Documenting Endangered Wooden Architecture of Colonial "Lagos" Railway Infrastructure in Ebute-Meta Railway Compound
Endangered architecture: In 1897, The British colonial government in Nigeria started the construction of railway infrastructure to access raw materials and food production from the hinterlands of Nigeria. Ebute-Meta was going to be the central yard for the Lagos railway infrastructure which is the terminal city to the harbour. The wooden buildings to be surveyed were part of the residential and station infrastructure built by the British government within the compound during the first phase of construction between 1897 - 1920. Different housing typologies were made for the different cadre of railway personnel, the British colonial-style houses typically have deep verandas around the house (on lower and upper floors). The roof was made from shingles, but most have now been replaced with long-span cement composite roofs. The joinery details of the building are such that very few nails were used in the joinery. There is divided opinions on where the wood came from, with some suggesting it was shipped prefabricated and assembled on-site while others believe wood importation only happened at the earlier stages of construction. Most of these wooden buildings have been lost in recent years due to dilapidation, development needs, and other safety and economic reasons.
Aims: The aim of the project is to document each typology of the wooden buildings that exist in the compound and in the neighbouring Ibadan railway compound, spatial layout, construction methodology, and ethnography through photogrammetry, BIM modelling, photography, 3D point cloud and interviews of record keepers, former or current inhabitants, and people who were involved in restoration work (carpenters, mason, architects etc).
Project Lead: Tubi Otitooluwa
Collaborators: Chuka Uzo, Norbert Edomah
Location of Research: Nigeria
Host Institution: Pan-Atlantic University
Collaborating Organisations: James Cubitt Architects, Legacy 1995
Type of Grant: Small Grant
Ilukwe House (Quaters 21), Railway
Investigation on the First Indigenous Peoples of South Africa’s Built Environment and Dwellings in Baviaanskloof, South Africa
Endangered architecture: The First Nation dwellings in Baviaanskloof, South Africa, date back over 100 years and represent a building tradition that has been handed down from generation to generation. The dwellings are self-built on common land owned by the indigenous community, using local materials such as bamboo, reeds and mud. The valley was relatively isolated allowing these traditions to continue. However, tourism and economic activities are bringing more people to the valley and with increased contact the traditional building techniques are becoming lost as new, more ‘modern’ materials are adopted. An ageing population is also resulting in poor maintenance and abandonment of many dwellings.
Aims: This project aims to survey a minimum of 15 dwellings in the Baviaanskloof valley. Being an oral tradition there is no record of the traditional ways of building and so this project will produce the first ever archival and documentary record of this cultural tradition.
Project Lead: Magda Minguzzi in coordination with Gaos (Chief) Margaret Coetzee of the Inqua People
Collaborators: Lucy Vosloo, Yolanda Navarro, Kim Harmse
Location of Research: South Africa
Host Institution: Nelson Mandela University
Collaborating Communities: Gaob Thomas Augustus; Gaob Daantjie Japhta; Gaob Brato Malgas; Xam ≠ Gaob Maleiba; Paramount Chief Gert Cornelius Steenkamp; Chief Wallace Williams; Gaos Anna Williams; Head Person Flip Pieterse, Sappie Kleinbooi and Inqua People of Baviaanskloof.
Type of Grant: Small Grant
Baviaanskloof house © Magda Minguzzi
Documenting the Vernacular Architecture of Urhobo, Nigeria
Endangered architecture: This project will document the structures, forms, construction, social life, and repair processes as well as the traditional knowledge system of Urhobo vernacular architecture. The forms of architecture include a dwelling; a shrine; a kitchen; an oven; a traditional altar; a traditional wooden pulley mill press system for pressing grind cassava; and a yam barn. These structures have various components that are made with wood, bamboo, palm fronds, and other plant parts. The architecture is historically significant because of its ties with the early migration of the Urhobo people through riverine territory before settling in the hinterland. Threats to the vernacular architecture of Urhobo include flooding, globalisation, and urbanisation.
Aims: The aim of the project is to document, promote and preserve the dying traditions and this knowledge system. The project will take place in Eghwu-Oto, Olodiama-Eghwu, Oria-Abraka, and Okpe-Olomu communities in Delta State, southern Nigeria. Working with commissioned local collaborators and consultants, the project will use architectural drawings, hand draft prints, 3D design, photographs, audio and video recordings to document the tradition.
Project Lead: Uyoyou N. O. Edewor
Collaborators: Sunday Adunbi Omosayan, Augustine Oborakpororo Omohwo, Emily Akpomedaye
Location of Research: Nigeria
Host Institution: Akpo Re Ufuoma Development Initiative
Collaborating Organisations: Edoid Cultural Heritage Enterprise
Type of Grant: Small Grant
Conical Stick Houses of the Hamer People, Ethiopia
Endangered architecture: Hamer Woreda in Ethiopia, contains three unique architectures: 1) the Hamer field hut, a very rare example of a fully conical dwelling within the African continent, 2) village huts built by women, and 3), village huts built by men. Each type exhibits a type of coded system found rarely in architecture, in that locals who can read the buildings know the status of the occupant (and their children), through adaptations made to the building itself. All three types are short lived ephemeral architectures that last little more than ten years without being substantially rebuilt. However, change is coming quickly to southern Ethiopia with the building of a major road that is leading to industrialisation and modernisation of the whole region. Consequently, the conical field shelters are now rarely built, and most are disappearing from the landscape.
Aims: The project aims to record three structures within one community along with their compounds, and to map the village layouts. This project will considerably increase the depth of detail known about these architectural types, as it will not only explore the finished form of the building but also document the construction materials, management, tool use and patterns of occupation of the whole village area.
