Conference: July 27th - July 29th 2005 at UCLAS, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Modern Architecture appeared as a new and double faced phenomenon in architecture and urbanism in East Africa during the 1950’s and 1960’s. 

At the end of the colonial period (1950’s) this architecture was often the preferred expression of the intended colonial welfare state, whereas after Independence (1960’s) the new state and its institutions relied upon it to convey the hope, strength and optimism of the new African nation.

Today there is little systematic knowledge about this architecture in East Africa. Notwithstanding a growing interest in the  entanglement of modernism, colonialism and the post-colonial condition, we still lack documentary sources on a large part of this history as well as information about the reception and appropriation of this heritage up to date.
 
The project will consist of a study on Modern Architecture in Tanzania around Independence (1950-1970) in its local and international context. Architectural, and also social, cultural and political aspects will be studied. A number of projects will be selected from the modern heritage in Tanzania, consisting of public buildings (such as schools, churches and offices), housing projects and urban designs.
 
The work of the architect Anthony Almeida will form an important part of the selected projects. Almeida was one of the first
to introduce Modern Architecture in his country; he produced a large quantity of high quality buildings throughout the founding
period of the Tanzanian nation. He is still alive and his archives are fully available for investigation. Other architects who’s work and archives will be studied are Sukhi Shah, Beda Amuli, French & Hastings, Covell Matthews and others.

Read more about it here. 

The Workshop Programme is available here.