WASHINGTON – Howard University assistant professor of architecture Dahlia Nduom’s research work on the intersection of history, culture and traditional building practices in contemporary Ghanaian architecture was selected and is on display at the ArchiAfrika Pavilion in the New Blood 2021 exhibition.

The exhibition is in conjunction with the European Cultural Centre’s Time Space Existence exhibition, a collateral exhibition at the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia in Venice, Italy. The ArchiAfrika Pavilion is hosting a series of four exhibitions through November 21, 2021.

“This exhibition is conceived as a showcase of the range of voices around contemporary African architecture discourse, and I am happy to have the opportunity to present my perspective,” Nduom says.

The ArchiAfrika Pavilion is a platform for the visionary voices of young, Black emerging architects from Africa and the African diaspora. Designed by Studio NYALI, the inspiration for the ArchiAfrika Pavilion comes from the Jamestown Café in Accra, Ghana and traditional African central courtyard architecture. The café serves as a venue for shows and exhibitions, and most importantly, for design thinking and creative dialogue that also stimulates economic growth.

Nduom’s work investigates the relationship between history, culture and perception and their impact on the architecture of the African diaspora. Her research in this context focuses on the architectural evolution of dwelling spaces in the African diaspora. She examines cultural, economic, social, political and sustainability issues to understand the spatial practices and systems occurring in the home and their role in what it means to dwell.

Her current work is focused on Caribbean architecture and the role of the image, archive and memory in the framing of the exotic compared to the realities of the development of dwelling architecture in touristed landscapes.

“Professor Nduom’s inclusion in this exhibition not only recognizes her work as part of the next generation of architects designing African and Caribbean architecture but also acknowledges her research on dwelling spaces in the African diaspora,” said Hazel R. Edwards, professor in and chair of the Howard University Department of Architecture.

About Howard University

Founded in 1867, Howard University is a private, research university that is comprised of 14 schools and colleges. Students pursue more than 140 programs of study leading to undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University operates with a commitment to Excellence in Truth and Service and has produced one Schwarzman Scholar, three Marshall Scholars, four Rhodes Scholars, 12 Truman Scholars, 25 Pickering Fellows and more than 165 Fulbright recipients. Howard also produces more on-campus African American Ph.D. recipients than any other university in the United States. For more information on Howard University, visit www.howard.edu.