Architecture as Translation: Africanfuturism Explored in Folklore, Film, and Speculative Art
In a piece released on October 6, 2026, Maisa Elamein delves into how architecture reflects both ancestral and imaginative 'elsewheres' within Africanfuturism. The Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, Uganda, recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, feature a significant hut that represents the unity of Buganda's clans. Designed by Gamar Eldowla Abdelgadir in the 1970s, Sudan's Al-Nilin Mosque merges Islamic heritage with futuristic design. Eco-friendly concepts are evident in Francis Kéré's unrealized Burkina Faso National Assembly and the Thomas Sankara Mausoleum. In film, Wanuri Kahiu's Pumzi (2009) illustrates hyper-functional architecture, while Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (2023) presents advanced urban landscapes. The article posits that Africanfuturism, a term introduced by Nnedi Okorafor, mirrors contemporary realities through art and architecture.
Key facts
- The article was written by Maisa Elamein and published on October 6, 2026.
- Kasubi Tombs in Kampala, Uganda, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site where four Buganda kings are interred.
- Muzibu Azaala Mpanga features a roof of 52 concentric rings of elephant-grass reed and palm fronds, symbolizing Buganda's clans.
- Al-Nilin Mosque in Omdurman, Sudan, was designed by Gamar Eldowla Abdelgadir in the 1970s with a light aluminum space-frame dome.
- Francis Kéré's Thomas Sankara Mausoleum includes a 34-meter laterite and clay-brick dome and a pending 100-meter tower.
- Wanuri Kahiu's Pumzi (2009) is set 35 years after World War III, known as the 'Water War'.
- Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire (2023) was produced by Triggerfish Animation Studio and various independent creators.
- Africanfuturism was coined by writer Nnedi Okorafor.
Entities
Artists
- Maisa Elamein
- Wanuri Kahiu
- Francis Kéré
- Gamar Eldowla Abdelgadir
- Raymond Malinga
- Olalekan Jeyifous
- Rayan Elnayal
- Nnedi Okorafor
- Kintu
- Ndahura
Institutions
- Kasubi Tombs
- UNESCO
- Al-Nilin Mosque
- Kéré Architecture
- Triggerfish Animation Studios
- Disney+
- Marvel Studios
- Walt Disney Studios
- Awali Entertainment
- ArchDaily
Locations
- Burkina Faso
- Uganda
- Kampala
- Sudan
- Omdurman
- Lake Victoria
- Lagos
- Nigeria
- Zimbabwe
- Egypt
- Morocco