WORLD ARCHITECTURE DAY 2019

Architects are united in their excitement world wide today! It's our day- World Architecture Day. It was created by the Union International des Architects (UIA) or the International Union of Architects as it is more popularly known to further underscore the importance of architects, their leadership in the built environment industry and by extension also, their invaluable role in shaping the world we live, work and play in.

QUOTES CAPTURING THE TRUE ESSENCE OF ARCHITECTURE

Architecture is erroneously thought to concern only buildings but in its truest and purest sense, it is an experiential science that shapes the built environment. It has been posited that all human activity can be orchestrated by architecture and I tend to wholeheartedly concur
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There are many quotes from architects the world over but here are a curated few that hit at the core of what the true value and meaning of architecture is to the larger society.

BENIN KINGDOM'S MOST SYMBOLIC TREASURE- The Queen Idia Mask

Idia Mask - British Museum
Source: Wikimedia

" Know whence you came, if you know from whence you came, there are absolute no limitations to where you can go"

This James Baldwin quote resonated deeply with me from when it was first encountered as it not only bolstered my pride in my rich Benin heritage, but it further strengthened an inner resolve to continually fan the embers of that heritage with special emphasis on its art and architecture. As children, we were deliberately exposed to various aspects of the Benin culture by our father in the form of related art and books. Till date, the Idia mask occupies pride of place in the living room of my childhood home.

There are so many aspects of the Benin heritage to celebrate notably its arts especially masterpieces such as the Benin bronzes and the Idia mask which has an interesting history surrounding its creation.

ARCHITECTURE AS A COUNTRY'S VERITABLE PR TOOL

Ghana Freedom Pavilion at the 2019 Venice Biennial

The seamless integration of architecture and art, soulmates as it were, ensured that Ghana’s entrance into the biggest event in the art world created a huge buzz. The Ghana Pavilion at their first outing at the Venice Biennial draws inspiration from the Gurunsi earth houses. The Gurunsi huts are renowned for their elaborate decorations with hand painted designs and murals. The Gurunsi tribe inhabit the northern region of Ghana as well the southern part of Burkina Faso. In Ghana, their estimated population is 976, 311 while in Burkina Faso, they are up to  1,000,0000.

SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS

Sustainable Development Goals

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of seventeen (17) global goals created by the United Nations in 2015 to mitigate the gaps and shortcomings of the MDGs. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are the blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all. The goals which are a plan of action for people, planet and prosperity, are interconnected with a target deadline of 2030

MUCH ADO ABOUT THE NIGERIAN KIT FOR RUSSIA 2018

Long after the outcome of the match on Sunday 15 July 2018 that determines the winner of the FIFA World Cup Final at the 80000 seater Luzhniki Stadium in Moscow, fashion would be the one thing that would linger long in the minds of spectators and millions of football lovers the world over. What has fashion got to do with football you ask?  Well for the uninitiated, it's now official, fashion and football have officially become twins if the buzz about the official kits of some of the national teams is anything to go by, particularly that of Nigeria.  

MOTHER'S DAY 2018 - THE NIGERIAN PERSPECTIVE

So, the last of the Mother's Day celebrations for 2018 was observed on May 13, 2018 .Earlier in March, on the 11th to be precise, Mother's Day was celebrated in different parts of the world such as the United Kingdom and Nigeria. The general consensus is that there can never be too many celebrations to honour motherhood in all its ramifications.

The celebration of mother's Day was somewhat different here. How you ask? Well for one, I think we took the celebration and made it our 'own', injecting a healthy dose of Nigerian flavour to the world-wide celebrations. The result? The pride that comes from taking your narrative to the world. A leading Lagos based advertising agency SO & U whose blue-chip clientele includes Glo, Access Bank, Unilever, Indomie Noodles and Diageo came out with a viral Mother's Day campaign with a different perspective.