papa omotayo//architect

had a great time at the architectural identities exhibit, curated by white space lagos founder and architect papa omotayo, one of time out nigeria's 50 pioneers. inspired and enlightened by omotayo's (subversive) vision and thinking about how architecture can redefine how lagosians view themselves as individuals and a whole. just had to share this conceptual tidbit from one of his storyboards, the bamboo experiments. --AL.

"The need for security has become over the years one of the dominating features that have defined the organisation, planning and visual aesthetic of buildings everywhere, in Lagos and Nigeria as a whole.

The idea is that an open house allows for a greater possibility of armed robbery--an unfortunate possibility and reality we live with daily. But can this reality also be reversed by reducing our isolation and self-sufficiency? In what has been termed by some as an architecture of fear--gated communities, high fences, window bars and the reduced use of terraces and courtyards--buildings have become one dimensional boxes. The relationships between internal and external spaces that have historically defined our living experiences no longer exist.

We are sealed in.

The bamboo experiments looks at the possibilities of subverting these ideas and creating buildings and forms that challenge these prevailing notions defined by an architecture of fear. Using a material that is contextual, traditional, readily available, natural, sustainable, and also strong."

-- The Bamboo Experiments, O+O Architecture + Design