REFLECTIVE ARCHITECTURE: Building to Mirror the Identity of African Societies

Architecture as a discipline, profession, or practice is borne out of the desire to understand and satisfy the need peculiar to a society. For this reason, the cultural ideals, climatic conditions, geographical location, local materials and other essential factors that define the identity of the people in the society should be taken into account to obtain the most suitable design and construction methodology for an ideal society. Therefore, seeing the building as a place where the identity of a society is reflected, it is necessary for architects to embrace people-centric approach when designing for these communities to build synergy between the architect and the people.

One way is achieve this is to revisit the identifiable elements that reflect the way of life of the people in that society to bring about a reflective building. A reflective building is one that mirrors the ideals of the people in the society for which it is built. In other words, the cultural values of the society are integrated into the building design (Chukwuokolo, 2009; Nnamdili, 2020). How then can the architect build to reflect his society? He integrates elements of the people's way of life into the building design. i.e. their style of dressing, dance, music, artworks, etc. becomes part and parcel of the building.

Within the context of African societies, a case in point where these identifiable elements were integrated into contemporary design is the Villagio Vista buildings in Accra, Ghana designed by AHMM Architects. Here, the patterns of Kente weavings were incorporated into the building facade to project their cultural ideals. The building, now more than a mere structure, becomes a medium to tell stories about the people's lifestyle and a means of passing down the identity of the society to future generations (AHMM Architects, 2016; Timothy, 2023).

Ghanaian Kente weaving
Source: Lam Museum of Anthropology (2023)

In Nigeria, The Guaranty Trust Bank building along France Road, in Kano, reveals that harmony with the values of a society can be realized in a design. In a bid to reflect the traditional values of the Hausa society, the design firm, Homarch Consultants incorporated the Arewa (the Hausa symbol for unity) and the Kakaki (a traditional musical instrument popular among the Hausas) into the facade of the building. (Kashim, 2011; Paul Yakubu, 2019)

Hausa Arewa symbol and Kakaki musical instrument
Source: Wikipedia (2025)

Arewa and Kakaki symbols used in design of Guaranty Trust Bank, Nigeria
Source: Livin Spaces (2019)

For the modernization of Dandaji Market in Tahoua, Niger, Mariam Issoufou Architects centered their design around the community’s ancestral tree. Clay was utilised for the construction of the stalls referencing the area’s traditional architecture of adobe while newly installed canopy shades, though contemporary, mimic the form of the ancestral tree signalling a shared identity. The people, endeared to the reflective design, use the market not only for trading but also for communal gathering (Mariam Issoufou Architects, 2018; Olivia Ladanyi, 2019).

The  Dandaji ancestral tree, Tahoua, Niger
Source: Dezeen  (2019)

Canopy shades which reference the ancestral trees adopted for Dandaji Market, Niger
Source: Mariam Issoufou Architects (2018)

Kere Architecture's primary school library project at Gando, Burkina Faso shows one can achieve a reflective yet sustainable building. The building was constructed using the traditional clay pots common to the people of Gando. To arrive at the most energy efficient design possible, the roof of the building was embedded with half-cut clay pots, which enable the permeation of light into the interior space and allow hot air to escape the confined space, thereby, making the interior cool and conducive for the users (Kere Architecture, 2010).

Clay pots commonly used by the people of Igando, Burkina Faso
 Source: Kere Architecture (2010)

Potted roof explored in Gando Primary School Library, Burkina Faso
Source: Kere Architecture (2010)

The Senegalese Architects, Groupe Atepa, through their ECOWAS Bank building in Lome, Togo, also demonstrated it is possible to design a futuristic building that 'looks African and feels African'.  In cognizance of the identity of the people they were to build for, they combined the traditional Ghanian stool and an upturned calabash commonly used in many West African countries to bring about a unique design that cast magnetic ambiance on its surrounding (Groupe ATEPA, 1988).

The traditional Ghanaian stool
Source: Earth Metropolis African Art (2019)

ECOWAS Bank, Togo draws inspiration from the traditional stool
Source: Groupe ATEPA (1988)

The proposed Thabo Mbeki Presidential Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa, is another building design which seeks to reflect the African  identity while also incorporating modern, sustainable features. Designed by Adjaye Associates, the building's formal concept is inspired by the traditional granary popular among many indigenous societies of Africa. Also coopted into the building’s facade is the adobe typical of many African huts, resulting in a design that create a deep connection between Africa’s past, present, and future (Adjaye Associates, 2020; Mbeki, 2025).

Typical traditional granaries in Africa’s indigenous societies.
World Architecture (2018)

The Mbeki Presidential Library modeled after the traditional granaries
Source: Adjaye Associates (2020)

One other notable mention is the Oblisco Capitale designed by IDIA Design, a 1000m high skyscraper to be built in the heart of Cairo, Egypt. As the names suggests, the proposed mixed-use building, draws inspiration from the obelisk, a unique cultural and symbolic formal element associated with ancient Egyptian civilization. This way, it stands out from surrounding buildings not only due its towering height but more so in the way it reflects the identity of the Egyptians. Thus, the building provides a glimpse into the possible world of afrofuristic buildings that compete with other skyscrapers around the word for height supremacy (IDIA Design, 2024).

Obelisk celebrates the entrance of ancient Luxor Temple, Luxor, Egypt.
Source: Wikipedia (2025)

The design of Oblisco Capitale in Egypt mirrors obelisks of pharaoic period.
Source: IDIA Design (2024)

The integration of societal values into contemporary, commercial buildings shows that reflective architecture not only transcends building eras but also encompasses all building types irrespective of the functional purpose they serve. More so, reflective architecture reminds the architect and his client that the building beyond being a shelter is a medium to project the users’ identity and promotes their cultural values.

About the author:

Dele Oye is a Construction Manager at Callebella Integretas in Lagos State, Nigeria. He is also an Architectural Journalist who has published in RIBA Journal, AIA Connection, Berkeley Essay, Architecture Nigeria, Livin Spaces, among others.

Contact: Email | LinkedIn | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter (now X) | +2348065962867

This series as an exclusive series by THE ARCHiNSIGHT powered by AUA - AFRICA ARCHITECTURE STUDENTS NETWORK to reach global audience on The Role of Context-Specific Strategies in Creating Sustainable, Resilient, Technology-Driven, And Culturally Grounded African Built Environments.

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