HT1301 Course Curriculumn

Meet The Faculty

HT1201 Course Curriculumn

Meet The Faculty

CPDI Africa Global Studio - An African Pedagogy

AFRICA DEFINES ARCHITECTURE

The Community Planning & Design Initiative Africa (CPDI Africa) Promotes the Development of New Architectural Languages for the African Diaspora that are Culturally and Environmentally Sustainable. The CPDI Africa Global Studio for African Centered Architecture (GSACA) seeks to fast track the evolution and transformation of the Pan African built environment through education, training architects to become expert scientists, designers, activists and human-focused problem solvers in their local and global communities. The Studio courses teach design philosophies not found in traditional architecture education, for integration in project development, academic research, and policy making. We are interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary, reconnecting the allied professions of art, architecture, design, planning, history, real estate and construction.

Diploma in African Centered Architecture

CPDI AFRICA GSACA - PROGRAM STRUCTURE

Scholars seeking a Diploma in African Centered Architecture may complete 3 (three) courses of their choice, in either history, theory or design studio. Courses may be taken face to face, on demand (virtual), or during our summer residency programs available in Africa or internationally. Certificates are earned upon successful completion of each module in the CPDI Africa courses, and applied towards the Diploma designation. All CPDI Africa courses are audited, allowing students to pace their progress and learning outcomes. Completion of research assignments, and other learning objectives given by the instructors, is recommended for reference during the Diploma graduation exam. Contact our Registrar at [email protected] / [email protected] for details on our offered Diploma program.

Our Faculty and Researchers

INSTRUCTIONAL DIVERSITY

  • CPDI Africa Global Studio Faculty are leading professors, architects, urban planners and designers renowned for their pedagogy in teaching African centered architecture. Tenured at distinguished universities around the globe, our professors understand architecture is not separate from the lexicon of creative arts, but an integral part of the full human experience. CPDI Africa faculty is interdisciplinary, multidisciplinary, and represent a diversity of diasporic cultures, languages and heritage.

Five Pillars of Afrocentric Architecture

CPDI Africa Elements of Design

  • Culture & Tradition

    The translation of cultural norms into functional and comfortable spaces.

  • Aesthetics & Form

    The definition of beauty, texture, pattern, form in the art of our built spaces.

  • Spiritual Nature

    The manifestation of the spiritual realm as designed and experienced in our built spaces.

  • Local Materials

    The use of locally sourced materials for sustainable and affordable construction.

  • Community Engagement

    Community participation and ownership of our built spaces through sweat equity.

FAQ - Earn your Diploma in African Centered Design

CPDI AFRICA CERTIFICATES AND DIPLOMA

  • How many courses must I take to qualify for the Diploma designation?

    Designation of the Diploma in African Centered Design is awarded to a student upon successful completion of 3 (three) full CPDI Africa courses, taken either on the virtual platform, completed face to face, or taken in person during workshops in Africa or the Diaspora.

  • Once I complete my 3 (three) CPDI Africa courses, how do I apply for the Diploma designation examination?

    After completing your courses, and have received certificates for completion of each course module, contact the registrar at [email protected] to schedule your Diploma designation exam.

  • I do not live near the CPDI Africa testing center, is the exam available online?

    Yes, the Diploma examination is available online (virtually), and is offered once a year between June and July.

  • What are the study guides and research materials necessary to prepare for the Diploma in African Centered Design?

    To prepare for the Diploma designation exam, simply complete and review any research assigned during the course instructions. Submission of the assignments is not required, but having completed the assignments fully prepares students for passing the oral and written online examination.

  • How do I utilize my Diploma in African Centered Desgn in my education and in the profession?

    Include your diploma in Afrocentric design on your CV when applying. for leading research and job opportunities in Afrocentric architecture, interior design, urban planning, construction, real estate, policy making and other allied professions. Learn more by engaging with CPDI Africa online at [email protected].

Course Takeaways for Students & Professionals

Custom Curriculums Designed for our Target Market

  • Design Professionals

    Create frameworks that better inform design in their work for clients that focus on cultural efficacy.

  • College Students

    Develop a paradigm for architectural education, and provide in-depth exposure to the design languages of Africa and the Diaspora.

  • Policy Makers

    Create and contribute tools for heritage preservation and the standardisation of local materials in environmental building codes.

  • All Educators

    Expand existing teaching curriculums and build vocabulary, insight and knowledge that includes Africa's contribution to the built environment.

  • Environmentalists

    Provide a road map to prioritize conservation areas, protect landscapes, design townscapes and heritage zones. Understand the positive impacts of health and the environment through sustainable building practices that utilize age old African science and technology.

Developing a New Culture of Afrocentric Architecture

CPDI Africa Pedagogy and Theoretical Frameworks

New Cultures in Afrocentric Architecture: CPDI Africa Pedagogy

DEVELOPING A NEW LEGACY IN ARCHITECTURE

The CPDI Africa Global Studio for African Centered Architecture (GSACA) was built upon a solid foundation of design ideology and philosophy, developed by Nigeria's foremost architect and artist, Demas Nwoko, and professor and architect David Hughes, nomac, faia. These pioneers leading theoretical frameworks in Afrocentric architecture, natural synthesis and a new culture for African design, were manifested by Nmadili Okwumabua, founder and director of CPDI Africa, into the pillars and pedagogy for teaching Afrocentric architecture at the Global Studio.

Our Community Beliefs

This platform celebrates African architects as thought-provoking and complex figures who strive to build their communities regardless of the conditions their communities may face. We serve people from a variety of cultural backgrounds and lifestyles within the continent and the Diaspora. Not all African descendants are familiar with their cultural heritage or ethnic origins, therefore our school helps students explore ideas that speak to their journey and help fill a void in their cultural identity. We assert our rightful place as thought leaders, pioneering the way towards conducting authentic architecture education and scholarship. #AfricaDefinesArchitecture

Testimonials: Why the Global Studio is Necessary

Understanding the Value of African Centered Architecture

“There needs to be an opportunity for a pipeline of talent between the diaspora and the continent, to not only connect us with a singular ideology of progress but also share this ideology of Afrocentric design and architecture with the world.”

Benita Nartey

“Afro-American and African students need a safe space to explore their cultural practices and how they inform physical space to help heal them from generations of disenfranchisement and build a better future”

Lorin Jackson

“It challenges the suppression and erasure of African heritages that came about with colonialism and other factors”

Mayamiko Matabwa

“It will expose you to the local materials used by your people and how they were able to build green, living in harmony with nature”

Chibuzo Ohaneje

“The studio promotes identity, security and builds a social network for shared Pan-African values and aspirations while providing global recognition and inclusiveness for billions of widely underrated and excluded global citizens of African descent”

Umar Farouq Umar

CPDI Global Studio

Watch Video of CPDI Africa Faculty

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