Founded by UK-based architects Bushra Mohamed and Nana Biamah-Ofosu, the interdisciplinary architecture, design and research practice Studio NYALI follows ‘a strong belief that architecture must be understood as the embodiment and artefact of the human experience’. Its ArchiAfrika Pavilion in Venice, which coincides with the 2021 Venice Architecture Biennale, is a case in point, exploring African futures – both in the continent and its diaspora – through its architecture, as well as the displays it holds.
The pavilion opened with the exhibition ‘The Course of Empire: A Compound House Typology’, alongside student work from the Kingston School of Art. The show explores the traditional compound house model found in Accra, Ghana, and the possibilities of its adaptability to the urban growth of various African and Western cities.
The 5x5m pavilion itself is composed of public, semi-public and private spaces, with its interior space hosting public events and its exterior serving as seating for visitors. The vibrant red colour of the structure is an aesthetic reference to the historic Jamestown neighborhood of Accra.
Carefully enveloped in the bright fabrics of Ghanaian wax prints, the roof, fully visible once inside, is ‘reminiscent of the canopy at Jamestown Café and Gallery founded by Joe Osae-Addo’.
In a time where many of us are reckoning with the fragility of futures that no longer appeal to us, the ArchiAfrika Pavilion is bridging nuances between the intricacies found in the architectures from Africa and its diaspora. It is asking us to reimagine our own futures; ones that we can invent, participate and belong in.
Studio NYALI is one of 200 participants in the European Cultural Commission’s Time Space Existence exhibition, running alongside Hashim Sarkis' 17th Venice Architecture Biennale, which is built around the theme ‘How Will We Live Together?’ The ArchiAfrika Pavilion is open to the public at the Giardini della Marinaressa in Venice until 21 November 2021.
INFORMATION
-
Tuneshine is a new way of bringing back the lost art of the album coverThe compact Tuneshine screen uses LED tech to illuminate the artwork of whatever you’re currently streaming
-
Inside the new theatre at Jacob’s Pillow and its ‘magic box’, part of a pioneering complex designed for danceJacob’s Pillow welcomes the reborn Doris Duke Theatre by Mecanoo, a new space that has just opened in the beloved Berkshires cultural hub for the summer season
-
What to see at Rencontres d’Arles 2025, questioning power structures in the state and familySuppressed memories resurface in sharply considered photography at Rencontres d'Arles 2025. Here are some standout photographers to see
-
Porsche and the Norman Foster Foundation rethink the future of mobilityA futuristic Venice transport hub, created with the Norman Foster Foundation for Porsche’s The Art of Dreams programme, is a star of the city’s Architecture Biennale
-
Want to be a Venice pavilion commissioner? Bring ideas – and your RolodexThe impressive showings of the USA's Venice pavilion in the Giardini belie the ambitious fundraising efforts that underpin them. Past and present curators tell us how it works
-
The 2025 British Pavilion in Venice offered up a Geology of Britannic RepairThe 2025 British Pavilion in Venice is curated by an Anglo-Kenyan team of architects and designers; titled 'GBR: Geology of Britannic Repair', it explores the landscape of colonialism, its past, present and futures
-
Sustainability underpins new Rolex Pavilion at the Venice Architecture BiennaleDesigned by architect Mariam Issoufou, the Rolex Pavilion is full of sustainably-minded soul – here’s what to expect from the building and the exhibit
-
From 3D printed mud homes to portable kitchens, in Venice, we explore new ways to co-exist with our planetAt Palazzo Diedo a new exhibition by MIT Architecture and Antikythera questions how construction is currently understood in order to ‘rebuild’ our world, for 19th Venice Architecture Biennale
-
The 2025 US Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale asks visitors to gather round‘PORCH: An Architecture of Generosity’ is a celebration of togetherness
-
Behind the design of national pavilions in Venice: three studios to knowDesigning the British, Swiss and Mexican national pavilions at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2025 are three outstanding studios to know before you go
-
The 10 emerging West African architects changing the worldWe found the most exciting emerging West African architects and spatial designers; here are the top ten studios from the region revolutionising the spatial design field
