THEORISING ARCHITECTURE IN SUB SAHARAN A

Considering the immense diversity of sub-Saharan Africa’s architecture and built realities, does it make sense to speak of an African architecture? How does this differ from archi­tecture in Africa? What does the term architecture actually mean in the African context? And how could these questions be conceptualised while leaving behind pre-existing theoretical moulds and biases?

Searching for new ways to theorise sub-Saharan African architecture, this collection of 49 essays broadens and develops the discourse around the architecture of a very rapidly changing continent. Its authors – practising archi­­tects and renowned scholars – put forward an array of heterogeneous perspectives, question old tropes and emerg­­ing narratives, and challenge popular concepts whilst pro­pos­ing new ones. All with the aim of critically examining and advancing theoretical reflection on African archi­tec­tures, both on the continent and globally.

Philipp Meuser, PhD, born 1969, architect and publisher. Studied architecture in ­Berlin and Zurich, with a focus on archi­tec­tural history and theory. Honorary professorship in Kharkiv, Ukraine. International planning and construction projects in Western ­Africa and Central Asia, among others.

Adil Dalbai, MA, BSc, MSc, born 1985. ­Studied archi­tecture at the Technical Univer­sity of ­Berlin, as well as history and cul­tural studies at the Humboldt University of Berlin, with a ­focus on the cultural and architectural history of Eastern ­Europe, Central Asia, and (post-)colonial contexts. He works on architecture projects in Western Africa.