Review of Sustainable Architecture within the Context of African Indigenous Societies

Authors: Dele Oye

Abstract:

The term ‘sustainability’ is often broadly discussed barely taking into account the ideals of African societies and the cultural identity of the people within these societies. In light of this, the paper examines sustainable architecture within the context of African indigenous societies and the place of the architect within the society. It also explores indigenous practices, passive energy efficient methodologies and locally sourced materials that can be integrated to contemporary architectural and urban design to bring about a sustainable yet identifiable architecture.

Keywords: identity, sustainable architecture, African society, Indigenous practices