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Showing posts from September, 2022

African Architecture - Challenges and Details

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     The Mali Architects is a story of political strife and power struggle which begins with Sekou Amadou’s (the founder of the Peul Empire of Masina) jihad in 1818 which led to the disrepair of the Mosque at Djenne. This political struggle over architectural design continued through the French reconstruction tactics in the 1890s.       Ethiopian Architecture’s challenge is one of layering and appropriation. The layering of symbolism, beginning with the symbolism of the Ark of the Covenant and Solomon’s Temple, to the appropriation of the New Testament paired with the destruction of Churches due to jihads, creates an architecture that is somewhat difficult to originate.       The complete or partial neglect of Swahili architecture as being uniquely Swahili is the central issue. While literature and the arts are better documented, Swahili architecture is typically considered Arabian or Persian. The stone-built ruins of Africa have no...

Family and Home

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     Within African traditional architecture and planning, identity—from interpersonal to societal—plays a salient role though symbolic design and building layout. Within a number of traditions of West African peoples, identity of an individual is defined both by the physical state and psychological state. The family and/or community creates an interwoven identity of a particular society. Thus, the importance of one being “in-balance” and having harmony within oneself mimics the need for such harmony in a larger community. This harmony is found in the family unit and is mimicked within the design of the dwelling. This harmony points to the anthropomorphism which evaded West African architecture — where the human body becomes the basis for vitality and good relationships which the entire community attains towards. It is particularly interesting how the house can become both a human itself (“eating” and “drinking” with the family which resides within it, having its own time...

8'-5" x 11' Home

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       The place I call "home" is a quite compact space in Cambridge, MA. Within it are memorabilia and everyday items which are quite global. The west facing wall of my room is the most important as it is what I call my "prayer wall." I hand made two hanging white-washed wooden shelves which hold holy images, sacred texts and biblical quotes/reflections, as well as prayer intentions and other reminders to contemplate. As a Christian, more specifically Catholic, I have many rosaries and chaplets gifted to me by friends during their pilgrimages and travels to Rome and the Holy Land- these are hung lowest on the wall towards the left of my desk, allowing me to easily grab them while working. To the right of my desk is a holy water font and daily prayer card from my home in PA. Other decorative items on the wall have either been crocheted or sketched by myself, and are an amalgamation of my artistic trials and attempted hobbies.       Mirroring this ...