Design Union Professional Advocates Storytelling, Indigenous Craftsmanship, Technology, Commercial Innovation as Critical Drivers of Future of African Design

Bennett Oghifo

Anthony Aihie has called for a new approach to African design, urging architects and other creative professionals to move beyond individual expression and embrace innovation, collaboration and commercialisation as essential tools for shaping the continent’s future.

Aihie made the call in a presentation titled ‘From Material to Market: The Evolving Role of the Future Designer’, delivered under Design Union Ltd. The presentation examined how ordinary materials, indigenous knowledge, local craftsmanship and technological advancement can be transformed into innovative applications with practical and commercial value.

At the heart of his presentation was a simple but powerful idea: the true value of a material lies not only in what it is, but in what human ingenuity can make of it.

Using a grain of sand to illustrate this principle, Aihie traced the transformation of natural materials into concrete, glass, solar technology and microchips. The examples demonstrated how discovery, knowledge and purposeful application can turn seemingly ordinary resources into products and technologies that shape modern life.

For African designers, he argued, this principle offers an opportunity to rethink how local materials are sourced, developed and applied to contemporary challenges.

### Reimagining materials for contemporary architecture

Aihie highlighted the potential for architects to become material innovators rather than limiting their work to the selection and application of existing products.

The presentation featured modified concrete masonry blocks, polystyrene-concrete blocks, reusable beam and column formwork, and the creative use of paving stones and solid blocks as screen walls.

Projects including Canalily Place and Ilupeju Gardens in Lagos illustrated the application of material innovation within the built environment. The Oando Canopy also demonstrated the role architects can play in collaborating with local industries to develop and execute design solutions.

These examples underscored the importance of resourcefulness in architectural practice, showing how familiar materials and construction methods can be adapted to perform new functions.

“High design does not always require high-tech materials. It requires intelligent application,” the presentation stated.

The message challenges the assumption that quality architecture must depend on expensive imported products or sophisticated materials. Instead, it encourages designers to investigate the potential of locally available resources and develop applications suited to their projects and environments.

Adaptive reuse offers another path to innovation

The presentation also explored how existing buildings can be transformed to meet changing needs without automatically resorting to demolition and new construction.

Aihie cited the Innovation and Design Centre at the American International School of Lagos, where an existing apartment building was adapted for a new purpose. The project involved preserving and strengthening the existing structure while reconfiguring spaces for laboratory facilities and outdoor terraces.

The example demonstrated how architects can approach existing buildings as opportunities for reinvention, using design thinking to extend their usefulness and create spaces that serve contemporary requirements.

This approach reinforces the presentation’s wider argument that innovation does not always require starting from scratch. Sometimes, the most effective solution lies in recognising the untapped potential of what already exists.

### Elevating indigenous craftsmanship

A major theme of Aihie’s presentation was the role of local artisans and craftspeople in creating distinctive architectural experiences.

Examples included the Aihie Villa in Lagos, George’s Court in Ikoyi, Edo Restaurant at DoMo, Ehima Cave Spa and Oditah House in Ibusa.

The projects showcased the contribution of local expertise through crafted doors, hanging staircases, wood ceilings, metal screens, wall murals, fabric ceilings, sculptures and other architectural details.

At the Aihie Villa, for instance, the presentation highlighted a front door by Adeyemo Shokunbi, a hanging staircase by the late Alhaji Bashir, and wood ceilings produced by local Bini craftsmen.

George’s Court featured metal screens created by local artisans, while Edo Restaurant and Ehima Cave Spa incorporated murals by local artists.

These examples illustrated how indigenous skills can become integral to contemporary architecture rather than being treated as secondary decorative additions.

By integrating craftsmanship into the design process, architects can create spaces with distinctive identities while recognising the expertise and creative contributions of local makers.

Culture and nature as elements of design

Aihie further explored the importance of indigenous art, cultural expression and the natural environment in shaping architectural identity.

At Oditah House in Ibusa, local artworks and sculptures demonstrated how artistic expression can become an integral part of a building’s character. At Edo Restaurant and the Edo Garden at DoMo in Lagos, murals, local flora, trees, shrubs, stone, water and wildlife illustrated the potential of the natural environment to influence the experience of a space.

“Local art gives contemporary architecture a distinctive cultural identity,” the presentation stated.

It also emphasised that nature should not be treated merely as a backdrop to architecture, but as an integral part of the design itself.

This perspective places cultural knowledge and environmental awareness alongside material selection and technical execution, encouraging designers to create buildings that respond meaningfully to their surroundings.

From individual creativity to collective problem-solving

Looking towards the future, Aihie identified several limitations that African designers must confront, including restricted storytelling, inadequate documentation, an import-oriented mindset and reluctance to embrace technology.

The presentation called for a broader understanding of the designer’s role, one that extends beyond artistic expression to include discovery, invention, collaboration and the ability to bring ideas to market.

Aihie outlined seven priorities for the future of African design: storytelling, collective thinking, discovery, invention, selling, celebration and technology.

The first is storytelling. Designers must communicate the ideas, cultural contexts and processes behind their work, ensuring that their innovations are understood and appreciated.

The second is collective thinking, with an emphasis on solving common problems rather than focusing exclusively on individual expression.

The third is discovery: identifying the value embedded in African cultures, materials and places. This must be followed by invention, through which designers develop new ways of applying those resources.

The fifth priority is selling. Aihie emphasised the importance of taking inventions to market, recognising that creative ideas need commercial pathways if they are to achieve wider impact.

The sixth is celebration, which involves recognising achievements, promoting creative work and acknowledging the people contributing to the development of African design.

The seventh is technology. The presentation urged designers to embrace technology to strengthen data ownership, documentation, written records and the training of artificial intelligence systems.

Together, these priorities present the future African designer as more than a creative practitioner. The designer must also become a researcher, storyteller, collaborator, inventor and entrepreneur.

Turning African design into market value

The central message of ‘From Material to Market’ is that Africa’s design potential must be matched by the ability to develop, document, communicate and commercialise innovation.

Local materials and indigenous craftsmanship offer opportunities for distinctive design solutions, but their broader impact depends on how effectively professionals connect creativity with production, collaboration and the marketplace.

For the architecture and construction industries, this means examining familiar materials with fresh eyes, working more closely with local artisans and fabricators, and adopting technologies that improve the documentation and development of ideas.

It also means recognising that African culture, artistic expression and local environmental knowledge can contribute to contemporary design without losing their identity.

Aihie’s presentation offers a framework for making that transition: discover local resources, invent new applications, collaborate to solve problems, tell the story behind the work and create pathways for its commercial success.

Ultimately, the future of African design will depend not only on the materials available to its practitioners, but on their ability to transform those materials and the knowledge surrounding them into solutions that are relevant, distinctive and marketable.

The call is for a design culture that moves beyond isolated creativity towards purposeful innovation—one that connects materials, people, technology, culture and commerce.