Thesis Preparation Booklet

ERITREA & DJIBOUTI

SUDAN

ETHIOPIA

SOUTH SUDAN

UGANDA

KENYA

TANZANIA

THE (EAST) AFRICAN AESTHETIC

SOMALIA

Thesis Prep Document by

Christian Oanda Syracuse University

CONTENT DESIGN INSPIRATION

(3 - 8)

PROPOSED DESIGN PROJECTS

(9 - 14)

PRECEDENT STUDIES How to Weave Handmade Baskets

(15 - 26)

(27 - 28)

MATERIAL STUDIES

(29 - 42)

ORGANIZATIONAL STRATEGIES

(43 - 52)

SITE STUDY

(53 - 60)

Advisory Group: Prof. Bedard Prof. Chin Prof. Hubeli

CONCLUSION

(62)

THESIS STATEMENT East Africa features a wide range of designed elements attributed to a history of craftsmanship and expression linked to culture and tradition.

The necessity of the thesis is to incorporate the largely uninvestigated merger between modern-day architecture and the large collection of designed elements that predate it.

Design manifests itself in a number of facets with regard to tangible objects which are interacted with on a daily basis across the region.

These include; the built environment both residential and commercial, woven elements both worn and accessorized, embellishments at the human and architectural scale, and furniture design.

Incorporating the aesthetic as well as functional qualities of the latter offers a unique quality that can be linked to the identity of growing and emerging towns, cities and entire Metropolitan regions within East Africa (and across Africa).

2

BUILT ENVIRONMENT

TRADITIONAL ARCHITECTURE WALL STRUCTURE (Mud, Stone, Wood) Traditional Maasai Hut, Kenya

Unison and continuity between the ground and architecture Textured Molded Surfaces Curved, Smoothly Undulating ROOFING (Grass Thatch, Branches/Twigs)

Dorze Hut (Unfinished), Ethiopia

Overhanging/Canopy Allows filtered light into the sheltered space Undulating Form

Interior of King’s Hut, Rwanda

Patterned and Structural Aesthetic ORGANIZATION Central focus around Hearth, emphasizing communal gathering Multi-functional space, Utilitarian Small Scale Architecture, Clustered

Masonry Hut, Eritrea

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HAND CRAFTED DESIGN

WOVEN MATERIAL

[Left] Rwenzori Basket, Uganda [Right] Woven Straw Baskets, Kenya

PATTERNED COLORIZATION Combination of different colors; Sequence, Rythymn, Texture STRUCTURAL QUALITY Woven objects offer tensile strength while achieving aesthetic pleasure PERFORATION Openings along woven surfaces allow fenestration, partial visibility and rythmic pattern

Weaving baskets in the market place, Rwanda

Swahili Kanga Pattern, Kenya

TEXTURE Depending on the weaving technique, visual and tactile textures can be explored

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HAND CRAFTED DESIGN

BEADED JEWELRY PATTERNED COLORIZATION Vibrant and contrasting colors; Sequence, Rythymn, Texture MODULARIZATION Single pieces combine to form cohesive whole compositions TEXTURE Uniform and varying textures depedant on the size of modules Maasai Necklaces & Headbands, Kenya

Wrist Bangles, East Africa

Waist Beads, East Africa

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PROPOSED DESIGN PROJECTS

MARKET PLACE (Work/Play) The program accomodated includes; - Shopping - Public Gathering (Social activity) - Arts/Craft Innovation DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: ‘Open-air’ enclosure Natural Lighting and Ventilation Free-flowing circulation Interwoven functionality Flexible (moveable) work spaces

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PROPOSED DESIGN PROJECTS

RESIDENTIAL (Live) DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: Centrality around a hearth (Communal Space) Curvilinear Walls (Enclosure/Partitions) Furniture and Lighting fixtures

Apartments, (Nairobi) Kenya

Natural Lighting and Ventilation Interior partitions (Visibility, Mobility) Kitchen design

Housing Complex, Rwanda

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PROPOSED DESIGN PROJECTS

RELIGIOUS CENTRE (Worship) DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS: Monumentality (similar to Natural landmarks) Natural Lighting (Connection to Divinity) Unified Structural assembly PCEA Church, Kenya

