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Lagos Writing Workshop Reflections 4th -7th July 2025 at University of Lagos

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November 27, 2025
Africa, AHUWA, Archives, Conferences, Global Architecture, Heritage, Historiography, Lagos, Nigeria, transnational, Tropical Architecture
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Lagos Workshop Reflections

Lagos Writing Workshop

Context

This document summarises the collective reflections from the Lagos Writing Workshop.

During the event, participating Early Career Researchers (ECRs) shared insights from

previous experiences organising student writing workshops in architecture. Discussions

included how to strengthen the pedagogical impact of these workshops, optimise cohort

composition, improve documentation and archiving, explore effective workshop models,

expand publishing and dissemination efforts, and establish robust logistical structures for the

long-term.

Based on these reflections, participants discussed how they might transform the workshop

series into a platform tentatively called the African Architecture History and Theory Network.

Such a platform would advance scholarship on the African built environment through various

events and opportunities for writing. It would involve academics and practitioners, on and off

the continent, who work on the history and theory of its built environment.

1. Pedagogical Impact and Institutional Uptake

A recurring theme in our conversations was the importance of tracing the workshop’s longer-

term impact. There were questions about the journeys of previous participants: Where are

they now? How many found their way into academia, and how many continued in

professional practice? More importantly, in what concrete ways did the workshop influence

their teaching, research, or approach to design and writing? This kind of follow-up could

strengthen the workshop’s role as a bridge to academic careers – if we so desired – and guide

how future editions are shaped to meet participants’ realities.

The discussion also brought up a common challenge: in many African universities, research

and writing are introduced into the curriculum only in their later stages. By that time,

valuable opportunities for skill development may have been lost. While institutional reforms

can be slow, participants identified opportunities for immediate action through informal

initiatives, such as integrating writing exercises into existing classes, establishing peer-review

groups, or mentoring students outside formal structures.

Participants emphasised the need to view the curriculum as a living and continuously

developing document that, even within the same framework, approached the material with

creativity in its delivery. This flexibility could open space for richer, more engaging writing,

teaching and development.

There was also a call to clarify the type of writing to prioritise: academic, creative, or a blend

of the two? Clearer goals would help ensure that teaching and mentoring efforts are aligned.

Finally, the group identified an opportunity for deeper institutional support: inviting

academics to serve as visiting scholars in specific schools, funded to spend extended periods

(perhaps a semester or more) and to help embed a writing community of practice more firmly

within an architecture department.

2. Cohort Composition and Interdisciplinarity

We reflected on how different compositions of workshop participant cohorts, such as single-

discipline or interdisciplinary, or those from a single institution or multiple institutions, shape

the workshop experience. Past multidisciplinary groups, comprising participants from various

universities, were seen as especially enriching, bringing fresh perspectives to both

discussions and writing. In particular, pairing architects with participants from other fields

interested in writing about buildings, as in the Accra workshops, proved valuable.

When it comes to larger participant numbers, colleagues suggested experimenting with group

essay writing. Under such conditions, each group member could contribute a section, as a

way to sustain engagement and produce richer outputs. This may require more work up front

to set it up effectively. Yet it promises to yield good results in the long run.

Another critical question was whether we had, in the past, assumed too much about

participants’ writing ability during the selection stages. In earlier workshops, many were

chosen because they could already write well. Moving forward, requesting writing samples

could help establish a baseline. Where needed, we can offer resources and strategies to help

beginners build foundational skills, as well as targeted support for advanced writers. At the

highest level, we recognised the importance of a clear framework to support and challenge

experienced writers to produce polished, high-quality outputs.

Participants also pointed out the importance of cohort size, which would shape the structure

of the workshops. Smaller groups allow for more intensive work, while larger groups may

benefit from group or collaborative approaches. But much of this needs to be discussed

alongside issues such as the number of ECR mentors available and the duration of the

workshops, and all these depend on funding.

3. ORGANISATION: Documentation, Archiving, and Knowledge Management

Lagos workshop participants also discussed the need for a more systematic approach to

capturing, storing, and sharing the knowledge generated through the workshops. This

includes establishing clear protocols for cloud storage and file sharing. These should ideally

be set up before each workshop to ensure that all forms of output are preserved and

maintained. The frameworks should provide for the archiving of materials in multiple

formats, including audio and video recordings of workshop discussions, lectures, participant

feedback, and organisers’ reflections.

We also acknowledged the central role that archival materials and comparative building

analysis can play in fostering architectural research and writing, as well as the barriers to

accessing architectural records across institutions and countries. Whilst some university

libraries may have useful records, there still exists a need to establish direct contact with

architects or their families, in case they have passed away, to explore how we might collect

and store their archives. Copyright issues emerged as a key consideration. If architectural

drawings or other archival content are to be published online, it is essential to secure the

necessary permissions from rights holders.

There was also discussion about the platform through which archived materials might be

made accessible online. Should this be a standalone website dedicated exclusively to the

workshop series, giving it a clear identity and independent visibility? Or should it be

integrated into the digital infrastructure of an existing institution, potentially offering greater

3long-term stability, technical support, and credibility? Each option carries implications for

accessibility, branding, and sustainability. We need to consider this alongside questions of

funding, audience reach, and alignment with the workshop’s broader objectives.