Project Lead: Gordon Clarke
Collaborators: Linda Hurcombe, Takele Merid Afessa
Location of Research: Hamer Woreda, Ethiopia
Host Institution: University of Exeter
Type of Grant: Small grant
Documenting the Endangered Reed Architecture of the Iraqi Marshes
Endangered architecture: The reed architecture of Marsh Arabs of southern Iraq represents the survival of one of the oldest known building traditions in the world. The most distinctive architectural form is the Mudhif; a large meeting hall, usually commissioned by a sheikh and used for community gatherings and the entertainment of guests. These halls are made entirely of reed, consisting of a long tunnel-like structure formed by large reed arches bound together under tension. Between these arches, woven reed mats form the walls and roofs of the mudhif, while the end walls often feature elaborately woven designs. In-depth knowledge of the various reeds which grow in the Iraqi marshes are also essential as different types of reeds are needed for different structural components. Having barely survived the deliberate draining of the marshes in the 1990s, the Marsh Arab communities now face an even greater threat; climate change and dam building, which have reduced the flow of water into the marshes to a critical level.
Aims: The project will seek to document the reed structures, the method of construction and the specialist knowledge required. The latter will include issues such as what sort of reed is used for what part of the building, what time of year building takes place and how the work is organised. The buildings will be recorded through photogrammetry (drone and handheld) and through the production of detailed diagrammatic records.
Project Lead: Mary Shepperson
Collaborators: Jassim al-Asadi
Location of Research: Iraq
Host Institution: University of Liverpool
Collaborating organisation: Nature Iraq
Type of Grant: Small grant
Mudhif near Chibayish, Iraq
Photographer: M. Shepperson 2016
Documenting Endangered Wooden Architecture of the Bocco House in Old Calabar
Endangered Architecture: The Bocco House, constructed in 1886 by Chief E.E. Bassey, stands as one of the last remaining examples of prefabricated wooden architecture in Old Calabar, Nigeria. This unique structure, originally shipped in parts from Germany and Scotland, was assembled on-site and served as the palace for the late Obong of Calabar. The Bocco House reflects a blend of European colonial design and local Efik cultural elements, with features such as hardwood columns, intricately carved balustrades, and Nsibidi symbols—a traditional form of writing used in Southeastern Nigeria. Over time, the building has suffered from severe deterioration due to climate change, neglect, and the ravages of time. The ground floor walls are now covered with corrugated sheets as a temporary measure to prevent further collapse, while the first floor and roof structure are in critical condition. The recent storm in November 2022 further exacerbated the damage, making the preservation of this historic building more urgent than ever.
Aims: The aim of this project is to meticulously document the Bocco House before it is lost to history. The documentation will involve capturing the spatial layout, construction techniques, and cultural significance of the building through advanced methods such as photogrammetry, Building Information Modeling (BIM), photography, and 3D point cloud generation. Additionally, the project will include oral histories from local community members, including descendants of Chief E.E. Bassey, to enrich the historical narrative of the house. By preserving the architectural and cultural details of the Bocco House, the project seeks to contribute to the broader efforts of safeguarding Nigeria’s endangered heritage.
Project Lead: Tokie Laotan-Brown
Location of Research: Nigeria
Host Institution: Foundation for the Preservation of Cultural Heritage in Nigeria
Project Type: Small Grant
The Historic Bocco House in Old Calabar (1886), taken by Laotan-Brown, Feb 2023.
Documenting the Architecture of Indigenous Nomads’ Homes (Kapar) in Southern Regions of Iran
Endangered Architecture: The southern region of Iran boasts a distinctive form of nomadic architecture, highlighted by the intriguing structures known as Kapar. Kapars are predominantly constructed from straight, long branches arranged around a core framework, with roofs typically covered by bark, dry grass, and other locally sourced materials. Of particular interest in this research is the documentation of the weaving techniques used to create this mesh network, which is a critical aspect of Kapar construction. Given the arid and hot climate of the region, where access to traditional construction materials like wood is limited, residents have turned to more readily available resources such as palm tree leaves. The process of weaving the coverings for these structures is not only practical but also represents an important handicraft, a testament to the rich cultural heritage of the area. The variety in size, shape, and design of different plans, others with or without stone walls—further adds to the architectural richness of the landscape.
The construction of kapar is influenced not only by the easy accessibility of palm tree leaves and branches but also by other factors such as low cost, short construction time, compatibility with the environment, the possibility of being built near work sites, and earthquake resistance. Unfortunately, recent years have seen a decline in the region’s nomadic lifestyle due to harsh environmental conditions, which have adversely affected animal husbandry, a primary means of livelihood. As a result, many inhabitants have migrated to permanent villages, leading to the abandonment and subsequent loss of numerous Kapars.
Aim of the Research: This research aims to thoroughly investigate the structure, construction methods, and interior design of Kapar, highlighting their significance within the nomadic culture of southern Iran. The project will delve into the architectural characteristics of these wooden vernacular houses, offering insights into their form and the cultural knowledge required to build them. The primary objectives include the documentation of traditional Kapar houses through the production of architectural drawings and the recording of construction methods. This will be captured through a combination of photogrammetry, detailed photographs, and video documentation. By doing so, the research not only aims to preserve the technical knowledge behind Kapar construction but also to safeguard the cultural heritage embodied in this unique form of nomadic architecture.
Project Lead: Najmeh Hassas
Collaborators: Justyna Broucka, Amir Tabe Bordbar, Somayeh Maraqi
Location of Research: Iran
Host Institution: Gdansk University of Technology, Poland
Type of Grant: Small Grant
An example of a Kapar, a traditional nomadic structure © Najmeh Hassas