African Vernacular Culture.
The culture of Africa is the cultural mix of indigenous people so the architectural history of this continent is extremely rich and varied.
Architectural features of African countries.
Because of the dangerous weather ,the houses in Africa are often built thick wall to keep the sun during the day and fight the cold air at night. The roofs in Africa are often used thatched roof. The architecture in Africa often use many materials such as wood ,mud ,rock,….North Africa uses stone and rammed earth.
Africa’s forests use dry and mortar ,West Africa uses mud ,Central Africa uses plant,wood,and perishable materials and South Africa uses stone ,thatch ,wood. These houses are named Somba or Tammari ,built in shape of mushroom, it’s low. Each household lives in the house made from earth regardless hot or cold.
All houses have the doors facing the west. The house has 2 floors ,one for cooking and living ,another for sleeping.
Round Houses.
This is the most common type of house in Africa. From Kemetians , Nigeria, Kassena, Sukuma to the people in Sahara build the house according to this type. Walls were built by earth rock. The house has thick wall and don’t have window ,it has only few hole to take the sunlight. The doors is only 0.5meters high so the sun doesn’t shine too hard and the animals aren’t able to penetrate. Roofs have the shape of dome or circular dome, it were built by earth or thatch.
The roofs has trusses made from pile attached to beams and small wooden stakes. Thatched roof is heat insulating but it’s not durable.
The houses or the barns of Batammariba people were built in shape of cylinder ,it has flat or conical roof. The roof has wooden drain. Walls were built by the moist earth or mud bricks. Then ,the houses will be hardened by the sun. Some houses also have the wooden fences outside and the scaffolding to support the structure. Square houses(rectangular houses).
Sukuma people in Tanzania often build square houses or rectangular houses. These houses are surrounded by brick wall. Almost rural houses don’t have the basement ,only have the brick on the ground. However ,now basement is used ,it’s built by mud , ximen or adobe. The roof is roofed by thatch ,bamboo truss structures are connected together by the ropes. The frames of door and windows are made from bamboo. The adobe wall is covered by the layer of clay or mud.
Asante houses.
The Asante traditional houses are the last vestige of Asante culture that dominate area in the 18th century .Asante house has the fairly homogeneous structure with 4 rows of house surrounded the large yard ,it’s built by wood ,bamboo ,gypsum and the thatched roof. Because it’s built from perishable materials ,so this architecture is easy damaged by weather changes .In 1980,the Asante traditional houses were been recognized as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
Architectural features of African countries.
Because of the dangerous weather ,the houses in Africa are often built thick wall to keep the sun during the day and fight the cold air at night. The roofs in Africa are often used thatched roof. The architecture in Africa often use many materials such as wood ,mud ,rock,….North Africa uses stone and rammed earth.
All houses have the doors facing the west. The house has 2 floors ,one for cooking and living ,another for sleeping.
Round Houses.
This is the most common type of house in Africa. From Kemetians , Nigeria, Kassena, Sukuma to the people in Sahara build the house according to this type. Walls were built by earth rock. The house has thick wall and don’t have window ,it has only few hole to take the sunlight. The doors is only 0.5meters high so the sun doesn’t shine too hard and the animals aren’t able to penetrate. Roofs have the shape of dome or circular dome, it were built by earth or thatch.
The roofs has trusses made from pile attached to beams and small wooden stakes. Thatched roof is heat insulating but it’s not durable.
The houses or the barns of Batammariba people were built in shape of cylinder ,it has flat or conical roof. The roof has wooden drain. Walls were built by the moist earth or mud bricks. Then ,the houses will be hardened by the sun. Some houses also have the wooden fences outside and the scaffolding to support the structure. Square houses(rectangular houses).
Sukuma people in Tanzania often build square houses or rectangular houses. These houses are surrounded by brick wall. Almost rural houses don’t have the basement ,only have the brick on the ground. However ,now basement is used ,it’s built by mud , ximen or adobe. The roof is roofed by thatch ,bamboo truss structures are connected together by the ropes. The frames of door and windows are made from bamboo. The adobe wall is covered by the layer of clay or mud.
Asante houses.
The Asante traditional houses are the last vestige of Asante culture that dominate area in the 18th century .Asante house has the fairly homogeneous structure with 4 rows of house surrounded the large yard ,it’s built by wood ,bamboo ,gypsum and the thatched roof. Because it’s built from perishable materials ,so this architecture is easy damaged by weather changes .In 1980,the Asante traditional houses were been recognized as World Cultural Heritage by UNESCO.
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