Building the Future of Africa: Why Context is Everything

The constant cries of environmental challenges, rapid urbanization, and socio-economic transformations across Africa draws attention to the critical role of built environment professionals, highlighting the need to respond, with detail attention to context. There is no one-size-fit all since context vary in many conditions and features.  This study explores the importance of identifying context-specific strategies that can be used to create sustainable, resilient, technology integrated, and culturally sensitive built environments in Africa. Various case studies that have employed context design strategies are exemplified. Laying hold of local materials, creative local craftmanship, passive cooling, responsive facades, and climate responsive design are some ways to create sustainable, resilient, technology driven, and culturally grounded built environments.

Introduction

Context-specific strategies refer to approaches in a unique setting providing results that cannot be generalized but tied only to that setting (Stremersch et al., 2022). These strategies take into consideration the circumstances of a particular environment, community or setting and are therefore subjected to possible failure if applied in different context. Barry (2019) emphasized that, each project is unique, never to be repeated in a different context since design solutions are unique to each situation.

The study places emphasis on the unique needs and characteristics of the African context, and identifies effective approaches for building structures that are sustainable, resilient, technology-driven and with a deep connection to culture.

 Traditional building practices, a cornerstone to Sustainable built environment

Sustainability is more often framed as a universal concept leading to standardized solutions that places much relevance on efficiency over context (Horani, 2023). However, context-specific measures are tied to their environment and interact differently with it in ways that demand specificity (Ferreira, 2025). The discourse surrounding sustainable built environment has shifted from merely reducing environmental footprints to enhancing the resilience of buildings as well as adaptability of structures to their unique environmental context (Buinwi and Buinwi, 2024). For instance, the concept of bioclimatic architecture can be relevant in designing in the African context where attention is paid to the local climate and the environment (Enwin and Ikiriko, 2024). Also, passive design strategies such as natural ventilation, shading, thermal mass have been recognized and used as effective means of ensuring sustainable and resilient built environment (Akande, 2010).

The significance of context in sustainability cannot be underestimated as it is critical in achieving effective sustainable measures (Oshinowo, 2024). What works effectively in one geographical location might be ineffective in another. The built environment can prioritize context-specific ideas using locally available materials, response to local climate conditions, integration of indigenous craftmanship as well as adaptive reuse and rehabilitation (Ferreira, 2025). This approach enables a more accurate assessment leading to better informed decision-making and best practices. For example, the Gando primary school used sustainable local materials, creative local craftmanship, passive cooling, and climate responsive design ideas to create a sustainable structure. These are context-specific and may not function effectively in other contexts. Similarly, the Inno-Native house by Joe Osae-Addo which utilized local available adobe mud blocks, timber, and construction methods to achieve sustainable design and uncompromised aesthetics.

Gando Primary school (2001). Kere architecture. Gando, Burkina Faso. (Source: Erik-Jan Ouwerkerk, 2017)

Inno-Native house, Ghana by Joe Osae Addo (Source: Dook, 2004)

Context-specific strategies promote precision, local relevance, and holistic sustainability in the built environment (Pearce, 1996). For precision, the concept considers specific characteristics in a certain situation to give a better, more exact idea of a sustainable built environment. Context-specific approach makes sure that sustainability goals and practices are at the forefront and match with local needs. Similarly, context-specific strategies look at the bigger picture by focusing on social, economic and the built environment as well. The goal is to ensure that every move makes sense in the circumstances in which they operate to achieve a sustainable built environment.

Charting a roadmap to Resilience

In the context of rising unpredictability of climate patterns and the associated threats to the built environment, it is crucial to develop a robust framework for to achieve a climate-resilient built environment (Umana et al., 2024). They emphasized that, addressing these climate threats involves an understanding of the context in terms of the different climate zones, and other realities that influence the built environment. CEM Kamanar Secondary school by daw creatively achieved this and the result is worth emulating.

CEM Kamanar Secondary School by daw office (Source; Maurino, 2022)

Context-specific strategies ties together sustainability and resilience, by ensuring that solutions are adapted to the local environment and are able to tolerate external shocks, such as climate change impacts (Umana et al., 2024). In essence, Isah (2016) reveals that traditional architectural practices which are context specific provide insights into designing buildings that can withstand the unique threats of their environment.

East Gate Center, Zimbabwe

The built environment as a canvas for relaying Cultural ideas

Culture refers to a set of shared values, beliefs, and norms which act as a lens through which people perceive, interpret, or respond to actions and environments (Throsby, 2001).

Soini and Birkeland (2014) mention that examining culture from the concept of sustainable development indicate that culture varies with different interpretations, from tangible to intangible elements, symbolic patterns, norms, and values of human communities. In the same vein, design must vary in different context. Context-specificity ensures built environments resonates with their surroundings from site, climate to culture (Adger et al., 2013). Adger et al., (2013) emphasized that climate influences the lives and livelihoods including the material and lived aspects of culture, identity, and sense of place. The concept of context-specific strategies promotes built environments that emerge and blend with the culture of the setting rather than been imposed to them (Ferreira, 2025).

For example, the ongoing MOWAA institute in Nigeria, Benin city, through materiality becomes a model for the many mud-wall structures in the context and revives the hope, and trust in using local materials and meets global standards of sustainability.

Aerial view of MOWAA institute buiiding under construction, designed by Adjaye Associates. (Source: MOWAA, 2024)

Designs must not only reflect the physical environment but also align with social and cultural dynamics of its users (Nour, 2024). Similarly, Oshinowo (2024) outlined that cultural awareness is closely linked to contextual sensitivity which she exemplified in her project, Lantern House, inspired by Yoruba traditions of spatial organization in a contemporary form and linked it with Nigerian family lifestyle.

Lantern House, Nigeria by Tosin Oshinowo (Source: Sanusi, 2022)

Similarly, Oshinowo emphasized on the ability to reimagine the built environment by merging design solutions to local cultural and environmental contexts through her design of the UNDP housing project. The design for a community critically paid attention to the user’s lifestyle, appearance, and feel of the intervention. The design listens to its environment and users hence, a design that seamlessly blended and valued the community’s heritage and culture.

UNDP Housing Project, Nigeria by Tosin Oshinowo (Source: Sanusi, 2022)

Throsby (2017) highlights that culture and sustainability are linked and worth pursuing as a way of promoting cultural sustainability where culture can be preserved for future generations. Through a context specific approach, African culture can be embedded in the built environment to sustain it for future generations as mentioned by Throsby (2017).

Tech-enabled transformation of the built environment

Technological advancement has reshaped context by altering resource availability and response to environmental challenges. For instance, addressing climate challenges using responsive facades and engineered local materials in designs. The Ridge-V&A waterfront design by StudioMAS is an example of integrating architecture and technology to solving design challenges like solar gains. design for instance However, this must be looked at to ensure equitable access and address existing inequalities.

The Ridge-V&A waterfront, Cape Town, South Africa by StudioMAS (Source: Hyper Structure, 2020)

About the author

Anyirinaang Elijah

Elijah is a student of Architecture at the Kwame Nkrumah University of science and Technology, Ghana. He has special interest in architectural theory and conservation of historical buildings. Elijah is a columnist of an architectural newspaper; THE ARCHiNSIGHT, where he writes on current updates in architecture in the African context.

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