Interconnection (Architecture and Nature)

Anglican Cathedral, Zanzibar

Lutheran Church, Uganda

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Serpentine Pavilion (UK)

by Francis Kere

PRECEDENT STUDIES

The design is inspired by a great tree in the architect’s hometown (Gando, Burkina Faso) It features extensive overhanging steel roof canopy with transparent skin, in order to allow sunlight in while acting as a weather barrier for the open-air structure The wall system features pre-fabricated wooden blocks in triangular modules, whose assembly creates apertures which provide solid but permeable surfaces for partial visibility, adequate fenestration and circulation through out the structure Rain-water collection and a skyward connection are both accounted for at the hearth of the structure where the funnel-shaped roof channels rainwater inward into the center through an oculus The roof is detached from the walls and held up seperately in order to improve fenestration and give an appearance of lightness (floating) Mechanical lighting along the inner surface of the roof structure makes the pavilion a beacon of light at night , a symbol of story-telling and togetherness Materiality: Steel (Roof structure), Wood Slats (Roof screen), Pre-fabricated Wood blocks Source; Kere-architecture.com

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Baha’i Temple (Chile)

by Hariri Pontarini Architects

PRECEDENT STUDIES

‘Embodied Light’ best describes the project as it uses light for its spiritual as well as design inspiration “We continued to explore the idea of light being captured - embodied - somehow catalyzed within the material structure of the Temple.

To create a building alive with light, we invented this new material utilizing cast glass, which takes light and absorbs it.

The structure also has a translucent stone on the inside. When it receives just a kiss of light, a prayer is answered, and the whole piece of stone comes alive. The light does not go through it, but becomes captured within the membrane.”

- Siamak Hariri (hariripontarini.com) The form resembles the undulating topography of the Andes mountain ranges where the project is situated The structural assembly displays a textural quality similar to a rock/mountain and triangulated patterns both on the interior and exterior surfaces.

Materiality: Translucent Marble, Glass, Steel Frame, Wood (Interior Finishes) Source; Dezeen.com

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Sandibe Okavango Safari Lodge (Botswana)

by Nicholas Plewman Architects

PRECEDENT STUDIES

The 24-room resort’s design is inspired by the African Pangolin; this is interpreted through the building’s curvilinear form which is created using giant laminated pine beams covered externally by Cedar shingles The architecture consists only of biodegradable materials, causes no physical harm to the adjacent surrounding and uses sustainable energy (70%) “The environmental success of the project is perhaps best judged from the fact that the area's prolific wildlife including big animals like elephants, hippos, lions and leopards have continued to live on” - Nicholas Plewman Architects Interior screens and partitions are made of woven eucalyptus laths over stiff wire

Materiality: Pine (beams), Cedar (Roof shingles), Hardwood (Flooring) Source; Plewmanarchitects.co.za

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Sacred Heart Kericho Cathedral (Kenya)

by John McAslan + Partners

PRECEDENT STUDIES

The project features a large pitched roof with a linear array of skylights along its apex to maximize natural lighting and probably emphasize a divine connection The roofline inclines dramatically from the entrance to the pulpit, while the exterior walls broaden similarly to create a much larger opening at the front of the church The form is inspired by the rolling hills and valleys of Kericho Timber-ribbed vaulting held up by rythmically spaced concrete arched frames creates a similar aesthetic to the wood-frame roofing in the rural context of Kericho “We believe our response is distinctive and universally welcoming.

The ascending vaulted volume contained under a vast roof fuses African and ecclesiastically historic references”

John McAslan + Partners (dezeen.com)

Materiality: Concrete Structure, Timber ‘ribs’ (Slats), Red Brick roof Source; Dezeen.com

22

Spanish Pavilion (Shanghai Expo 2010)

by EMBT

PRECEDENT STUDIES

The pavilion explores the possibilities offered by traditional wicker weaving techniques, giving the project a sustainable aspect while negotiating the merge between traditional and modern design tools Highly complex steel tubular structure is obscured by simple woven wicker panels The semi-transparent quality of woven plant fibre textiles creates a great atmosphere of light inside the building (daytime) and outside in the night Weaving materials and techniques give the building a distinct visual and tactile texture

