The African Heritage Architecture DESIGN BRIEF 2021
The competition is created to celebrate and preserve the architectural identity of the Cultures of Africa and the Diaspora. Designed as the quintessential Cultural Community Center, the Competition Project served as the ultimate example of sustainable design in any community in which it is built. The Objective was to design a space where guests fall in love with the cultures and architectural traditions of the African Diaspora, just by experiencing the beauty, comfort, hospitality and heritage embedded in the masterpiece! Building upon the elements of African traditional architecture highlighted in the Design Brief, the knowledge of contemporary character and lifestyle of Africa's diverse continental and diaspora Ethnic Groups, participating architects and collaborating design teams embarked on a brave exercise in the ‘evolution and transformation’ of African architecture into a Signature Style. All our competitions are defined according the CPDI Africa 5 Pillars of Afrocentric Architecture: Culture, Aesthetics, Spirituality, Materials and Community Engagement. Learn more from our courses on the Global Studio!
The CPDI AFRICA INTERNSHIP DESIGN BRIEF 2020
The African Resort & Cultural Center was designed to celebrate the cultures and identities of our Cohort of design Interns held over the Summer of 2020. The African Resort and Cultural Center welcomed guests and vacationers, introducing them to ingenuous hospitality of the community, and invited them to fall in love with the people through the art and architecture of their host community. Seven diverse African and African Diaspora cultures were celebrated by our Interns, earning them the first Graduate Certificates from the CPDI Africa Global Studio for African Centered Architecture! Enjoy this Spotlight of their winning submissions of African Inspired Architecture!
The CPDI AFRICA DESIGN BRIEF 2017
Option One & Option Two
The New African House: Option One
To design an innovative African home that successfully translates traditional residential architecture, in an urban setting; celebrates African inspired architectural aesthetes, in façade and form: and is built with sustainable, modernized, local materials.
The Iconic African Design
To design an iconic architectural monument that is culturally appropriate for Africa's emerging skylines and cityscapes; designed to be placed within culturally appropriate contexts; and reflective of the functionality of African communal space and aesthetic iconography.
The CPDI AFRICA DESIGN BRIEF 2015
The Challenge:
To design an innovative residential home that reflects the comforts of contemporary urban lifestyle yet celebrates the essence of traditional African living.
The challenge was to create a design concept for a small home, humble and dignified, reflecting the elements of African culture and aesthetics; explores the concept of the modern ‘African kitchen’ and pays homage to the African family courtyard; built of sustainable local materials, therefore affordable, and can easily be built by both formally trained and rural skilled laborers.
