Ode to Mud
In several communities across the African continent, houses made with earthy materials including clay, raffia palm, dried grass amongst others have been in existence from time immemorial.
Growing up in the city meant that I rarely came across traditional buildings “thanks” to urbanisation.
However, in 2015 when I began travelling round Nigeria, I began to see and appreciate the beauty, creativity and simplicity of traditional African architecture.
In recent wanderings across the continent, I have observed that while a vast majority of these houses are visually similar, the style, functionality and history of these houses differ.
One of the unique features of communities with predominantly traditional houses is that they are built in clusters. Showcasing these houses as a standalone, projects the beauty of this agelong architecture which is found across the continent.
This series seeks to highlight various components of traditional African architecture.
All artworks created as part of a digital residency by Voice × PhotoVogue. Click here to own a piece of this collection.
