vitra design museum presents the african architecture of independence

architecture of independence – african modernism
vitra design museum gallery, weil am rhein
on view until may 31, 2015

held at the vitra design museum gallery in germany, architecture of independence highlights the significant political events of the time when countries in central and sub-saharan africa became independent during 1960s. curated by architect and author manuel herz and photography contributed by iwan baan, this will is the first of this specific, historical architectural period to be showcased.

hotel independence, dakar (senegal), by henri chomette and roland depret, 1973-1978 | photo © iwan baan
(main image: la pyramide, abidjan (côte d’ivoire), by rinaldo olivieri, 1973 | photo © iwan baan)

the exhibition shows 80 buildings from five countries that capture the essence of african modernism; underlining the relationship between the architectural production and their individual nation-building processes. at the time the buildings such as stadiums, universities and banks were constructed, the architects wanted the bold and distinctive design to reflect the country’s progressive spirit however, they also encapsulated the difficulties that the newly independent countries were facing.  

independence arch, accra (ghana) by the public works departments, 1961
photo © manuel herz

hotel ivoire, abidjan (côte d’ivoire) by heinz fenchel and thomas leiterdorf, 1962-1970,
photo © iwan baan

fidak – foire internationale de dakar, dakar (senegal) by jean francois lamoureux & jean-louis marin, 1974
photo © iwan baan

university of zambia – unza, lusaka (zambia) by julian elliott 1965-1970
photo © iwan baan

mfantsipim school (ausschnitt), cape coast (ghana) by fry, drew and partners 1958
photo © manuel herz

kenyatta international conference centre, nairobi (kenya) by karl henrik nostvik 1967-1973,
photo © iwan baan

kenyatta international conference centre, nairobi (kenya) by karl henrik nostvik 1967-1973
photo © iwan baan

school of engineering at knust (kwame nkrumah university of science and technology) kumasi (ghana) by james cubitt 1956
photo © alexia webster

stadium at knust, kumasi (ghana) by knust development office 1964-1967
photo © alexia webster

 image © vitra design museum, marc niedermann

image © vitra design museum, marc niedermann

image © vitra design museum, marc niedermann

image © vitra design museum, marc niedermann

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