Finally, participants emphasised that robust archiving is just as much about accessibility as it

is about accuracy. To ensure that stored knowledge remains reliable, we discussed the

potential for an independent peer-review mechanism for workshop essays and other materials

generated. Such a system would help maintain the archive’s long-term value as both a

teaching resource and a research asset.

4. Workshop Models and Formats

We reflected on the range of workshop models used to date, from those focused on individual

essays to those built around group writing, and from standalone events to workshops

embedded within larger programmes. Each format offers distinct advantages: individual

writing allows for deeper personal engagement with a topic, while group essays can foster

collaboration, distribute workload, and produce richer, multi-voiced outputs.

Lessons from initiatives such as the Shared Heritage Fellowship suggest that embedding

workshops within broader collaborative frameworks can create valuable opportunities for

networking, resource sharing, and sustained engagement. Well-structured collaborations can

also open doors to funding streams that might otherwise be inaccessible.

Potential partners identified included:

· The Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA), which holds relevant archives and could

host African scholars for on-site archival work as part of a workshop.

· The Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in the United States.

· The Architecture and Design Centre in Rwanda by MASS Design Group.

· The African Futures Institute (AFI); and

· The African Architectural and Urban History Network (AFRAUHN).

Reaching out to such institutions could create new possibilities for co-organised workshops,

access to specialised collections, and cross-continental exchanges.

5. Publishing, Toolkits, and Knowledge Dissemination

We discussed the value of consolidating the insights, methods, and resources developed

through the workshop series into outputs that extend beyond the immediate cohort. Joint

publications, whether in the form of edited volumes, special journal issues, or curated online

essays, could serve both as a record of the intellectual work undertaken and as a meaningful

contribution to the broader discourse in architecture.

Platforms for such outputs could include academic journals such as Architectural Research

Quarterly, Journal of Architectural Education, and The Journal of the Society of

Architectural Historians.

Conferences such as the Society of Architectural Historians (SAH) Annual Conference, the

African Architecture Matters Forum, and the African Studies Conferences could serve as

opportunities to present findings, build networks, and position the workshops’ outputs within

both African and global conversations on architecture and heritage. Such outputs could feed

back into architectural curricula, enriching reading lists for history and theory courses and

influencing teaching practice within departments.

In parallel, the creation of practical manuals or toolkits – which draws on our collective

experience in workshop design, pedagogical strategies, and partnership building – could

support future workshops as well as other educators and institutions interested in running

similar initiatives. Toolkits could be tailored for a broader readership, including practitioners,

students, and cultural institutions, and made accessible in multiple formats: print, digital, and

ideally, open-access.

Finally, there was strong interest in forming a dedicated working group or network to develop

and promote research, teaching, and dialogue on African architectural history and theory.

Participants believed this would provide a sustained platform for collaboration and visibility

in this field. A suggested name is the African Architecture History and Theory Research

Network (AAHT), which would have a base (a writing hub) at each participating university.

These AAHT writing hubs could be dedicated to providing year-round support for student

members who develop essays for publication and who could serve as a pool to draw from for

future workshops.

6. Planning, Logistics, and Long-Term Structuring

We discussed the need for more robust logistical and planning frameworks to support the

consistent delivery of successful workshops while reducing the need to reinvent processes

each year.

For transnational events, this includes building capacity for virtual and hybrid formats to

support collaboration across countries and institutions. For in-person gatherings, challenges

such as visa applications must be addressed early. A practical step would be to send accepted

participants a checklist of required preparations immediately upon selection, to avoid delays

caused by unforeseen administrative issues.

Clear decisions will be needed regarding the frequency of workshops (e.g., annual or bi-

annual). This, in turn, will determine how much time will be required for planning. This

means formalising the workshop series as an event centred on writing and text production

about the African built environment. This will be based on a standing document outlining our

core values, mission, and vision, supported by a strategic committee responsible for

oversight, continuity, and long-term direction.

To streamline coordination, we proposed appointing an administrative lead – possibly an

intern based at the host institution – to handle logistical tasks, allowing academics to focus on

the programme’s intellectual and pedagogical components.

Alongside the list of potential collaborators, a standing register of funding and grant

opportunities would help guide application timelines and planning priorities. Planning

frameworks should also account for different funding conditions, with adaptable approaches

for both funded and unfunded workshops.

Finally, we explored strategies to expand the series to other university campuses, beginning

by consolidating our presence in key locations, such as Uganda, before extending it to new

sites. This phased approach could help ensure depth and sustainability in our growth, building

strong local networks before scaling further.

Intersections: Victor Adegbite and Charles Polónyi – Exhibition at the Wende Museum, Los Angeles, USA

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November 4, 2025
Africa, Archives, Eastern European, Ghana
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November 8, 2025–April 12, 2026: Office Southeast in collaboration with Dana Salama

During the 1960s, Accra stood at the center of the anticolonial world. As the capital of Ghana—the first independent country in sub-Saharan Africa following European colonization—the city drew revolutionaries, intellectuals, and artists from across the continent and the Cold War divides. Ghana’s first leader, Kwame Nkrumah, envisioned Accra as a showcase of African statehood and invited architects to help shape its future.

