The languages of contemporary architecture in Sub-Saharan Africa: 1960-2020

Summary

Why talk about languages? Rewriting the canon - or at least recognizing that the Western canon is not the only lens through which to look at the world seems a way to tackle the hidden complexities that surround “global” history. In this regard architecture in Sub-Saharan Africa offers elements that can be brought into a less linear and more complex reading of the historiographical narrative.

Biography

Tomà Berlanda is Professor of Architectural Technology at the Politecnico di Torino. His research focuses on non-stereotypical readings of urban settings and landscapes in Eastern and Southern Africa. He has co-founded asa studio and astudio.space, two collaborative practices that have produced internationally recognised design work. His publications include Architectural Topographies (2014), and Interpreting Kigali (together with K. H. Smith, 2018).