Pan-African Biennale 2026: Nairobi Hosts First Architecture Festival
The Pan-African Biennale 2026, the continent's first dedicated architecture platform, will launch on 7 September in Nairobi, Kenya, and run until 11 September. Curated by Somali-Italian architect Omar Degan, the event focuses on the built environment of Africa, featuring 54 exhibitors from African and diasporic studios. The theme is 'Shifting the Center: From Fragility to Resilience', with displays organized by climatic zones rather than national pavilions, emphasizing shared conditions and histories. Venues include the Kenyatta International Convention Centre and several sites in the Ngara district, with an evening film programme at Unseen Nairobi. Public programming includes keynotes, panels, and workshops. The Van Alen Institute's Paris Prize, dormant for three decades, will be relaunched as the Re:Paris Prize, with the winning group announced on 10 September. The biennale is set to move to a different African city every two years. Admission is free.
Key facts
- The Pan-African Biennale 2026 is the first architecture festival of its kind in Africa.
- It will take place in Nairobi, Kenya, from 7 to 11 September 2026.
- The curator is Somali-Italian architect Omar Degan.
- The theme is 'Shifting the Center: From Fragility to Resilience'.
- There are 54 exhibitors, at least one per African country.
- Exhibits are organized by climatic zones, not national pavilions.
- The Van Alen Institute's Paris Prize is relaunched as the Re:Paris Prize.
- The biennale will move to a different African city every two years.
Entities
Artists
- Omar Degan
- George A Ndege
- William Van Alen
- Ellie Stathaki
- David Mutiso
- Karl Henrik Nøstvik
- Djamel Klouche
- Larry Tchogninou
- Olufemi Hinson Yovo
- Armel Sagbohan
- Nadia Moussa
- Maissa Architectures
- Aboubacar Sidiki Komara
- Amadou Camara
- Marinho Pina
- Mokhethi Gerard Rampeta
- Joan Razafimaharo
- Aboubakar Fofana
- Cheikhani Nahwi
- Una Stuurman
- Edwine Neto
- Craig Muyambo
- Hayley Eber
- Andrew Brown
- Jerome Haferd
- Mark Gardner
- Nora Akawi
- Arafa C. Hamadi
- Ekemini Ekpo
- Nu Goteh
Institutions
- Pan-African Biennale 2026
- Architectural Association of Kenya
- Van Alen Institute
- Wallpaper*
- RAAS Architects
- Medhanie Teklemariam
- Nana Collective
- Moyésoa
- ADD.locus Architects
- Unseen Nairobi
- Pan-African Biennale
- Kenyatta International Conference Center
- AIA New York
- The New School
- CUNY Spitzer
- The Cooper Union
- MoMA
- AN (The Architect's Newspaper)
- Banga Coletivo
- Moralo Designs
- Association La Voûte Nubienne
- Remesha Design Lab
- Ramos Castellano Arquitectos
- Barla Barla Architectes
- Archi Infini & Partenaires
- Afrostudio
- Basabose Studio
- Waiss Associates
- Megawra – BEC
- Lauge / Laboratorio de Arquitectura y Urbanismo de Guinea Ecuatorial
- Eritrea Collective Team
- Lebala
- Raas Architects
- Studio Ndaanan
- Hive Earth
- Nu Goteh
- Pulse Design Group
- Liminal Design
- Jugaad
- Belyas.Co
- NANA Collective Studio
- MASS Design Group
- Worofila
- Add.Locus Architects
- Daar Studio
- Lemon Pebble
- South Sudan Collective
- Studio Ola Hassanain
- Studio Neida
- Bled El Abar
- Design Without Borders
- Lucid Concept
- Panzigo Creative Studio
- Pan-African Biennale (PAB)
- Kenyatta International Convention Centre
- World Urban Forum 13
- UIA World Congress of Architects 2026 Barcelona
- Tallinn Architecture Biennale 2026
- Stuudio TÄNA
Locations
- Nairobi
- Kenya
- Mogadishu
- Ethiopia
- Nigeria
- Seychelles
- Massawa
- Eritrea
- Rift Valley
- New York
- Paris
- Greece
- London
- Milan
- Italy
- Africa
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Botswana
- Burkina Faso
- Burundi
- Cabo Verde
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Dominican Republic
- Congo
- Djibouti
- Egypt
- Equatorial Guinea
- Eswatini
- Gabon
- Gambia
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Guinea-Bissau
- Ivory Coast
- Lesotho
- Liberia
- Libya
- Madagascar
- Malawi
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Mauritius
- Morocco
- Namibia
- Rwanda
- Senegal
- Somalia
- South Africa
- South Sudan
- Sudan
- São Tomé & Príncipe
- Togo
- Tunisia
- Uganda
- Zambia
- Zimbabwe
- Colombia
- Singapore
- U.S.
- Brazil
- U.K.
- Sahara
- Kenyatta International Convention Centre
- Kigali
- Cape Verde
- São Tomé and Príncipe
- Baku
- Azerbaijan
- Barcelona
- Spain
- Tallinn
- Estonia