Exhibition Photograph, courtesy of Łukasz Stanek, 2025.

Intersections traces the collaboration of two architects who responded to that call: Ghanaian Victor Adegbite (1925–2014) and Hungarian Charles Polónyi (1928–2002). Polónyi arrived in Accra as part of Eastern European technical assistance programs supporting Ghana’s transition to socialism. He worked for the Ghana National Construction Corporation (GNCC), where Adegbite—a Howard University graduate—served as chief architect. In their work at the GNCC they mobilized architectural resources from the socialist, capitalist, and non-aligned countries and designed buildings that responded to Ghana’s needs, means, and aspirations.

The exhibition centers on the housing projects designed by Adegbite and Polónyi, which embodied the many dimensions of independence—from representing a new elite to the state’s provision of housing for all social groups. By juxtaposing family archives from the United States and Hungary—preserved by the architects’ daughters—the exhibition both reconstructs and reenacts an encounter from sixty years ago. By recording how the buildings designed by Adegbite and Polónyi have been appropriated by their inhabitants, it shows how the architects’ work continues to impact Accra’s urban landscapes.

Curators: Michael Dziwornu and Łukasz Stanek, in collaboration with Dana Salama.

New PhD Research: China’s Two Tropical Architectures: Climatic Regimes, Socialist Reconstruction, and Global Maoism in Guangzhou and Dar es Salaam, 1955-76

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September 17, 2025
Africa, Climate, Global Architecture, transnational, Tropical Architecture
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China’s Two Tropical Architectures: Climatic Regimes, Socialist Reconstruction, and Global Maoism in Guangzhou and Dar es Salaam, 1955-76, by Sun Zhijian, National University of Singapore, supervised by Prof Jiat-Hwee Chang.

Abstract:

In the contexts of decolonization and the Cold War, the tropical world became a contested arena with fierce competition among various old and new donors in the name of development aid, of which the infrastructural construction constituted the backbone. In the past decade, a growing body of literature on postcolonial tropical architecture has challenged current accounts weighed towards the built environment produced by either the former metropolitan powers or the Soviet-bloc, by shedding new light on the role of a third category of emerging aid donors, especially socialist China. Following the Sino-Soviet Split (1960), the Chinese attempted to promote an alternative socialist development path in newly-independent African states to that proposed by their Soviet-allied rivals. However, despite the allegedly age-old Sino-African solidarity, as latecomers in the unfamiliar tropics, the Chinese struggled against many challenges, among which the most crucial was the hot-and-humid climate as well as building problems it caused. This process almost coincided with their domestic socialist reconstruction through coping with the scorching heat and humidity in subtropical Guangdong under the Great Leap Forward (1958-62) and subsequent revolutions.

Based on archival materials from China, Tanzania and the UK, this thesis is a transnational history of China’s two tropical architectures in relation to both domestic politics and global geo-politics in the mid-to-late 20th century, i.e. China’s overseas architectural aid in decolonizing Dar es Salaam, Tanzania under Nyerere’s Ujamaa socialism, which was the largest sub-Saharan African recipient of China’s assistance in the Cold War, and China’s domestic subtropical modern architecture in Maoist Guangzhou, which has long been the stronghold of China’s subtropical knowledge production. Through case studies of sample projects of industrial and agricultural infrastructures in Guangzhou and Dar es Salaam, it answers two overarching questions: Since China’s two tropical architectures took place concurrently, were there any transnational interactions between their knowledge production and practice? (If so, how did they happen?) How did the Chinese socio-cultural construction of the tropics give rise to a distinctively “anti-imperialist” mechanism of tropical architecture from that of the West and socialist North? 

Moving beyond traditional architectural historiography relying primarily on stylistic analysis, it draws on theories of “techno-political regimes” and “critical temperature studies” to develop the notion of “climatic regimes” to capture the interdependence between tropical architecture’s climatic management and the exercise of socio-political power. As the socio-technical arrangements of an interlinked body of climatic knowledge, thermal comfort norms, sanitary discourses, urban typologies and architectural expertise transcending Cold-War rivalries, climatic regimes render intelligible a certain set of climatic parameters, trigger remedial strategies dealing with environmental concerns and normalize people’s thermal sensation for certain political goals. It argues that China’s two tropical architectures were not only concurrent, but more importantly, were co-constitutive with each other through a highly-centralized bureaucratic network of socialist state-run institutions rather than the genius of certain individuals, in which not only architects and planners, but also building physicists, meteorologists, physiologists, ventilating engineers and technocratic Party cadres were all active mediators of global flows of resources and expertise. Divergent from the Soviet-bloc’s climatic regimes paying particular attention to former colonial thermal segregations of mass housing in Africa, the Chinese endeavors driven by the Sino-Tanzanian common appetite for rapid industrialization and self-reliance under the principle of “Production First, Livelihood Second” resulted in the uneven distribution of climatic considerations between industrial and non-industrial spaces in the work-unit typologies both within and beyond China. By revealing how the Chinese tropicality worked from within and vice versa, it contributes to existing literature on the histories of both modern Chinese architecture’s transnational influence and global tropical architecture, as well as recent scholarly attention to thermal comfort in the built environment against the Anthropogenic climate change.

