WHEN ARCHITECTS GATHERED IN BENIN CITY

On Thursday 4^th August 2016, the ancient city of Benin, Edo State  hosted the second edition of the Nigerian Institute of Architects Distinguished Lecture Series. The lecture series which was initiated by Immediate Past National President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (2013 – 2015), Arc. Waheed Niyi Brimmoh is to enable the generality of national Architects benefit from the wealth of experience from Past Presidents.

In 2015, the maiden edition of the series held in Abuja with Chief Dr Alex Ekwueme, 2^nd President of the Nigerian Institute of Architects (1967 – 1968), Past President of ARCON and first civilian Vice-President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria as the lecturer. Befittingly his lecture topic was “Architecture: Management & Participation of Architects In Nigeria’s Political Class”.  

ARCHIBUILT 2016

Nigeria’s premier trade show is on!

Currently holding at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, ARCHIBUILT is an annual exposition organized to bring to the fore trends, technologies, systems and policy issues that impact the nation’s building industry.

FOOD ART AND WORLD JOLLOF RICE DAY!

One of my favourite channels on cable television - DSTV is the Food Network channel. I usually get teased endlessly about putting into practical use what I have learnt. You especially need to see my concentration and admiration when short segments are shown of the food artist Nathan Wyburn making portraits of Food Network’s celebrity chefs such as Siba, Bobby Flay and a host of others using everyday cooking ingredients.

So naturally, my excitement went through the roof when I came across the food art created by the multi-talented Nigerian blogger and creator of the Hijarbie (the hijab-wearing and fully clothed Barbie doll which was an Instagram sensation), Hanefaah Adam.

IT'S A JUNGLE OUT THERE!! OR NOT??

"Early morning in Africa, A gazelle wakes up, it knows it must run faster that the fastest lion or it will be killed.

Every morning in Africa, a lion wakes up, it knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death.

IT DOESN'T MATTER WHETHER YOU'RE A LION OR A GAZELLE, WHEN THE SUN COMES UP, YOU BETTER BE RUNNING!"

Source/ Photocredit: www.i.imgur.com

GHOSTS OF OLYMPICS CEREMONIES PAST

 

 

It’s the Olympics, baby!

I cannot recall where I heard or got that phrase from, but like my ‘bottom box’ (special occasion) clothes which I seldom use, this phrase pops into my head without fail every Olympic year!

Hours from now, the world’s spotlight will beam on the Maracana Stadium, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for the opening of what is unarguably the greatest sporting spectacle on earth, the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. The opening ceremonies are always highly anticipated and it has been said that since Los Angeles 84, each host country has sought to surpass its predecessor by staging a bigger and more spectacular show. 
 

Back in the 80s, there were only two television stations in the whole of what was then Bendel State -  National Television Authority (NTA) and Bendel Television (BTV). BTV later metamorphosed to Edo Broadcasting Service (EBS) with the split of Bendel State into Edo and Delta States respectively. Both stations ensured that viewers were kept fully updated with on-going events at the Olympics by dedicating one or more hours daily for the highlights. But these days, without an active cable television subscription, OYO (On Your Own) is your case!

                     

TOO CREATIVE TO EAT.

Brace yourself passengers on board! Up! Up! Up and Away!

Cakes are scrumptious treats to be devoured, right? Wrong! Certain cakes fall into the category of being too creative to eat. Call them works of art if you will. With the painstaking attention to details and life like resemblance to cartoon characters or creatures, it would seem a great injustice if these marvels 'disguised' as cakes were to serve their real purpose- for consumption! See if you agree.

ZAHA HADID - HOPE FOR HER PRESENCE AT EKO ATLANTIC CITY EVAPORATES?

When I sighted him at the Eko Atlantic City Sales Office Showroom, my heart skipped a couple of beats. The first fluttering of hope stirred in my soul. Dare I conceive the idea? Time would certainly tell I thought to myself.

You see, ‘him’ happened to be Paolo Zilli of Zaha Hadid Architects who was one of the keynote speakers at the May 2015 edition of the Lagos Architects Forum LAF, the flagship seminar of the Nigerian Institute of Architects Lagos State Chapter. The local architectural community was agog to have Zaha Hadid in our midst, albeit in the form of a representative. On my part, I hoped that perhaps some of the Zaha Hadid magic design ‘twinkle-dust’ would rub off on me! 

 

During the course of the seminar, I had enquired about his views on the Chinese government’s tough stance on the halting of what it had termed ‘weird architecture’. Surely that classification of their major projects in China was a source of worry for Zaha Hadid Architects. This was apparently a non- issue as it had been casually brushed aside as mere propaganda and grandstanding by the Chinese authorities.

Fast forward to Thursday 31^th March, 2016 when the local and international architectural design community was greeted with the shocking news of the untimely demise of famous Iraqi born British architect, Zaha Hadid from a sudden heart attack at the age of 65.

Now, to the uninitiated, Zaha Hadid is to world of architecture what Steve Jobs is to the information technology world- a revolutionary. Aside from being one of the most brilliant contemporary architects with her avant-garde and award winning designs, she was a prolific interior and product designer lending her famous design skills to a seemingly endless array of jewellery, furniture, automobiles, household accessories, footwear. Some of her product designs were showcased as recently as April 2016 at this year’s Milan Design Week and included a metal and crystal table centrepiece for famous crystal brand Swarovski for its debut home ware range.