Lagos, a megacity facing rapid urbanisation, limited resources, and vulnerability to climate change, has become a hub for architectural innovation. In a new episode of Inside Africa, CNN hears from key architects, Kunle Adeyemi and Muyiwa Oki about how they are designing for high-density urban environments while prioritising community, sustainability, and quality of life.
Kunle Adeyemi is an award-winning Nigerian architect who has dedicated much of his professional life to exploring water as a territory for man-made structures. He describes how the informal architecture of Lagos can inform more formal design practices, “In 2011 when I was researching affordable housing for Lagos state, I realised this community called Makoko that lived predominantly on water in Lagos, in the heart of Lagos within Lagoon Body, were building some of the cheapest dwellings in the city.”
He continues, “This community has built thousands of homes and with very little resources, very little technology, and if they could solve such problems and could build so much with so little, perhaps there was an insight into affordable housing.”
Makoko was established in the 19th century by migrants and fishermen, and has grown into one of the largest informal settlements in Lagos, with residents selling fish in the city and beyond. Adeyemi utilised this relationship with water to design, “With the collaboration of the community, a prototype building structure called Makoko Floating School”. The Makoko school provided an invaluable resource to the community. It continues to inspire Adeyemi and his team to develop new versions and even more elaborate concepts.
Adeyemi prioritises sustainability in his work, from material selection to energy efficiency and waste reduction, “We’ve learned a lot from that and also being able to develop other solutions. We are now looking to redeploy in various parts of Africa and beyond to create what might be one of the first purpose-built communities on water in Africa.”
Muyiwa Oki, the president of the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is paving the way for the next generation of African architects. Oki is both RIBA’s youngest leader, and he’s also the first Black person to hold this role since its founding in 1834. He tells CNN about his professional desires, “One of my goals is to encourage this diversity of thinking, that diversity of expression of architecture, diversity of delivery of architecture, from your early client engagement to your community engagement.”
Architecture in Africa has long been shaped by forces outside of the continent. Colonial powers imposed foreign styles that often overlooked the needs and voices of local communities. Oki addresses his role in reshaping this industry, “Part of being in this role as a person of colour, the black person, it means that we can now shine a light and learn from our past.”
Oki concludes, “Africa is the laboratory of the future. If we want to test and understand what future societies are because of the population rapid population group, we need to really take Africa seriously.”
This interview was featured on the latest episode of Inside Africa on CNN International
https://edition.cnn.com/world/africa/inside-africa
Inside Africa airs on CNN International at the following times:
Saturday 16th November 2024 at 2330 WAST
Sunday 17th November 2024 at 0400 WAST, 0730 WAST, 1230 WAST, 1830 WAST
Monday 18th November 2024 at 0530 WAST
