Nairobi Hosts Inaugural Pan-African Biennale
Nairobi’s inaugural Pan-African Biennale, a groundbreaking event challenging traditional African architectural representation and fostering resilience.
In September, Nairobi hosted the inaugural Pan-African Biennale (PAB), a week-long event curated by Italian-Somali architect Omar Degan. The Biennale aimed to challenge traditional models of architectural representation and explore the concept of a truly Pan-African platform.
A Bold Departure from Tradition
The event’s title, “Shifting the Center: From Fragility to Resilience”, signaled its ambitious goal to re-examine the focus and framing of African architectural discourse. This inaugural edition faced challenges, including a last-minute split with the Architectural Association of Kenya (AAK) due to creative differences. Despite this, Nairobi was chosen for its accessibility and as a test case for the Biennale’s themes.
The Biennale’s objective was to question the traditional biennale model and explore the possibility of a transnational cooperative platform for critical discourse. It drew inspiration from key moments in Pan-African thought, such as Okwi Enwezor’s Documenta 11 and the Dak’Art festival, as well as earlier events like the First World Festival of Negro Art and the Second World Black and African Festival of Arts and Culture.
A Unique Exhibition Experience
The exhibition featured printout panels from 40 African countries, with some firms incorporating immersive elements like VR headsets and sound installations. However, the absence of national pavilions and the reliance on text-heavy panels were noted as weaknesses. The provocative question, “Does African Architecture Exist?”, displayed on a blank wall, sparked more thought than some of the exhibited works.
One standout attraction was the ante-exhibition by Nairobi’s Cave Bureau, titled “Earth Spirit Practice: Eulogy to Nature.” This exhibition, held in a half-finished abandoned building, explored the relationship between architecture, geology, and the natural world. It showcased the firm’s global platform experience and featured sculptural interventions that blurred the lines between art and design.
The Biennale’s panel discussions recontextualized popular tropes about Africa’s urbanization and emphasized the architect’s role as a facilitator of equitable social welfare. Female architects, in particular, positioned themselves as community builders and “vision carriers”, broadening the definition of the client to include the community’s dreams and aspirations.
Conversations on sustainability and materiality highlighted the complex debates surrounding African building materials. Architects and academics advocated for the rediscovery of ancient techniques and a forward-looking approach to material choice, moving beyond the binary of African vs. non-African materials.
Related Post: HooBA Design Group Reinterprets Tradition Through Light and Materials
The event also addressed the politics of shaping space, with discussions on the carceral spaces of Palestinian academic Nora Akawi and the colonial-era concentration villages researched by historian Chao Taiyana Maina. These presentations showed the importance of understanding Africa’s architectural past to shape its future.
Community and Collaboration
Several of Nairobi’s design practices played a significant role in organizing the Biennale, supporting a sense of community and collaboration. The event featured studio visits, films, and exhibitions, creating an atmosphere of camaraderie among participants.
The Biennale’s selection of panelists from across Africa and beyond reflected its commitment to diversity and inclusivity. American architect Jerome Haferd, for instance, highlighted Harlem’s role as a center of Pan-Africanist thought, actively working against erasure.
Challenges and Opportunities
The Biennale’s rejection of traditional formats was partly due to logistical difficulties in transporting objects from across Africa to Nairobi. Despite these challenges, the event sparked thought-provoking discussions and connections among practitioners, emphasizing the importance of conversation and collaboration in shaping Africa’s architectural future.
The Van Alen Institute, in partnership with the Pan-African Biennale, announced Arafa C. Hamadi and the Bled el Abar Collective as the winners of the 2006 Re: Paris Prize, indicating growing support for the Biennale’s mission and impact. As the event concluded, participants left with a sense of gratitude and inspiration, eager to continue the conversations and connections initiated in Nairobi, with the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) standing as a symbol of Pan-African idealism.
Nairobi’s Cultural Spaces and Pan-African Legacy
The Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC), a symbol of Pan-African idealism, served as the backdrop for the Biennale’s opening and closing events. Designed by Karl Henrik Nøstvik and David Mutiso, KICC represents an early attempt to define African architectural expression within late modernism. The Biennale also utilized Nairobi’s emerging private cultural spaces, such as the Shah Houses in the Ngara neighborhood and Paper Cafe, an independent magazine store and exhibition space. These venues, along with a pop-up bookshop collaboration between Paper Cafe and Berlin’s DOM Publishers, provided additional platforms for engagement.