Click to access Sun-Zhijian-Chinas-Transnational-Architectural-History.pdf

Hector Othon Corfiato, G B Ollivant and the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology (NCAS&T) in Zaria

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September 3, 2025
Africa, Archives, British Colonial Architecture, Nigeria, transnational, Tropical Architecture, United Africa Company
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Hector Othon Corfiato (1892 – 3 May 1963) was a Greek architect (although some claim Egyptian). After studying at École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in Paris, he established the firm of Corfiato, Thomson & Partners and was professor and director at The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL from 1946 to 1959 (emeritus from 1960). He worked on various ecclesiastical projects including https://c20society.org.uk/c20-churches/notre-dame-de-france and https://www.architectsjournal.co.uk/news/grade-ii-listing-for-rare-corfiato-church and after his retirement the Church at Debre Libanos, Ethiopia (circa 1961).

Church at Debre Libanos, Ethiopia

He also completed some further projects in Burma, and in West Africa for the Nigerian College of Arts, Science and Technology (NCAS&T) in Zaria. Whilst in Nigeria he established an office at the collage and took on further projects including for the Manchester based firm G B Ollivant.

G B Ollivant (GBO) was bought by the United Africa Company in 1933 and transitioned from cotton and fabric trading into general retail, office supplies, and building management. Corfiato designed several bungalow types for the firm as well as a large retail store in Onitsha (1959) selling cottons, hardware, provisions, and fancy goods. The store was to connect to an existing Cosley store – which we suspect were hardware/builders merchants.

The building provided showroom spaces as well as retail and was probably used more for wholesaling than general retail. The exposed concrete frame of the building supported the overhanging roof to provide solar shading to the upper level whilst the ground floor had a further projecting canopy over pavement. It’s utilitarian and straightforward – but more than a mere warehouse and a considerable aesthetic departure from GBOs usual building style found elsewhere in West Africa. It’s looking more towards the ‘high end’ retail stores being built at the same time across Nigeria, and was part of the construction boom in Onitsha that saw the new cathedral (by Richard Nickson) and market hall (see Nigeria magazine no65, 1960).

Archive snaps of the GBO premises in Onitsha, 1959, designed by Corfiato and partners, from originals in the Unilever Archives, UAC/2/10/a1/4/4/1/5/2


Corfiato collaborated with various other architects about whom we know very little. They’re listed in Nigeria Magazine as just “Avis” and “Horner” and are given credit for designing the Dispensary at Zaria College and a store for Gottschalck in Kaduna. The Gottschalck store closely resembles the GBO store and was also part of the UAC group.

Above Gottschalck Store at Kaduna. BEAM on the right hand side was another UAC subsidiary, ‘Business Equipment And Machines’. From Nigeria Magazine no73, 1962.

These projects raise a number of questions: Did Corfiato ever visit West Africa? Was he responsible for obtaining these commissions in the UK and then establishing a satellite office in Nigeria? Who were Avis and Horner? They were clearly a capable team and delivered some significant residential, educational, and commercial projects across Nigeria.

See https://bartletthistoryproject.tumblr.com/post/81996916344/hector-corfiato-extraordinary-man for more on Corfiato.

https://www.tumblr.com/bartletthistoryproject/81996916344/hector-corfiato-extraordinary-man

Ghana Drama Studio; Accra: From city centre to Legon.

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August 29, 2025
Africa, Ghana, Heritage, transnational, Tropical Architecture
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In 1958, the Ghana Arts Council and the Rockefeller Foundation provided the necessary funding to set up ‘the Experimental Theatre Players’ spearheaded by Efua Sutherland and Joe Degraft. Architects Gerlach and Gillies-Reyburn were commissioned to design the structure which was based around two performance stages – one ‘in the round’ and the other a proscenium arch theatre. It was Sutherland who generated the design strategy,

“Conceptualized by Sutherland, the dominance of traditional motifs in the architectural design of this theatre edifice was a statement of cultural renaissance, independence, and nationalism because she believed “political independence suggested cultural autonomy”

(Anku, S. S. (2022). (Post) Colonial Ghanaian Attitudes Towards Ibsen: An Overview of Ibsen Reception in Ghana Between 1930 and 1966. Ibsen Studies, 22(1), 3–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/15021866.2022.2063977).

The stages are enclosed by a series of interlocked rooms built from sandcrete and providing changing, offices, and other ancillary functions. The project received a full write up in the West African Builder and Architect journal in 1962.

Images from West African Builder and Architect, 1962

“It was a small structure, unpretentious but handsome, traditional in inspiration yet modern in design. The dazzling whitewashed walls with their dark trim resembled a village compound and were meant to. Inside, at one end, a platform stage was covered by an overhanging roof; but the auditorium, with its seats of carved Ghanaian stools, was open to the night sky. It stood in a rough, weedy place approached by dusty footpaths, its simplicity contrasting sharply with the gaudy grandeur of Accra’s nearby Ambassador Hotel. The crowds were gathering at the entrance that was shaped like a huge traditional stool and flanked by two massive Akuaba dolls, sculpted male and female symbols of fertility”

(Anku, S. S. (2022). (Post) Colonial Ghanaian Attitudes Towards Ibsen: An Overview of Ibsen Reception in Ghana Between 1930 and 1966. Ibsen Studies, 22(1), 3–30. https://doi.org/10.1080/15021866.2022.2063977)

Anku further notes that the theatre was “replicated and relocated to the School of Performing Arts premises at the University of Ghana” – it’s unusual for a building to be entirely remade in a new location. The old site, as Anku notes, was near the Ambassador Hotel – this is now where the Mövenpick Hotel is located. Was the structure physically demolished, moved, and rebuilt? Perhaps the old site is where the National Theatre is located today?

