2017 CDPI Africa competition

Description

The Community Planning & Design Initiative Africa (CPDI Africa) is a culture-inspired, research-based, design-build competition, created to inspire the development of successful neighborhoods and communities on the continent, with modern African architecture that is both culturally and environmentally sustainable.

CPDI Africa engages participation from the design community within and outside Africa, for the accomplishment of its vision.

What Africa would you build?… If given the opportunity to redevelop Africa’s built environment in her own identity. As a participant in the CPDI Africa design-build competition, the role of the architect, engineer, artist or planner, is to First conduct research into the cultural history of African architecture. Understand the impact of lifestyle and how social philosophy and activities were (and still are practised) in space utilization and location within the home, family compound and community. Explore the aesthetics or architecture and the artistic languages of the various ethnicities. Understand the reasons why particular materials and building techniques were preferred and utilized across the Continent. Identify those traditional elements of design that still have value, and are relevant in todays architecture. Next, harmonize these traditional design elements with features from contemporary architectural practices, paying special attention to sustainability, availability and affordability of local materials. Through this design process, collaborating architects, artists and engineers will create stimulating Successful Design Prototypes, used to build culturally sound and sustainable neighbourhoods and cities!

OBJECTIVES

Giving Africa a face in modern architecture, by fast-tracking the evolution of African architecture and stimulating the consciousness of research and learning institutions towards achieving this goal.

• Sensitize the African community and urban development professionals on the need for the development of a new architecture for Africa that is culturally and environmentally sustainable.
• Promote research within learning institutions for developing African architectural methods, that are relevant and applicable to the general population.
• Encourage the full development and utilization of locally sourced organic building materials, by professionals as an alternative (for construction.) in solving building cost effectiveness and structural viability.
• Influence the development of design and building codes that reflect and protect true and sustainable habitation patterns in contemporary African communities.
• To take action as the future developers of Africa’s built environment, by building healthy sustainable neighborhoods which exemplify and promote the best practices of urban Africa.
• To breathe new life into the original African traditional concept of community development, founded upon neighborhood participation through community sweat equity.
• To foster collaborative ventures between development professionals in Africa and the Diaspora, for the development of our communities on and off the African continent.

SOUTHERN SAHARA: SIGNATURE ELEMENTS OF DESIGN

For many years, Southern Sahara has conducted research to identify specific traditional design elements that are still relevant today, and are critical to the development of a modern architectural language for Africa. Once referenced in contemporary practice, these design elements become the foundation for creating successful architecture for the people of Africa, as they respond to the lifestyle, culture, aesthetics, materials, climate and geography of the diverse ethnic groups of Africa. 
The research findings became known as the Southern Sahara Signature Elements of Design, a discernible kit of parts for residential architecture, that when critically reflected in a design concept, achieved a successful prototype of contemporary African architecture. An architecture that is comfortable and culturally suited for the home owner. 
Defined in three categories: Culture-Lifestyle (floor plan functionality), Aesthetics (finishing and furnishing), Sustainability (materials, climate, cost). These Southern Sahara Signature Elements of Design became the foundation for the CPDI Africa Design Brief.

THE CHALLENGE

To design perfect residential prototypes, of contemporary African architecture, that reflects the culture, aesthetics and sustainability for community design and development in today’s Africa.