Culture In African Culture

African architecture has been shaped by the triple heritage concept presented by Prof Ali Mazuri in his book, “The African, a triple heritage”. This concept outlines firstly how different cultures have settled into different parts of Africa over the years. Secondly, it outlines how indigenous African cultures have been diversified with European cultures in the colonization period. The third and final part defines how non-African/European cultures have also mixed (Mensah, 2012:9). The influenced architecture would take form in accordance with which culture dominated the period. Cultural and traditional architecture can be connected to the ethnicity and religious beliefs of a certain group. The resulted architecture is a basic illustration of their religious ideas and symbols which can be shown through the materials used or the layout system. A level of visual aesthetic in the architecture can be reached with the use of patterns and symbols which start to create an identity of a particular ethnic group. This argument is supported by Guidoni (1975) through his statement that prehistoric architecture is themed with symbolic impressions (Guidoni, 1975:28).

This traditional African architecture had evolved to better suit the people. Materials such as stone, rock, timber, straw, thatch and earth were used with the most basic tools and methods to construct homes. These materials proved the discussion below will look at these materials, their spatial arrangement and their forms.

4.2.2 Architectural Formation and Patterns

Social, religious, climate, political organizations are some of the important elements in the formation of settlements in any region. In searching for an Afric...

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... modern technology will sustain a decent lifestyle, livable neighborhoods, - in a balanced urban city. It will also encourage good building practice through the art of “green building” (Opaluwa, 2012:97).

With particular attention to green building, the historical buildings of Africa has proved to be highly sustainable, durable and comfortable with zero carbon emission. An example of this is the architecture of Egypt, Nigeria, Kenya, Mali, cities of Kano and Zaria, and the great mosque of Djenne (Opaluwa, 2012). These countries and cities have in the past produced great architecture that managed to survive through decades and remain comfortable. Fig… shows the great mosque of Djenne, its material and how it has survived though so many years (Opaluwa, 2012).

4.2.3 Stone Architecture

4.2.4 Straw/Thatch Architecture

4.2.5 Adobe Architecture