The new Drama Studio at University of Ghana, Legon. Photograph by Phanuel Parbey

AHUWA newsletter launch: The Architecture of Zdzisław Borysowicz – from Poland to West Africa, via Liverpool

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August 25, 2025
Africa, AHUWA, Archives, British Colonial Architecture, Eastern European, Ghana, Nigeria, Poland
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Delco Offices in Freetown, photographed in 2023, designed by Zdzisław Borysowicz in early 1960s

Have a peek at our inaugural AHUWA newsletter here: https://new.express.adobe.com/webpage/qgRzBtoiF2Snh

It’s devoted to our work-in-progress on the Polish architect Zdzisław Borysowicz – complete with lots of photos, basic biog on ‘Borys’ and how we managed to finally find out more on this fascinating architect….

Architectural Review revisits the Accra Community Centre

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August 22, 2025
Africa, British Colonial Architecture, Fry & Drew, Ghana, Heritage, transnational, Tropical Architecture, United Africa Company
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The July-August 2025 edition of the Architectural Review has published an extended 9-page feature article written by Lois Quartey and Julia Gallagher on the Accra Community Centre, Ghana. The building designed by Maxwell Fry and Jane Drew, with Theo Crosby as the lead assistant, opened in 1951 and quickly became an important educational, cultural, and social hub in the city. It was paid for by the United Africa Company in an attempt to foster local support after its ‘Swanmill’ HQ was looted and burned following the 1948 Accra riots. TAG provided some drawings and photographs that accompany the article.

The primary thrust of the piece is to raise awareness of this significant historic structure – especially how it was used in the independence campaigns and beyond – and to stress just how vulnerable this building is. Currently being used as a mere store and at risk from the Marine Drive development plan – the article expands on what we covered here https://transnationalarchitecture.group/2022/06/22/accras-renaissance-fishing-harbour-marine-drive-and-a-new-cathedral/ back in 2022.

It’s a deceptively simple and even ordinary building at first sight – but after spending time exploring it’s two interconnected courtyards and assembly hall it quickly begins to feel at home, climatically comfortable, and a nice place to be. It’s also a significant structure because of its design pedigree and especially because of its political significance – so many important speeches, gatherings, and events took place here in the advent to independence and beyond. It’s also home to one of the largest installations by leading artist Kofi Antubam – that alone should secure its future. Our model that replicates one made by Fry and Drew featured in the recent V&A Tropical Modernism exhibition too.

If foreign and leading agencies such as the V&A museum and Architectural Review are prepared to give this seemingly humble building exposure, critique, and cause for preservation – surely the case can be made to restore this heritage structure and to weave it into the wider Marine Drive masterplan. Champions of Ghanaian culture https://www.design233.com/articles/in-trust-for-the-people are behind saving these works and raising awareness, but much more needs to be done.

To deliberately allow a ‘managed decline’ and slow demolition is a tragic waste and short sighted view of the building’s rich political history.

Lecture: Architecture of Enslavement, Colonialism and Independence: The Story of James Fort in Accra

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July 15, 2025
Africa, British Colonial Architecture, Ghana, Heritage
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Accra’s James Fort is an iconic monument for Ghana and modern Africa. This lecture explores the fort’s evolution -from its role as a trading post in the early European-African encounters, through its significance during the trans-Atlantic trade and enslavement, to its later use as a modern colonial prison in the post-independence era. It also explores its connection to Ghana’s liberation movement, particularly its role in imprisoning Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and other political leaders during their resistance to British rule. Today, this monument represents the resilience, talent and creative potential of a sustainable future for Ghana and its youthful population.

Lecture by: Elsie Owusu OBE; Ghanaian-British architect and urban designer. She is principal of Elsie Owusu Architects, with projects in UK, Nigeria and Ghana. Talk given to Gresham College on 27 March 2025 https://www.gresham.ac.uk/watch-now/james-fort?mc_cid=71e42fe509&mc_eid=ca0f8caf85

West African Archives in Northwest England: Research Potential and Opportunities

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July 9, 2025
Africa, AHUWA, Archives, British Colonial Architecture, Ghana, Global Architecture, Heritage, Historiography, Ibadan, Lagos, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, transnational, Tropical Architecture, United Africa Company
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Executive Summary

This report presents findings from a comprehensive survey of 48 archives, collections, and repositories across Northwest England that contain significant West African historical material (1880-1980). We should have an interactive map of the archive locations published here shortly….

Here is a list of the archives consulted and key information for each collection/location/repository:

2025 West Africa in the Archives Part 2of2 Rev ADownload

The research reveals a substantial but under-explored archival landscape that offers exceptional opportunities for advancing historical research into West Africa and its relationship with Northwest England. The collections span diverse themes including colonial administration, trade networks, missionary activities, healthcare, urban development, and cultural exchange, providing rich source material for interdisciplinary research projects.

