Author Description

Many African countries are home to extraordinary architecture that is virtually unknown. There are interpretations of Art Deco, International Style, Brutalism as well as of African vernacular architecture. Climate-responsive buildings with a fluidity of interior and exterior spaces play a large role. While many of these 20th century architects were of European origin, they were deeply influenced by their surroundings and found original, site-specific expressions, often in collaboration with the first generation of African architects. A focus of the construction activities were educational buildings which played an important role for these young nations that mostly gained their independence in the 1960s. While some of the documented buildings have been restored, others are still awaiting reconstruction. Well-known contributors include Uta Pottgiesser (TU Delft), Ana Tostoes (Lisbon University), Ola Uduku (University of Liverpool) et al. The stunning photography by Jean Molitor takes the reader on a journey across the continent Documentation of some 60 buildings from eight countries with new scaled drawings and photographs