Mbari Kola: The Arts Society opens in Lagos as a new Pan-African cultural club

Curator Ugoma Chinelo Ebilah has transformed a 1960s two-storey house overlooking the Lagos Lagoon into Mbari Kola: The Arts Society, a cultural club for the Nigerian capital. Originally built by Italian construction company G Cappa, the property featured a patio encouraging indoor-outdoor living. Architect Kelechi Odu, enlisted for the renovation, preserved the original structure as much as possible, extending to the rear to maintain views and connection. The perimeter walls were retained, the floor slab reinforced, the roof raised, and rear extensions built with a steel frame system. The staircase remains the central artery, with refurbished railings emblematic of the era. The name 'Mbari Kola' references an older cultural club founded in the 1960s in Ibadan, Nigeria, as well as a cultural practice in the Owerri region involving ephemeral ornamented structures. Odu, from that region, drew inspiration for the facade using red laterite soil to create an ombre effect. Ebilah was inspired by the artisan who restored original terrazzo floors and installed a contemporary version; he will lead a workshop on terrazzo. Floor-to-ceiling windows open to the garden and lagoon views, with existing trees retained and a podium serving as an outdoor space for gatherings, performances, and yoga.