Materiality: Wicker (Willow Tree Twigs/Stems), Steel (Tubular Structure) Source; Architizer.com

24

Arcus Center for Social Justice (Michigan, US)

by Studio Gang

PRECEDENT STUDIES

The locally sourced wood-masonry exterior revives a local but forgotten building technique where stacked logs provide insulation for a high-performing building facade while acting as a figurative extension of the trees in the adjacent grove landscape The curvilinear walls resemble rammed-earth walls for their structural and material composition The presence of a sunken hearth consisting of a living room and kitchen creates a somewhat secluded central space encouraging frequent meetings and casual encounters while surrounded by various programmed spaces

Materiality: White Cedar Logs, Concrete Source; Studiogang.com

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How to weave HANDMADE BASKETS [VERSION 1] Place seperate (Structural) spokes in a cross-formation. String them together around the axis using TWO threads (ex. Vines) Intertwine the spokes using the threads together to spread the spokes into a radial pattern (weaving over then subsequently under) forming the BASE of the basket

After a substantial base is formed, seperate the strings and have them diverge and alternate, going over and under every spoke, to form the BODY When the spokes are substantially threaded, bend them one after the other and tuck under the adjacent spokes to complete the basket Clip off the extended spokes accordingly

[VERSION 2] Dampen a bundle of grass for flexibility and then tie it together by twining a wrap(raffia - rope) around it while leaving space for patterning threads Coil the wrapped bundle around to form the BASE of the basket To add grass, overlap the almost complete bundle with a new addition, and wrap them together using the raffia As the coiled bundles of grass begin to overlay one another while extending outward, stitch them together using the FIGURE-8 threading pattern, to form the BODY *The stitching pattern and colorization determines design of the basket The placemnt of subsequently overlapping coils determines the final shape of the basket When the basket forms into a substantial size, stitch the end of the final bundle into a tied knot Clip off the remaining thread accordingly

Materiality: Grass (dried), Vines, Pine Needles, Papyrus reeds 28

Material Study ‘FABRIC’ ARCHITECTURE

TENT FABRIC Cotton (canvas); Absorbs water and is heavy when wet Nylon & Polyester; Lighter than Cotton, don’t absorb water and they deteroriate due to UV light

Frei Otto; [Top] Diplomatic Club Heart Tent [Below] Munich Olympic Stadium

Bedouinflex Fabric Source; Stretcheventtents.com

30

GEOSYNTHETICS These are woven mesh products which are used to stabilize terrain Used for reinforcement through soil compression, filtration, drainage, containment

POLYTETRAFLURO ETHLENE (TEFLON) COATED GLASS CLOTH The highest quality architectural membrane for tensile structures, exceeding 30 year life-spans

Serpentine Sackler Gallery, London Zaha Hadid Architects

POLYVINYL CHLORIDE (PVC) COATED POLYESTER PVC coating contains additives which include UV stabilisers, fire retardants, colouring and antifungicides

32

Material Study ‘FABRIC’ ARCHITECTURE

FIBERGLASS Lightweight, water resistant and corrosion resistant Used for structural shell (facades) and as tensile structure when paired with fabric

House of Dior, Seoul

CERAMIC/METAL FOAM Cellular structure consisting of solid ceramic/metal and gas-filled pores Used for panelized face finishes as they are light weight and stiff

Gallery of Caixa Forum, Seville

34

Material Study ‘MASONRY’ WALLS

CORDWOOD CONSTRUCTION This is a traditional and highly sustainable low-carbon construction technique which utilizes the low conductivity of wood, which takes up about 50% of the wall mass The low-cost and low maintenance building material could serve as load bearing walls and curvilinear aesthetic compositions The typical wall thickness range from 8 to 24 inches

[Top] The Log Cabin, Piet Hein Eek [Below] Studio Gang, Arcus Center

36

GABION WALLS Rock-filled mesh structures act as semi-permeable retaining walls which are flexible and environmentally friendly They double as ornamental exterior screen walls that provide filtered air and light while shading interior spaces

