Western Africa: Along the Atlantic Ocean Coast

Originally part of a set, now sold separately, Volume 3 of Sub-Saharan Africa Architectural Guide is dedicated to Western Africa, along the Atlantic Ocean Coast and includes Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Liberia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ghana, Togo, Benin, and Nigeria.

Africa is considered the continent of the future. Nowhere else is urbanisation taking place more quickly and the population growing more rapidly. But are enough of us familiar with the architectural aspects of this change?

The seven volumes of Architectural Guide Sub-Saharan Africa present the first comprehensive overview that shows the region’s architecture in all its vast diversity. In 49 chapters, each focusing on one country, detailed texts and illuminating photos document the wealth of architecture south of the Sahara. Featuring 850 selected buildings and over 200 articles, the extensive publication not only showcases but also contextualises the continent’s building culture.

This set of books paints a multifaceted picture of sub-Saharan Africa’s architecture across time, revealing how contemporary architecture has been shaped by its traditional and colonial roots as well as globalisation and urbanisation. The diverse contributions by almost 350 African and international authors come together to produce a superlative work giving the region the attention it so rightfully deserves.