Research Scope and Methodology

Geographic and Temporal Parameters

The survey focused on historical West African material from former British colonies including Ghana, Gambia, Sierra Leone, and Nigeria, with additional consideration of materials from Congo, Cameroon, Senegal, Mali, and Niger. The temporal scope encompasses the period 1880-1980, capturing the late colonial period through to early post-independence developments.

Thematic Categories

Research materials were categorised across key themes:

  • History and heritage studies
  • Urban design and city planning
  • Public health and medical history
  • Architecture and built environment
  • Trade and commercial networks
  • Religious and missionary activities
  • Colonial administration

Collection Assessment Framework

Each archive was evaluated using a systematic approach that assessed:

  • Type and format of materials (books, photographs, manuscripts, ephemera, artifacts)
  • Primary thematic focus
  • Volume and extent of holdings
  • Accessibility and research potential
  • Relevance rating (1-5 star system that reflected how useful the archive would be to our research interests in the built environment and history)

Key Findings: Archive Landscape and Research Potential

Distribution and Scale

The survey identified 48 archives across Northwest England, primarily concentrated in the Merseyside region but extending to Manchester, Lancaster, and Chester. Seven archives achieved the highest relevance rating (5 stars), each containing over 20 linear metres of diverse West African materials spanning multiple themes and formats.

Material Types and Research Applications

The collections encompass diverse formats offering multiple research approaches:

Documentary Sources:

  • Colonial administrative records
  • Trade and shipping documentation
  • Medical and health records
  • Urban planning documents
  • Personal correspondence and diaries

Visual Materials:

  • Photographs documenting colonial life, urban development, and cultural practices
  • Architectural drawings and city plans
  • Maps and surveys
  • Artistic representations

Material Culture:

  • Artifacts and objects
  • Textiles and decorative arts
  • Ceramics and sculptures
  • Models and architectural elements

Corporate Archives: Exceptional Research Resources

Unilever and United Africa Company Archives: The Unilever archives, particularly the United Africa Company (UAC) collection, represent one of the most comprehensive corporate archives relating to West African economic history. UAC, established in 1929 through the merger of the Royal Niger Company and the African and Eastern Trade Corporation, became the largest trading company in West Africa. The archives contain:

  • Extensive Trading Records: Documentation of palm oil, cocoa, groundnut, and timber trades spanning decades
  • Infrastructure Development: Records of store construction, transport networks, and commercial facilities across West Africa
  • Labour and Employment: Personnel records, training programs, and workforce development initiatives
  • Technology Transfer: Documentation of agricultural techniques, processing methods, and industrial development
  • Local Partnerships: Records of relationships with African traders, suppliers, and business partners
  • Post-Independence Adaptation: Materials documenting corporate strategy during decolonization and nationalist movements

These materials offer unique insights into corporate colonialism, the mechanics of extractive economies, and the complex negotiations between European capital and African societies. The collection provides essential source material for understanding how global commodity chains operated at ground level and their impact on local communities.

Barclays Bank Archive: The Barclays collection contains extensive documentation of banking operations across West Africa, including:

  • Colonial Banking Development: Records of branch establishment, credit systems, and monetary policy
  • Financial Networks: Documentation of money transfers, currency exchange, and international finance
  • Agricultural Finance: Materials on crop financing, seasonal credit, and agricultural development programs
  • Commercial Lending: Records of business loans, trade financing, and commercial development
  • Post-Colonial Banking: Materials documenting the transition to independence and continued financial relationships

The banking records provide crucial insights into how financial systems shaped economic development, facilitated trade networks, and influenced social relations across West Africa. These materials are particularly valuable for understanding the mechanics of colonial extraction and the evolution of financial institutions in post-colonial Africa.

Thematic Strengths for Research Development

Urban Development and Planning: The Archives contain substantial materials on colonial urban development, infrastructure projects, and city planning initiatives. These sources offer opportunities to examine how European urban planning concepts were implemented in West African contexts and their lasting impact on contemporary cities.

Medical and Public Health History: Rich documentation of colonial health initiatives, medical practices, and public health campaigns provides foundation for research into the history of medicine in West Africa, disease management, and the development of healthcare infrastructure.

Commercial and Trade Networks: Extensive shipping, banking, and commercial records illuminate the economic relationships between Northwest England and West Africa, offering insights into trade networks, commodity flows, and economic development patterns. Of particular significance are the Unilever archives (including the United Africa Company records) and the Barclays Bank archive, which contain unparalleled documentation of corporate operations, trading networks, and financial systems that shaped West African economic development throughout the colonial and post-colonial periods.

Religious and Cultural Exchange: Missionary records, religious materials, and cultural documentation provide resources for examining religious transformation, cultural exchange, and the complex dynamics of colonial encounter.

Colonial Administration: Administrative records and governance documents enable research into colonial policy implementation, administrative structures, and the mechanics of imperial control.