Parque Metropolitano Sur, Polidura Talhouk Arquitectos

WOOD ‘BLOCKS’ These could be used as outdoor retaining walls in landscape design, or fitted together precisely in order to create exterior walls of buildings

Innovation Design Centre, Canada

Structurally, glue-lam timber members are commonly used alongside CLT floor panels and mass timber walls to create building almost entirely out of wood

BRICK/STONE WALLS Innovative technology could be paired with typical brick walls in order to create lighting and patterned effects with regard to interior and exterior wall design Spacing and offseting bricks creates pattern effects that use shadows and perforation for visual effect, and can act as screen walls

Shanghai Arts Center, Archi-Union Architects

38

Material Study STRUCTURAL ‘WOVEN’ BUILDING MATERIALS

WOVEN VENEER SCREEN Perforated/mesh screens serve no structural function but provide a buffer between the interior and exterior space which shades the building, provides visual privacy and offers the building visual and tactile texture

Aspen Art Museum (Facade), Shigeru Ban

LATTICED BAMBOO The material offers structural support for entire small-scale buildings due to its compressive, tensile and flexural strength In larger assemblies, bamboo stems span fairly large distances when paired with flexible architectural fabric to give form [Right] ZCP Bamboo Pavilion

40

Material Study STRUCTURAL ‘WOVEN’ BUILDING MATERIALS

THATCHED ROOFING Traditional grass thatch roofs were prevalent and functional as roofs and walls The technique is still used to date within the context of cultural and resort architecture, typically paired with wooden-frame roofing

PERFORATED METAL Diamond Island Community Center, Vietnam

Mesh screen walls are versatile in their functionality and appearance depending on the size and shape of the perforations created Colorization and shaping of these usually panelized facade systems gives a range of design possibilities that shape the appearance of entire buildings At smaller scales, interior panels could be utilized as partitions

Hanoi Office/Factory, VDGA Architects

42

Organizational Strategies PASSIVE DESIGN IN TROPICAL ZONES

VENTILATION Given the nature of traditional East African architecture, several design factors had to be taken into consideration for the air circulation and exhaust due to the use of fire indoors for heating and lighting The ventilation of spaces has been successfully explored using passive design techniques which allow air intake and exhaust through strategically placed building openings They include: Cross Ventilation This requires openings placed along the opposite sides of a building plan with a fairly unobstructed path for air flow in through one and out through the other Designing for maximum ventilation through high clerestory windows, ceiling and roof vents allows for Stacked Ventilation, a process where the air circulation is channeled out through the roof 44

The principle followed is that ‘hot air rises’ hence the air filling the interior space will naturally leave upward, whereas in other cases the heating effect is induced by solar radiation directly warming up exhaust solar chimneys and creating a Stack Effect

Screen Walls The light nature of screen wall facades enable them to function as shading devices, while being design tools that allow free-flowing air and light into buildings

Landscape-channeled Breezes Trees (flora) act efficiently as wind-breakers, and similarly, they can function as directional barriers that lead wind breezes through an exterior space into a building

PASSIVE COOLING & HEATING Temperatures in tropical countries rise and fall dynamically due to a number of natural factors Designing architecture that dispenses excessive heat when required, as well as contains and distributes solar radiation when necessary is especially important A number of techniques are used in order to reduce mechanical reliance on heating and cooling, improving sustainability and reducing utility cost of buildings They include: Effective Shading Several factors are considered when designing shading elements in tropical climates due to the overhead sun, which could affect the lighting, heating and general comfort in and around buildings

46

Organizational Strategies PASSIVE DESIGN IN TROPICAL ZONES

Evaporative Cooling Water features, whether natural or artificial can be utilized to enhance cooling effects for a building, as well as reflect light into a building Elevated Flooring The air-flow beneath floors of a raised building facilitates cooling, and in some cases, protects the building materials from conditions that would cause their deteroriation Raised flooring can be done using bamboo/wood supports or hollow concrete decking Thermal Mass Temperature differences between day and night in tropical climates require designs to factor in the thermal capacity of thicker building walls (masonry/concrete) to slowly heat up during the day due to solar radiation and dispense the heat through out the night when solar radiation is absent 48

Organizational Strategies DAYLIGHTING IN TROPICAL ZONES

There is an abundance of natural sunlight in tropical climates which creates a condusive environment to factor daylighting into architectural design.

