African architecture helps reduce climate impact

New buildings featuring old designs are sprouting up across Africa, using traditional materials and methods in a bid to build more sustainably. An Accra office building features “vertical fins” to offer natural shade, Dakar’s new Goethe-Institut boasts perforated walls for ventilation, and in southern Burkina Faso, a health center’s central courtyard with overhanging roofs provides a cool central meeting place. “These traditional approaches offer valuable lessons in creating comfortable, resilient spaces with minimal environmental impact,” writes architect Melissa Adu on her Substack, Notes by Meli. Firms such as Kéré Architecture, Mariam Issoufou Architects, and MASS have embraced the approach to honor traditional aesthetics — not just in Africa — and help reduce the industry’s planetary footprint.