Research Opportunities and Applications

Interdisciplinary Research Potential

The diversity of materials supports multiple disciplinary approaches:

Historical Research:

  • Comparative studies of colonial administration across West African territories
  • Economic history of trans-Atlantic trade networks
  • Social history of colonial encounters and cultural exchange

Urban Studies:

  • Evolution of colonial cities and urban planning
  • Infrastructure development and its contemporary implications
  • Architectural history and building practices

Medical History:

  • Development of tropical medicine
  • Public health initiatives and their outcomes
  • Medical knowledge transfer and adaptation

Cultural Studies:

  • Missionary activities and religious transformation
  • Cultural exchange and hybrid practices
  • Art, material culture, and aesthetic transformation

Collaborative Research Framework

The geographic concentration of archives creates opportunities for:

Multi-Archive Projects: Researchers can access complementary materials across institutions, enabling comprehensive studies that draw on diverse source types and perspectives.

Network Building: The established archive network provides foundation for collaborative research initiatives, shared resources, and coordinated access to materials. The University of Liverpool and AHUWA are particularly well-positioned to serve as coordinating institutions/centres for multi-archive research projects, leveraging their expertise in West African studies and established international partnerships.

Digital Humanities Applications: The variety of materials (textual, visual, material) offers opportunities for digital humanities projects, including digitization initiatives, database development, and online exhibitions. The University of Liverpool’s digital humanities infrastructure and AHUWA’s focus on accessibility make this an ideal location for developing innovative digital approaches to archival research.

Strategic Recommendations for Research Development

Institutional Research Capacity: University of Liverpool and AHUWA

University of Liverpool Research Infrastructure: The University of Liverpool is exceptionally well-positioned to capitalise on this rich archival landscape. As a leading institution in historical research with strong connections to West African studies, the university offers:

  • Established Research Expertise: Faculty with specialized knowledge in African history, colonial studies, and economic history
  • Interdisciplinary Capabilities: Departments spanning History, Geography, Politics, Development Studies, and Business that can support multifaceted research approaches
  • Digital Humanities Infrastructure: Technical resources for digitisation projects, database development, and online exhibitions
  • Graduate Research Programs: Capacity for training new researchers in archival methods and West African historical research
  • International Partnerships: Existing relationships with West African universities and research institutions

AHUWA Research Centre: The Architecture, Heritage, and Urbanism in Western Africa (AHUWA) research centre provides a specialized institutional framework for maximising the research potential of these archival collections. AHUWA’s mission and expertise make it ideally suited to:

  • Coordinate Multi-Archive Projects: Develop comprehensive research initiatives that draw on materials from multiple archives
  • Foster Collaborative Research: Facilitate partnerships between UK and West African researchers
  • Support Community Engagement: Connect archival research with contemporary West African communities
  • Promote Policy Relevance: Ensure research contributes to contemporary development and policy discussions
  • Develop Digital Platforms: Create online resources that make archival materials accessible to global researchers

The combination of Liverpool’s institutional resources and AHUWA’s specialised focus creates an unparalleled opportunity for developing the research potential of Northwest England’s West African archives.

Priority Research Areas

1. Comparative Colonial Studies The archives support comparative research across different West African territories, examining variations in colonial policy, administration, and outcomes.

2. Economic History Networks Trade and commercial records enable mapping of economic relationships, commodity flows, and the development of trans-Atlantic commercial networks. The Unilever/UAC and Barclays archives are particularly valuable for examining corporate colonialism, financial systems, and the evolution of global commodity chains. These collections support research into topics such as:

  • The role of European corporations in shaping West African economies
  • Banking and financial networks in colonial and post-colonial Africa
  • Labour relations and industrial development
  • Technology transfer and agricultural modernization
  • Corporate responses to decolonization and African nationalism

3. Urban Development Studies Planning documents and architectural materials provide foundation for examining colonial urban development and its contemporary implications.

4. Medical and Public Health History Healthcare records offer opportunities to examine the development of tropical medicine, public health initiatives, and medical knowledge transfer.

Methodological Approaches

Cross-Archive Analysis: Researchers should develop strategies for working across multiple archives to build comprehensive pictures of historical processes and relationships. The corporate archives (Unilever/UAC and Barclays) can be particularly productive when analysed in conjunction with government records, missionary materials, and local documentation.

Digital Integration: Consider developing digital platforms that integrate materials from multiple archives, enabling new forms of analysis and presentation. The University of Liverpool’s technical capabilities and AHUWA’s research focus provide ideal foundations for such initiatives.

Community Engagement: Explore opportunities for community-based research that connects archival materials with contemporary West African communities in Northwest England. AHUWA’s community engagement expertise and Liverpool’s diverse population create opportunities for participatory research approaches.

Future Research Directions

Emerging Themes

The archive survey suggests several promising research directions:

1. Infrastructure and Development: Examining colonial infrastructure projects and their long-term implications for contemporary development challenges.

2. Knowledge Transfer: Investigating how knowledge, practices, and technologies moved between West Africa and Northwest England.

3. Cultural Networks: Exploring the cultural connections and exchanges that developed through colonial relationships.

4. Corporate Colonialism and Business History: The Unilever/UAC and Barclays archives provide exceptional opportunities for examining the role of European corporations in shaping West African development, including studies of extractive economies, corporate-state relations, and business adaptation to decolonization.

