Date of Submission
Spring 5-15-2025
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Architecture
Department
Architecture
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Arief Setiawan
Abstract
Architecture serves as the physical embodiment of a group’s cultural values, history, and social dynamics- or identity. The arrival of European colonialism and modernism brought about a paradigm shift, prioritizing a universal European aesthetic and “international style”, displacing indigenous architectural traditions and severing the deep connections between culture and the natural and built environments. The global south has experienced the brunt of this process, especially the African continent. For example, the Igbo peoples of southeastern Nigeria have lost nearly all examples of their building traditions and have been in a constant struggle to create an architecture that captures their rich culture while addressing their current challenges. Guided by the work of contemporary African designers, the 20th century field work of Zbigniew Dmochowski, and direct interviews with members of the Igbo village, Umukabia, this thesis will bridge this massive architectural gap by remixing traditional Igbo culture into contemporary Nigerian building practices. The Igbo people, as well as the African continent are in a truly critical moment in time. A moment that seeks to heal colonial and environmental scars as well as remember their collective histories so that their identities may be celebrated and never lost again.
Included in
African History Commons, African Languages and Societies Commons, Architectural History and Criticism Commons, Environmental Design Commons, Fiber, Textile, and Weaving Arts Commons, Other History of Art, Architecture, and Archaeology Commons, Theory and Criticism Commons, Urban, Community and Regional Planning Commons
Comments
2nd prize - Cooper Carry: 3 Minute Thesis Competition