Joe Osae- Addo - Mould-Breaking Ghanaian Architect.

The use of materials in African architecture, are extremely important in identifying and responding to the vernacular. Architect Joe Osae- Addo speaks about the use of materials and symbolism in architecture.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbpdlzg4BN8&list=PLF73A2AE2CDD07DA0

Stefan Antoni Olmesdahl Truen Architects on an INternation Scale

The work of Olmesdahl Truen Architects has been very successful in the beach house category.
With this house in Bantry Bay, Cape Town has recently been noticed on Archdaily.

 

 



 

“Fancy” Retail Headquarters / Urban Platform in Seneffe Belgium

Sensitivity in Africa

There are a number of international architects working in rural developing Africa, in areas such as the DRC. The challenges with this are that the problems that need to be identified are far different from the problems in developed countries with design.

Sensitivity to context, culture and the vernacular are extremely significant when designing in developing Africa.

Archdaily recently published an article about energy efficiency and how LEED will not work in Africa http://www.archdaily.com/375906/why-leed-doesnt-work-in-rural-africa-and-what-will/

The most important aspect to respond to is that the African culture is at an architectural climate which is of much difference to the developed cultures.

The argument of Green Design and environmentally friendly aspects in design can also be put forward in Africa. The execution however, needs to be very different, as the availability of technology is far less in Africa.

Architecture in Africa needs to have its own responses to the problems, which in many regards can be socio economic. The product of African architecture needs to of its place, Genius Loci needs to be identified at a Glenn Murcutt standard of Australian architecture. An architect, who can identify the socio economic issues and psychological aspects of the context and respond to them appropriately, will create a step in the right direction in the discourse of developing African architecture.

 

 

Dal Venables- DMV Architecture

Dal Venables has run DMV Architecture for a number of years in Port Elizabeth South Africa. As a young architect, he has made a success of himself and a good name within the industry. The story of his success within the industry, from his university days is inspirational and moving.

At the end of my first year of study, I was fortunate enough to work at DMV Architecture over the December recess. After one month working at DMV Architecture I was able to go back to university, with knowledge and a short experience of work which changed my perspective on architecture completely.

Dal venables is an architect with integrity, vision, enthusiasm and a work ethic that has established his practice to where it is today. The humility and morals of this architect are inspiring and are part of the reason why he is where he is today.

The architecture industry needs more architects and designers with these qualities.

Bridge Street building.

DMV Architecture website http://www.dmvarchitecture.co.za/#team

Cape Dutch Home-Graaff Reinet

It has been argued that architects' taste is in stark contrast with the rest of society. A career or aspiration which is not related to the built environment is often perceived by architects as a stereotype in taking for granted what good architecture is.

From another perspective, the over analytical habits of an architect or designer can result in drudging company for someone who is not related to the built environment.

It is important however, for society to appreciate good architecture and not to be alluded to the sham of pretentiousness which is often used to satisfy the tasteless greed of certain individuals in the upper class.

The image above is a house in Graaf Reinet which is well maintained. This is a good example of good architecture which can be appreciated by architects and designers as well as the general public. This design is honest and tells a story of it's time, when the style of Cape Dutch architecture was popular.

An architect's taste and perception of their built environment are very different to the general public. What is just as important, is for the public to be able to identify what is sublime and what is pretentious in the built environment, in order for the places where we live and work to be better environments.

The Boardwalk Hotel

The Boardwalk Hotel was recently completed in Port Elizabeth South Africa. The Hotel is situated behind the existing Caltex petrol station. The Hotel is to serve the rest of the Boardwalk, which consists of the casino, a number of restaurants, shops, food stores as well as many other functions all placed around the lake.

The building has been designed to fit in with the "Disney Land" aesthetic, initially introduced when the boardwalk was first designed. The hotel stands high above the existing buildings to it's immediate surroundings and the rest of the Boardwalk.

A concern to many is the lack of honesty in the form. The towers which are large volumes with no usable space within the volume. The elements used to give an illusion of a door, but are in fact not doors at all, but purely decorative.

The counter argument would be that the decorative elements are an implied detail to the aesthetic of the Boardwalk as a whole, and that the intension, which is to create interest and mystery as to what their functions are is successful. Although many may not appreciate the decorative aesthetic, the intention is met.

Although the implied decoration has it's own argument within the problem which was addressed in the hotel's design when it was initially built, an unfortunate reality is the large volumes of space with beautiful views which were left unusable and became purely service zones.

The argument of decorative against rational is one that can continue well beyond the Boardwalk design. The design may bring a lot of new problems with it, but as designers and architects, we need to be optimistic with the future in order to have any positive impact in the environments we give character to.

The Controversy in the Use of Metaphors in Design

In a lecture held at NMMU (Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University) recently, a topic was raised about the concerns related to the use of metaphors in design. The approach to a specific problem, related to the site, context, climate and the brief is often an approached with a metaphorical under-lying meaning.

The concerns raised in the lecture were whether or not this specific approach to design was at all relevant and appropriate. The use of a metaphor to explain a concept often does not answer the questions which the problem asks. Architects and designers have to respond to many problems on site, on a micro and a macro scale of site conditions. In addition to the site conditions, the brief has to be responded to, as well as the context, the culture of the area and many other problems that have to be identified.

In the lecture, the conclusion was that the use of metaphors in design can be used, but only where relevant and appropriate.

The topic has raised additional concerns however. There are architects in South Africa who spend the majority of their lectures on a specific design speaking about the metaphor and not the problem or the response. "There are architects who spend hours talking about a leaf," was a statement made by the guest speaker, giving an example of the irrelevant use of metaphors. The design needs to respond to the opportunities and constraints at many levels, and appropriateness is important in these responses.

Architecture can be very opinionated and what can be a very well resolved design, can also raise additional concerns to many speculative individuals. The argument is often what decides whether or not a design is appropriate.

The approach to design needs to be appropriate, and the designer or architect needs to identify the issues and respond to them in this manner. Should the metaphor be a valid argument and have the level of appropriateness required, that metaphor may be a good response.