South African Rising Talents Shine at Maison & Objet 2026
Women-empowering knitted lamps, bold chairs and furniture rooted in traditional weaving. Seven South African rising talents make their mark in Paris.
After the Fair: QuadroDesign repurposes its Salone del Mobile booth as a public toilet in Zambia
From a five-day fair stand in Milan to a permanent architecture. The QuadroDesign booth by Giacomo Moor is set to provide toilet facilities alongside a coal market in Africa.
Kéré Architecture’s Cultural and Spiritual Centre in Togo Celebrates The Soul Of The Ewé people
Rooted in ancestral tradition and shaped by living heritage, Kéré Architecture’s Ewé cultural centre weaves spirituality and memory into a luminous, climate-conscious design masterplan.
Alternative Urbanism: How Lagos Markets Are Reimagining Circular City Living
With the ‘Alternative Urbanism’ exhibition at the 2025 Venice Biennale, Oshinowo Studio spotlights Lagos markets as models of circular urbanism deeply rooted in West African culture and informal economy.
BE_Design completes the Komera Leadership Center for a rural community in Rwanda
Komera Leadership Center by BE_Design in Rwanda is a cluster of buildings connected by a dynamic and flexible roof canopy creating spaces for learning and social activities with the mission of empowering self-confident young women through education and community development.
Laboratories of the Future: the African perspective takes centre stage at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023
Ten brave projects exploring the decolonisation and decarbonization of Africa and the African diaspora countries at the ‘Laboratories of the future’ main exhibition at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023.
The V&A and Venice Biennale explore the West African evolution of Tropical Modernism
The colonial and post-colonial history of Tropical Modernism is on show at the Applied Arts Pavilion at La Biennale di Venezia.
Venice Architecture Biennale 2023: finally, the spotlight is on Africa!
There is a great dose of optimism and commitment to make a change at the Venice Architecture Biennale 2023. The most influential architecture event explores the transformative power of contemporary architecture to find solutions and build an environmentally friendly future… And starting from Africa, the true ‘Laboratory of the Future,’ says curator Lesley Lokko.
10 projects by 2022 Pritzker Architecture Prize laureate Diébédo Francis
Burkinabé architect Diébédo Francis Kéré challenges Africa’s scarcity and extreme climate to empower local communities with sustainable contemporary architecture.
Collect 2022: 7 crafts and design projects celebrating the UN Year of Glass
UN Year of Glass: mysterious constellations, ancient African crafts and dichroic transparencies shine at Collect 2022.
2021 best pavilions: from Venice Biennale to Tokyo Olympics and Expo 2020 Dubai
Engaging architectures by Kengo Kuma, Santiago Calatrava, Ini Archibong and Grimshaw Architects feature in our ‘2021 best pavilions’ round up.
Samuel Ross design collections track back 300 years of Black culture
Samuel Ross’ new furniture collections blend European and Western African references to explore Black culture’s wounds and hopes, from the African diaspora to contemporary struggles.
London Design Biennale 2021 explores the role of design in tackling global issues
Curated by Es Devlin, London Design Biennale 2021 takes over Somerset House with 38 exhibitions from six continents and a ‘forest for change’ in the historic building’s courtyard.
Porky Hefer’s’ ‘Endangered’ animals-shaped alcoves protect species at risk of extinction
Would you take a nap hugging a polar bear or finding a comfy space between a white shark jaws? Probably YES if your cuddling mate is one of Porky Hefer’s creations!
Charlotte Mary Pack’s 100 Elephants crafts project and performance fights against poaching
Disposed in a spiral formation symbolizing their decline, the 100 elephants Charlotte Mary Pack has crafted in a 24 hours-long performance raise awareness and challenge the public’s opinion on ivory.
Southern Guild brings African-pop design to DesignMiami/
Molecules, ‘Magodi’ hairstyles and heroic grandmas inspired South African designers launching African-pop furnitures in Miami.
David Adjaye unveils first-ever Ghana Pavilion at Venice Biennale
The first Ghana Pavilion in Venice features artists across three generations capturing the culture and the diasporas of the nation. British-Ghanan Architect David Adjaye has created an elliptically shaped pavilion imbued with the country’s colours and textures.
Fuorisalone 2019: 14 architectural design exhibitions in Milan
Giorgio Armani celebrates Tadao Ando, Arthur Mamou-Mani digitally designs COS installation, Carlo Ratti grows architecture like a mushroom while Mario Cucinella pays tribute to Bauhaus… 12 architectural design exhibitions at Milan Design Week
Design Indaba competition 2019 invites to vote for South Africa’s fittest design
Design Indaba competition 2019: a topsy-turvy blue love-seat, African and Bauhaus-inspired furniture and bridal colorful dresses and are among the 10 selected projects competing for South Africa’s Most Beautiful Object at Cape Town’s design week.
A whale of a good design: 7 sustainable projects protecting the seven seas
An up-cycled jumping whale, shark-shaped alcoves and high-tech sustainable fishing nets saving dolphins’ lives. 7 marine-inspired design projects delivering responsible messages and supporting environmental issues.
Porky Hefer designs crafted nests inspired by killer whales and other marine creatures
South African designers Porky Hefer created hanging seatings inspired by marine creatures. The series supports local makers with an environmental message.
Making Africa
The Making Africa exhibition at Vitra Design Museum showcases the work of new generations of artists, designers and architects and offers a new vantage point on the continent suggesting solutions for worldwide relevance issues.
Frugal Design in Cape Town
Celia-Hannes design studio collaborated with Cape Town craftsmen to give shape to a “frugal” furniture collection that combines both Southern and Northern emisphere feel.
Makoko Floating School
NLÉ studio protoyped and built a sustainable A-shaped watercraft structure for the Makoko floating community in Lagos, Nigeria. The project responds to the critical challenges posed by urbanization and climate change in Africa and foresees possible solutions to a new way for sustainable architecture.
Nordic Architecture in Africa
The exhibition in the Nordic Pavilion in Venice shows how modern Scandinavian architecture became an essential component of foreign aid to East Africa in the period 1960–80, and how the ideals of the Nordic welfare system found expression in a number of construction projects.
The Manta Underwater Room
The Manta Underwater Room is the breath-taking floating project in the Indian Ocean that literally immerse guests in a responsible touristic experience with the lively murmur of the reef.