The Loss of Rhythm

The importance of rhythm and movement is necessary in many African styles and symbolisms. Uli, as used in walled surfaces, highlights rhythms within the form of existing structures. The idea of post-colonial architecture in Nigeria, via modern interventions and western projection of design, has contributed to the erasure of the necessity for rhythm, particularly in the most recognizable form of architecture– the home.

The village home in Southeastern Igboland, Nigeria, is the primary focus of this post as I was inspired by the writing by Ulli Beier, a critic of post-colonial modern architecture in Nigeria, who believed that architecture should be a “product of culture.” Beier recognized that most Nigerians saw modern buildings in styles of the west as signs of progress. Through his work, I have realized that this is still a widespread view today. The images below depict my village home growing up, as designed by my father and uncles in the 1940s, and the new home I lived in this past December 2022. The latter indeed ignores the genius of Igbo indigenous styles, even tropical architectural style inclusive of ventilation and solar necessity.

A seen, what Beier coined “the glaring white of the Houses and unapproachableness” is precisely what is hailed as beautiful and good.

The old village house encompasses a beautiful; central atrium for drying clothes, sunlight, and cooling/ ventilation. In contrast, the new home has “royal” blue tinted windows at the entry, which leads to a vestibule… especially creating an oven at the entrance, which doesn’t allow light into the main living area. What are the possibilities of returning to the rhythm of form which encompassed use and beauty for the daily life of the Igbo?