5. Post-Colonial Continuities: Examining how colonial-era relationships evolved in the post-independence period, with particular attention to ongoing corporate and financial connections.

Methodological Innovation

The archives offer opportunities for methodological innovation in:

  • Digital humanities applications
  • Multi-sited archival research
  • Community-based research approaches
  • Interdisciplinary collaboration

Conclusion

The West African archival materials in Northwest England represent a significant and underutilised resource for historical research. The diversity of collections, spanning multiple themes and formats, provides foundation for innovative research projects that can advance understanding of West African history, colonial relationships, and their contemporary implications. The exceptional corporate archives, particularly the Unilever/UAC and Barclays collections, offer unique insights into the mechanics of colonial economies and corporate power in Africa.

The established network of 48 archives, combined with the research capacity of the University of Liverpool and the specialized expertise of AHUWA, offers exceptional opportunities for collaborative research, comparative studies, and interdisciplinary projects. With seven archives containing substantial holdings and many others providing specialized materials, researchers have access to comprehensive source bases for addressing complex historical questions about corporate colonialism, financial systems, and economic development.

The University of Liverpool’s institutional strengths and AHUWA’s focused mission create an ideal environment for developing the research potential of these collections. Their combined expertise in West African studies, digital humanities, and community engagement provides the foundation for innovative methodological approaches and collaborative research initiatives that can significantly advance historical understanding.

Moving forward, the research community should prioritize developing collaborative frameworks that maximise the potential of these collections, with particular attention to the corporate archives that offer unique insights into the mechanics of colonial extraction and economic development. The foundations established through this survey, combined with Liverpool’s institutional capacity and AHUWA’s specialised focus, provide the groundwork for a new generation of research that can significantly advance historical understanding of West Africa and its relationship with Northwest England.

Architect Frank Mbanefo and Michael Olutusen in the CCA Archive

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June 10, 2025
Africa, British Colonial Architecture, Fry & Drew, Historiography, Ibadan, Nigeria, Tropical Architecture
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Two fascinating articles and resources have been shared on the CCA website recently – Abigail Duke explores the architecture of Frank Mbanefo in ‘Weaving Modernity and Tradition’ and Asuru Lutherking Petercan examines the legacy and design philosophies of one of Nigeria’s first architects, Onafowokan Michael Olutusen

Duke writes, “In 1960, the same year that the nation gained Independence and after ten years of studying in the UK and working in the offices of Fry, Drew and Partners, Ronald Ward and Partners, and John Burnet, Tait and Partners in London, Mbanefo was invited by Godwin & Hopwood to join their office in Lagos.”

After working at Godwin and Hopwood for four years (the first Nigerian architect to do so) Mbanefo set up his own practice in 1964.

“…the Nigerian Government proposed establishing museums in four capitals—Sokoto, Maiduguri, Ibadan, and Enugu—to promote unity and establish reconciliation among the heterogeneous cultural groups across the country. While the museums in Sokoto and Maiduguri never went ahead, the National Museum in Ibadan, designed by Mbanefo, was completed in 1992. Today, it is a prominent institution and plays a vital role in promoting cultural awareness, education, and preservation for the region through showcasing the country’s rich cultural heritage. Similarly to the government’s development of architecture around the time of Independence, projects such as these museums were again tools for unification. Both the function of the museum and the style of the architecture were important.”

Petercan writes: “Onafowokan attended the Public Works Department Technical School in Lagos from 1933 to 1937—a time of questioning of the dominant colonial conventions—and went on to work as a junior technical staff member in many Nigerian and Cameroonian regions before moving to Scotland in 1946 to pursue his studies at the Royal Technical College and the University of Glasgow.

Returning to Nigeria in 1953, Onafowokan started working as a town planning officer in the Old Western Region. His knowledge and experience made a lasting impression as he moved through the departments of the Ministry of Transportation and the Ministry of Lands and Housing in Ibadan. After retiring as the Regional Chief Architect in 1968, he went into private practice under the name of Onafowokan Cityscape Group.”

Over 500 architectural drawings made by Onafowokan and his practice have been scanned and made available by Creative Commons here https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Buildings_by_Michael_Olutusen_Onafowokan

Section Only for Ikorodu Lagos State Town Hall By Onafowokan Michael Olutusen – Find & Tell Elsewhere is an initiative of the Canadian Centre for Architecture (CCA) in Montreal that uses a post-custodial approach to make visible and available for research previously inaccessible architectural archives and to support local historians and researchers in sharing their work globally. The Nigeria project is a collaboration with Heritage Conservation Integration (Prof. Warebi Gabriel Brisibe, Dr EO Ola-Adisa, Arc. Yinka Williams, Abigail S. Duke, Asuru Lutherking Petercan) to curate and digitize the architectural drawings of first-generation Nigerian architects, celebrating their foundational contributions to the architectural landscape.Access to drawings of Chief Arc. Michael Olutusen Onafowokan was provided by Onafowokan Cityscape Limited, who are the custodians of his work.For more information: CCA Find and Tell Elsewhere, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=151642567

You may read the articles here:

https://www.cca.qc.ca/en/articles/95183/onafowokan-michael-olutusens-vision-of-tropical-modernism

https://www.cca.qc.ca/en/articles/99051/weaving-modernity-and-tradition