Archiafrika Pavillion at the Venice Biennale of Architecture welcomes African New Blood 2021

The Archiafrika Pavillion will end its three-part exhibitions at the Venice architecture biennale (Biennale Architettura) with an exhibition dubbed ‘New Blood 2021’, August 22-November 21, 2021.

NEW BLOOD 2021 is an exhibition which has its roots in the Los Angeles architecture scene in the 1990’s and curated by the larger than life Bernard Zimmerman and friends. Thus begun a movement to establish a permanent exhibition space for Architecture and Design, culminating in the A+D Museum Los Angeles, where Ghanaian  Cultural entrepreneur and Architect Joe Osae-Addo is credited as a founder.

The ‘New Blood 2021’ version does not pretend to be anything else but the African version, showcasing the next generation of African Architecture. As with the original, the hope is that these young architects selected by Joe Addo, contribute to the Design Space for decades to come. Joe, the chairman of ArchiAfrika, is very aware of how transformational the Los Angeles version of the 1990’s has been on his career and life.

‘New Blood 2021’  will put the spotlight on 10 young Architects that he believes will have a major impact on the African Architecture scene for years to come.  These participants are:

James Inedu-George is a Nigerian Architect, and interdisciplinary intellectual working internationally. He is a founding partner of the innovation and architecture company Hub City Ltd (HTL).

He graduated with an MS.c. from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria Nigeria in 2007. Inedu’s design philosophy is anchored in traditional Hausa architecture, which he studies to understand the systematic behavior and ability of these forms to harness their environments for improved performance. He also studies emerging typologies and the multi layering of Mega City space.

Valerie Mavoungou, originally from Congo-Brazzaville, is an architect and founder of Atelier Tropical, a Sub-Saharan architecture studio interested in engaging with modern, minimalist and neoregionalist African aesthetics.

She graduated from the Paris-Belleville-National-School of Architecture in 2012. Her design philosophy revolves around the creation of a fluid conversation between each natural environment and its architecture via the integration of local materiality and craft, to promote endemic know-how and to advocate for a responsible African Bioclimatic Design.

Kobina Banning, is a Ghanaian architect and interdisciplinary thinker practicing from Kumasi Ghana. He is the founder of Fusion Architecture, a non-profit organization in Ghana.

His work explores marrying his south western formal education with the craft of local artisans. The core of his philosophy is the examination of how design of architectural space can reflect a culture while engaging in contemporary issues facing formal and informal urban environment.

Frank Amankwah is a Ghanaian born architect, based in London. He is the Director of Novate ACS, an architecture and construction company.

Novate work within the residential development market in London and are creating innovative and original design solutions with highly skilled craftsmanship. Frank started his career at the British practice, Allies and Morrison, and became an Associate Architect at the firm.

Hermann Kamte is a Camerounian Architect practicing from Yaounde, Cameroun. He is the founder of Herman Kamte & Associates in Cameroun.

He is a graduate of Ecole Africaine des Metiers de l’Architecture et de Urbanisme, where he graduated with a Masters degree in 2016. He is interested in the use of timber for public buildings in Africa.

Maxwell Mutanda is a Zimbabwean born pluridisciplinary researcher and visual artist and co-founder of the design firm Studio [D]Tale based out of London, Harare and Cape Town. He studied at the Bartlett School of Architecture in London. He is the 2020 MSC in Sustainable Urban Development Sheehan Scholar at the University of Oxford.

His data visualization and architectural practice investigates the role of globalization, climate and technology within the built environment.

Korantemaa Larbi practices as an architect in New York City. She is the founder and Editor-in-chief of the online magazine Design233, which features architecture, art and design by Africans and Africans in the diaspora. She graduated with her second masters degree in Architecture from Syracuse University, NY in 2011.

Korantemaa envisions an Africa where the majority of structures are designed and made by Africans and where the playing field in the creative industry is leveled for their work to be recognized internationally.

Mokena Makeka is a South African architect and a principal of Makeka DesignWorks in Cape Town, South Africa. He holds a B.Arch from the University of Cape Town in South Africa.

He is committed to social transformation and cities of spatial and ecological justice. He is particularly concerned about the positive role that stations and rail can play in economic justice.

Charles Quartey practices from Ghana. He is the founder and creative of SPACE. He started his career as a project manager in Ghana and studied Civil Engineering at construction management and the Netherlands.

Charles work brings new ideas and approaches with high standards into Ghanaian architecture.

Kofi Adomako founded ADOMAKO ARCHITEKTEN (ADOMAKO ARCHITECTS) in Paderborn, Germany in 1998. The company has since expanded to include offices in Bielefeld.

Kofi aims is to create architecture that brings together functionality and design to construct aesthetically pleasing, robust and lasting environments inspired by the unique circumstances of each project. No matter what type of construction is involved, the aim is to create a harmonious balance between exterior and interior designs and the spatial environment to make buildings that people can enjoy being in.

At the Venice exhibition opening of the New Blood exhibition, ArchiAfrika will unveil its Design Excellence Program where selected young African architects will have the opportunity to design (and have built sustainable houses) for Ghanaian entrepreneurs and African Art collectors using processed bamboo prefab systems by Centric Ltd.

This first batch of houses will be part of an Island Retreat owned by Mr. Amadu Baba. Other Projects, sponsored by Baba will be announced in due course. In concert with this Program, ArchiAfrika will announce the expansion of their Student Internship Program with Powerhouse Architecture of Rotterdam with a planned major exhibition of their Work in Accra, February 2022.

ArchiAfrika was founded in 2001 by a group of architects who, through the development of educational opportunity and economic growth on the continent, were eager to re-define the urban landscape of the African city.

ArchiAfrika’s vision has since evolved into broadening the discourse on Africa’s built environment to encompass the role of socio- cultural design inspired development. Its goal is to promote design strategies developed within the continent, which address the challenges of our future and engage the next generation of professionals.