However, natural sunlight is accompanied at times by adverse solar radiation which causes discomfort if it pervades into a building’s interior.

Strategies can be used in order to filter in daylight while preventing heat gain.

They include:

WINDOW SYSTEMS Light - deflecting Glazing (Light Shelves) Light shelves are effective devices in redirecting downward light (sunlight) toward the interior ceiling of a room.

It facilitates reflection of adequate interior light while also performing as a shading device, allowing for clear glazing with minimal heat gain 50

Organizational Strategies DAYLIGHTING IN TROPICAL ZONES

Angular Reflective Glazing (Operable) Where external shading is used to reduce radiant heat gain (such as overhanging roofs), a solution is to adapt the structure of an external shade so the shade itself becomes an optical system which guides light into the building

ROOFING SYSTEMS Skylights The use of Polycarbonate (which can withstand extreme temperature, has high impact resistance, UV-coating protection and Insulation capabilities) is effective in its application, in both its transparent and translucent states Pleated Roof Systems Where external shading is used to reduce radiant heat gain (such as overhanging roofs), a solution is to adapt the structure of an external shade so the shade itself becomes an optical system which guides light into the building 52

ROYSAMBU WESTLANDS

RUARAKA KASARANI

CBD

DAGORETTI

KAMKUNJI MAKADARA

EMBAKASI

LANG’ATA

Project Site: ADAM’S ARCADE

NAIROBI, KENYA Site Study PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION

ADAMS ARCADE & GREENHOUSE MALL

TOI MARKET WINNERS CHAPEL

BUSINESS COMPLEX

WOODLEY ESTATE

PRESTIGE SHOPPING MALL

TOI MARKET & ADAMS ARCADE The market features shopping stalls which feature clothes and shoes, fruits and vegetables, books, and accessories Markets like these primarily serve adjacent residents as well as other residents of the city including local and international tourists

Toi Market Shopping Stalls

Adams Arcade Mall

Greenhouse Mall

54

WOODLEY ESTATE The residential region features houses as well as apartments, ranging from one to four bedrooms roughly averaging a sqaure footage of 1,300 ft 2

RELIGIOUS CENTRES There is adequate provision for religious observance including a Catholic Church, a Winners Chapel and a Mosque within Adams Arcade Mall

Winners Chapel Int’l

Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church

These are all within a five minute walk of each other and are some of the largest structures around the area given the emphasis of monumentality in religious architecture

56

Site Study ART INSPIRED BY EAST AFRICAN AESTHETIC

MURALS & MOSAIC

Art by Naitiemu

The incorporation of art with similar characteristics to the traditional beaded ornaments and woven fabrics is a progressive step in an effort to infuse the East African identity into the city’s commercial and residential architecture

Art by Kamunya Wanjuki

Art by #MyMarkMyCity

58

PAINTINGS Modern artistic representation inspired by traditional East African design is prevalent in art galleries across Nairobi Art by Nancy Chelagat

Art by Brianna McCarthy

Art by Onesmus Okamar

Such pieces could offer guidance when translating traditional design into contemporary architecture primarily through colorization and patterning

SCULPTURES & CARVINGS These are much closer to building components and aside from colorization and patterning, they offer tangible texture and allow for the creation of space and enclosure due to their three-dimensionality Art by Kamunya Wanjuki

Hand-carved Mask

Sculptures by Wangechi Mutu

60

THESIS PROJECT The extensive design project, akin to Tony Garnier’s Industrial City, is set to explore the large creative pool of design precedents and tools in order to achieve a cohesive set of designed elements at vastly different scales linked through a common design language. The first phase of the design process will heavily rely on schematic design through iterative sketches initially, based on relevant building and crafting techniques as well as design aesthetic.

When clarity of design is achieved, conclusive models and drawings elaborately describing the objects will be worked on in the second and final phase of the process. The models will be crafted using materials identical to precedents, and if unavailable, visually and texturally similar materials to achieve accurate representational quality.

Art by Eliza Ivanova

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