African Design Magazine July 2016 | Página 2

Editor’s view
Iconic African architecture under attack
One of Africa’s most iconic pieces of recent architecture has been
in the news lately and is under attack for all the wrong reasons. A
dispute has broken out over architect Kunlé Adeyemi’s award-winning
Makoko Floating School in Nigeria following its collapse in June, with
a community leader claiming pupils were evacuated three months ago
over safety concerns and critics questioning its credentials.

NLÉ, Adeyemi’s studio, issued a statement titled “Makoko Floating
School comes down for upgrade” saying the prototype school “had
been out of use in anticipation of reconstruction.” Built of timber struts
and floating on a platform made of 250 plastic barrels, Makoko Floating
School became a symbol of hope for the deprived area, which is home
to 100 000 inhabitants but with few facilities and has been described as “the world’s
biggest floating slum”. A crowdfunding campaign has been launched to build extra facilities
at Shemede’s Whanyinna Primary School in Makoko to replace those facilities lost in the
storm. CLICK HERE to donate to this cause.

Gregg Cocking

CREDITS

Let’s ensure that our African architecture makes it into the public’s consciousness for all the
right reasons (and we have 8 new African projects this month to do just that!) We would
also like to welcome on board this issue’s sponsor – Decorex Joburg – an expo well worth a
visit. Enjoy reading and sharing our latest issue! #AfricanDesign.
Published by African Design Magazine
(Pty) Ltd, PO Box 9802, Edenglen,
Johannesburg, South Africa, 1613

Editorial
Gregg Cocking
Cell: [phone]
Email: gregg@africandesignmagazine.
com
Advertising
Lesley Shapiro
Cell: [phone]
Email: lesley@africandesignmagazine.
com

Cover photograph:

Laayoune Technology School in Morocco.
Photograph: Doublespace Photography

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