Architects have long looked to nature for ideas, with biomorphism, design which takes inspiration from natural elements, developing since the existence of manmade environments. A more nuanced concept, biomimetic architecture is an offshoot of the relatively new science of biomimicry explored and popularised by Janine Benyus in her 1997 book, Biomimicry: Innovation Inspired by Nature….
The 1960s heralded an experimental time for architecture in Africa, with the birth of Afromodernism seeing the incorporation of local building staples such as adobe bricks and thatch employed alongside modern materials, like reinforced concrete, to forge a new type of modernist architecture. The movement paved the way for some of the continent’s most impressive…
For over four decades, Human Rights Watch has defended those at risk of abuse through thorough investigating, exposing the facts, and unremittingly pressing those in power for change. Recently marking its 30th anniversary, the Human Rights Watch Film Festival, which presently screens films in over 15 cities across the world, shines a light on human…
Strikingly crafted, ambitious in scale, and feats of engineering, the Dravidian architecture of South India, manifest in temples throughout the region, was pioneered by the Pallava dynasty who reigned in parts of Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and northern Tamil Nadu from 275 CE to 900 CE. During Pallava rule, rock-cut architecture was the most popular means…
Collage, a technique by which a new work results from an assemblage of different forms, was a method first recorded around the time of the invention of paper in China, in 200 BCE. With a rich history spanning the globe and diverse art movements from Cubism to Pop art, the method remains prevalent in contemporary…
Opening on 25 February and running until 25 March at P21 Gallery in London, Changing Track brings together five French artists from the African diaspora – Samir Laghouati-Rashwan, Randa Maroufi, Rayane Mcirdi, Valentin Noujaïm and Sara Ouhaddou – to explore notions of daydreaming, change and im/mobility. The exhibition, curated by Estelle Marois, uses Michel Butor’s…
The hanok is a traditional Korean house that was first designed and built in the 14th century during the Joseon dynasty. Historically, traditional Korean architecture paid great attention to the positioning of the house in relation to its surroundings, rooted in a principle called baesanimsu, which considers the optimal home to be built with a…
Occupying a liminal space between fine art and the everyday, functional art refers to aesthetic objects that serve utilitarian purposes. The fireplace has long proven itself to be a fruitful site for this type of exploration, with eminent artists and designers having tested and reimagined what an operative fireplace can look like for centuries. Throughout…