Untitled!!!!

The real idea is for someone to create a situation that fosters the growth of the other's talent.

Architecture is a treasure of the people, it is a gift of nature's flexibility to man.

In that vein, it is therefore always of utmost importance that the architect always respects man(user) and nature/environment(the host).

The Common Life

The kingdom of heaven is like a treasure hidden in a field.” Matthew 13:44

When you list the places Christ lived, draw a circle around the town named Nazareth—a single-camel map dot on the edge of boredom. For thirty of thirty-three years, Jesus lived a common life . . .

And the town may have been common, but his attention to it was not . . . He saw how a seed on a path took no root (Luke 8:5) and how a mustard seed produced a great tree (Matthew 13:31-32). Jesus listened to his common life.

Are you listening to yours?

- Max Lucado -

After reading this, it got me thinking...So many times we are looking at what is out there and we pay little or no attention at all to what is right before us. We always imagine what we have is not good enough and yet if you tell a long hard look at it, that which your looking down on could very well be the best thing that happened to.. not only you but so many others around you.

Common, referring to something that is not rare, something ordinary. But heres the catch what happens when you take that ordinary something and add just a little something....yes, it ceases to be ordinary. Yeah, this might sound so cliche but how many times have you ever done something about it.

We have had people create amazing things from regular things and I'm sure that even you are amazed at such creations. Hence your reaction, "Wow!!! Can you believe that?! He just used ordinary..... to create that???" The secret ingredient for amazing creations is to give the seemingly normal things some attention. I believe its also known as paying attention to detail. Yes I said it, even non - living things need attention. Try not giving it to them an see how that works for you.

This brings me back to the question, Are you listening to your common life? It could be your clothes, your wall, your table or chair. Have tried adding colour to something? Have you tried taking off that little something from something?(P.S I'm not encouraging stealing). I'm sure you get my drift.

So there you have it The common Life, How about making it making it not so common. The moment you do I'm sure someone else will do the same. I mean if Jesus could do it, why not you.

color and the tropics

"Up rose the merry sphinx,
And crouched no more in stone;
She melted into purple cloud,
She silvered in the moon;
She spired into yellow flame;
She flowered in blossoms red."
--William Shakespeare


The poetic twist of words brings to my mind the effect of color and the strength within it. The power of color to effect moods and bring about thought. The culture of color makes me wonder! However, How monochromatic does it get before we are captured by our boredom. The very boredom that arises from artists and architects engulfed by the words... " Hey, i'de like mine to look exactly like the one over the fence."

And the architecture of the tropics always responds, "Please sir, can i have some more color."

the bubbles chaise longue: the chair made from corrugated cardboard!

Yup, Frank Gehry, noted american architect.  In this design, Gehry works with an unexpected, throwaway material—corrugated cardboard—in two series of surprisingly sturdy and humorous home furnishings. The instant success of the first series, Easy Edges, introduced in 1972, earned him national recognition. Gehry conceived its cardboard tables, chairs, bed frames, rocking chairs, and other items to suit the homes of young as well as old, of urban sophisticates as well as country dwellers. The Bubbles Chaise Longue belongs to Experimental Edges, the second series, which was introduced in 1979. These objects were intended to be artworks; yet they are sturdy enough for regular use. As the cardboard wears, it begins to appear suedelike and soft. Gehry's material lends itself to the curving form of this chair; its rollicking folds are, perhaps, a play on the corrugations themselves.

Heavily marketed and intentionally inexpensive, this furniture epitomized Gehry's interest in promoting affordable good design. The choice of "lowbrow" cardboard for Bubbles reflects Gehry's broad interest in using industrial, commercial, and utilitarian materials. An award-winning architect, he has worked with exposed chainlink fencing, corrugated metal, and plywood in concurrent architectural projects. In both the furniture series and the buildings, Gehry has given value to seemingly worthless materials by using them to create lasting designs.

And yes, it is real! Looks comfy to me.. 

where is african architecture headed?

Personal thoughts, ideologies and studies have been brought forth that directly link the human society to architecture .
Can we efficiently say that architecture in africa should show a hint of corruption, self centered, political unrest. i would seriously love to design with such inspiration to see how powerful these attributes are when they are put into the design fabric.
Anyway, i believe that we as architects in africa have a major role to play in the society. Kudos to those who have made it count. Those who have wielded architecture or design, so to say,  to make environments that suit africans and african culture, that deal with the culture behind the veil, the culture so overlooked it seems to be a myth.

A few weeks ago, we visited Almeida's house. Anthony Almeida is one of the oldest Tanzanian architects who over the past fifty years has produced remarkable works in Tanzania and is known for his strong willed personality and zeal.
In addition to his long talk with us on various topics, we discussed his architecture. I was very impressed to note that his respect to the society and to the norms in which it thrives gives rise to a different type of design. A design that is in touch with the being of the society. Design that is so intimate with the society, it lives and breathes life into it.

Kariakoo Market Building Dar es Salaam. a mash up of architecture and society that works!!  

Society and architecture must breed together like husband and wife, to produce art in a form africa has never seen before.

The beginning

Wow....some rude awakening...

Still can't believe we had to wait for a german from zurich...'tongue in cheek'...but anyway this is great and we should keep it going.

Lets go...... bloggers....!