater and nourish the plants with ecologically purified production wastewater through the courtyard’s drainage channels and gravity-fed furrow irrigation. The result is a striated landscape composed of different biomes suitable for the diverging ecological requirements of a dye garden, a paper garden, a textile ga... More

In the city of Sedhiou there are no designated places where local culture can be handed down, therefore there is a need to create a cultural center that serves three main functions:-Education-Exhibitions-Performances NEAR project The project is divided into two main concepts:-the open space is defined by the volumes that host the main activities, and is protected by a mangrove sun shading system, six meters above;-the boundaries between inside and outside are non-defined which allows access from all directions, similarly to how art and culture can be interpreted: human activity is a continuous evolution that is open to everyone. The design process began by understanding the connection between the assigned area and its surroundings.... More

Inspired by decades of travel to Kenya, our clients wanted a home that would reflect their love for The Continent and serve as a museum for the artifacts they’ve gathered. The Africa Safari style home is an homage to their deep love and commitment to Kenya, complete with a traditional, circular rondavel and museum room. Hand crafted of selected stone, the home and its detailed architecture is one for the ages.  JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD JMAD Jim McNeal Jim McNeal More

The building is located in Kigali, the capital of Rwanda. There are hotels and office buildings around the building on the main street. The construction area is approximately 7000 m2.6 different suggestions were prepared for the facade, and finally mesh facade design was chosen. The building has 1 basement floor. The building is U-shaped in plan and on the outside the corners make circular angles. Caption The facade of the building is designed with mesh metal panels, creating a second facade. The glass surface starting from the main road continues towards the side road at an angle and connects the two facades. There is no mesh on this glass surface. The presence or absence of mesh is discussed on the façade, in contrast to the... More

The project is located in Kigali, the capital city of Rwanda.Rwanda's topography consists of thousands of hills and the project site is located on the sloping surface of a hill. The plot continues with a vertical slope after a flat area at the upper level.At the lowest level of the land, there is a green forest area that is not open to project design according to the city master plan. For this reason, 2 row houses blocks, each consisting of 9 villas, were designed on the flat area above. where the slope starts, instead of designing row houses in the form of blocks, single villas sitting on the slope were designed.The individual villas located on the slope are designed by leveling according to the vehicle road level slope.Access to the villa... More

The project is located in Kampala, the capital of Uganda, located in East Africa. The project land, located in Ntinda, the newly developing region of Kampala, has an area of 777 square meters. When the ramp was built, it was aimed to dissolve the car parking area on the ground floor instead of building a basement, since the loss of space was too much and the land was very limited.The ground floor of the building, which touches the ground only with the entrance lobby and an elevator area that will allow vertical circulation, is used as a car parking lot. A staircase is designed open from the side of the building. Caption This staircase leads to the cafe*&restaurant area designed on the 1st floor. The cafe restaurant area has direct... More

Discreet from the street, this contemporary house gradually opens up to the visitor, leading them to contemplate the garden behind the plot. The villa is developed on 2 levels. The project is not guided by aesthetic concerns, but stems from functional necessities. Indeed, the constraints linked to the project owner's program make the project emerge. The organization of spaces articulates functions and needs. With a mesh facing on the front, this construction blends in perfectly with its surroundings. The house is 9 m wide on the main facade. The main facade, which is not very open, is a choice of discretion, while allowing the rooms to be ventilated. An entrance hall which gives access to the upper floors via the staircase and opens on... More

Kaira Looro Architecture Competition 2020 More

The Landmark Village is a 38,000 sqm mixed-use site along the Atlantic Ocean beachfront in Victoria Island, Lagos set to emulate Rosebank in Johannesburg, the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town and Canary Wharf in London. The site is being developed into an ultramodern business, leisure and lifestyle destination over the next 5 years. The Landmark Village was noted as the most visited leisure destination in Lagos, with an average footfall of up to 55,000 visitors weekly. The first phase of the Landmark Village scheme is complete with the Landmark Events Centre (the largest purpose-built event centre in Lagos), as well as the first and only Hard Rock Café in West Africa and the Oriental themed Shiro restaurant. The Landmark... More

With elevated views of the river running through the valley below the site, the house was aptly named the River View House. Located in Johannesburg, South Africa, the site is nestled amidst a small forest of thorn trees and grassland. The compact, yet steep site presented a gradient of 1:1 which brought with it many challenges, but at the same time Gottsmann Architects saw many more opportunities. This set the tone for the project and so the concept began. Upon approaching the home on street level, a person is led past finely detailed Scandinavian timber screens opening up and leading one across a bridge suspended over water. The large open-plan layout provides unobstructed views of the forest from within the interior spaces of the house.... More

This Hilton Hotel is located in Ehtiopia, the leading tourist destination Bahir Dar which is situated in the north Amhara region.Bahir Dar is elevated 1,800 m above sea level and is the port on the south of Lake Tana.Bahir Dar Hilton Hotel consists of lobby, wellness center, executive lounge, speciality restaurant, ballroom and meeting rooms, pool lounge, king rooms, double queen rooms, one bedroom suites, presidential suites and bungalow villas. The site provides the hotel with amazing views towards the Blue Nile river and the beautiful Bahir Dar landscapes.The pleasant tropical climate allows for the architecture to open huge facade panels and break the boundaries between the interior and exterior. More

Embedded in the mountainside of the rural village of Kigutu, the 18-bed Kigutu Staff Housing is a romance between East African elemental aesthetics and inventive off-the grid sustainability. Cutting a skewed line in the terrain, the 6000 square foot dormitory captures breathtaking mountain views. Currently rebuilding after many years of horrific civil strife, the villagers hope that this housing will create a model for the sustainable future of both the community and the country.Porous PorchesTo encourage the Kigutu outdoor communal culture, the oversized public porch doors seamlessly connect inside and out, welcoming all who enter. Similarly the private sleeping rooms, each with its own personal vividly colored entry porch, echo this semi-... More

Architects: COSTALOPES with LANDPLAN Location: Luanda, Angola (Africa) Area: 510 000 sqm Project Year: 2010-2013 Photographs: Manuel Correia, Finicapital, Helder Santos/Jular The Bay of Luanda gave rise to the urban and architectural waterfront of the capital of Angola and is one of its main foundational patterns. Over time, it has been the most important public space of the city and the social and economic epicentre of the country. Through time, the waterfront attached the downtown neighbourhood and afterwards the major urban networks and expansion routes. Given the current and fast transformation of Luanda downtown, the new Waterfront seeks to protect the urban pattern legitimized by its history. It restructures a vast extension... More

Site Vamizi Island, Quirimbas Archipelago, Mozambique. Subtropical climate. Coastal sanctuary. Brief Coastal retreat to sleep approximately 15 persons. Viewing tower, tree house & pool. Approximate area of 500sqm. Local materials. Design & Features Located off the high water line and out of sight in the dense coastal vegetation. Pavilion architecture with individual bedrooms positioned between the trees on site. Difficulties in procurement of hardwood from the mainland a concrete frame structure was favoured, this allowed for quick construction and wide spans for sea views. The concrete frame was scabbled to reveal a texture of local shells and stones that formed part of the aggregate. Hand carved timer screens and wov... More