Christian Benimana: The next generation of African architects and designers
Christian Benimana: A próxima geração de arquitectos e projectistas africanos
Christian Benimana wants to develop the talent and potential of the next generation of African designers with socially-focused design principles. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
that I have ever taken.
I had ever been on an airplane
that I had left my country,
mil quilómetros de distância
ever since I was a child.
at the time in my country.
no meu país.
to study in China,
para estudar na China,
a major building boom.
grande crescimento de construção.
into a skyscraper city.
numa cidade de arranha-céus.
to convey a new image of development.
transmitir uma imagem de desenvolvimento.
were going up literally everywhere.
de engenharia em toda a parte.
of migrant workers,
de trabalhadores imigrantes
of thousands of people
milhares de pessoas
to the pollution
para a poluição
similar to what I saw in China.
iguais aos que vira na China.
its own population and economic growth.
um crescimento económico e populacional.
infrastructure and buildings
infraestruturas e edifícios
de construções.
the entire continent of Africa,
o continente africano,
slightly less than the current population
será ligeiramente inferior
da China e da Índia combinadas.
to accommodate this many people
necessárias para acomodar essas pessoas
in the history of humankind.
na história da humanidade.
700,000,000 more housing units,
de unidades de alojamento,
de alojamento por dia,
of unsustainable building and construction
de construção e de edifícios
modelo exclusivamente africano
sustentável e equitativo?
Kunlé Adeyemi for instance,
Kunlé Adeyemi, por exemplo,
of coastal megacities.
das megacidades costeiras.
live in makeshift structures on stilts
estruturas improvisadas em palafitas
infrastructure or services.
serviços públicos.
of rising sea levels and climate change.
subida do nível do mar
are examples of great ingenuity
são exemplos de grande engenho
a prototype school
um protótipo de escola
that can be adapted to clinics,
que pode ser adaptada para clínicas,
de que esta comunidade precisa.
this community needs.
lives safely on the waters of Lagos.
desta comunidade nas águas de Lagos.
where he comes from,
that use traditional building techniques.
têm desenhado projectos
de construção tradicionais.
working in the communities
trabalhando nas comunidades
in the villages of this country,
nas aldeias deste país —
para os alicerces,
for the brick manufacturing,
para o fabrico de tijolos,
to pound the clay floors.
para bater o chão de barro.
projects that function better,
projectos que funcionam melhor,
and adequate ventilation.
e ventilação adequada,
for this particular context
este contexto em particular
at MASS Design Group.
na MASS Design Group.
que começou em Ruanda.
in several countries in Africa,
países em África,
and sustainable model
mais equitativo e sustentável
remote landscapes
lindas e remotas
and fertile valleys.
e vales férteis.
maternal mortality rates in the world.
taxas de mortalidade materna no mundo.
either gives birth at home,
ou dá à luz em casa
to the nearest clinic.
longa até à clínica mais próxima.
dies during childbirth.
morre durante o parto.
Maternity Waiting Village.
Espera da Aldeia Kasungo.
six weeks before their due dates.
6 semanas antes da data do parto.
and family planning.
e planeamento familiar.
and their families.
e as suas famílias.
Maternity Waiting Village
de Espera da Aldeia Kasungo
typologies of Malawi villages
das aldeias de Maláui
materials and techniques.
e técnicas muito simples.
were made from the same soil of this site.
feitos a partir do solo do local.
of this building,
de carbono do edifício,
for these expectant mothers.
para essas futuras mães.
that architecture and design
que arquitectura e "design"
to address complex problems.
de abordar problemas complexos.
a model of effective solutions
um modelo de soluções eficazes
of African architects and designers
de arquitectos e projectistas africanos
com mais milhares de exemplos.
on African architecture, in Kigali,
arquitectura africana em Quigali,
of the leading African designers
projectistas líderes africanos
working across the continent.
que trabalham em todo continente.
went to school abroad
solutions unique to us,
soluções únicas para nós,
Kigali into Beijing,
Quigali em Beijing,
of the next generation
confiança da próxima geração
from across the continent.
de todo o continente.
design-build fellowship program.
"design" de 20 meses.
to tackle big challenges
a lidar com grandes desafios
building solutions and processes,
de construção inovadores,
the health impact of better buildings
para a saúde de melhores construções
have been researching
temos investigado
that they designed and built.
planeiam e constroem.
to understand the challenges
para entender os problemas
made of local volcanic stone
de pedra vulcânica local
into a space of play and active learning.
num espaço de jogos e aprendizagem.
the environmental conditions
that maximizes daylight
telhado que maximiza a luz do dia
will begin this year.
de Ruhehe começarão este ano.
are going to work hand-in-hand
irão trabalhar de mãos dadas
de Ruhehe para construí-la.
their African Design Centre fellowship,
do seu programa no Centro,
of building into his country,
de construção no seu país,
a private practice in Johannesburg.
clínica privada em Joanesburgo.
for women to become engineers.
as mulheres se tornarem engenheiras.
for women in engineering fields,
para as mulheres em campos de engenharia,
this movement across Africa,
movimento para toda a África,
using local materials from his country.
usando materiais locais do seu país.
to become an architect.
para se tornar um arquitecto.
interrupted his architectural education.
interrompeu frequentemente
to join the African Design Centre,
para o Centro de Design Africano,
in the background of his interview call.
da chamada de entrevista.
to bridge communities back together.
para voltar a reunir comunidades.
by this fellow's belief
na fé destes bolseiros
can make a difference
podem fazer a diferença
cannot be ignored.
sem precedentes de África.
places on earth.
to make it a reality.
tornar isso uma realidade.
for the task ahead,
esse talento para a tarefa à nossa frente,
of African creative leaders,
de líderes africanos criativos,
and streamline that journey.
e simplificar essa viajem.
o seu "design" de confiança
that are truly African
que sejam verdadeiramente africanas
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Christian Benimana - ArchitectChristian Benimana wants to develop the talent and potential of the next generation of African designers with socially-focused design principles.
Why you should listen
Christian Benimana is co-founder of the African Design Centre, a field-based apprenticeship that is set to be the BAUHAUS of Africa with the mission to empower the leaders who will design a more equitable, just, and sustainable world.
Benimana is currently leading the implementation of the African Design Centre. He dreamed of becoming an architect, but there were no design schools in his home country of Rwanda, so he applied and was accepted to Tongji University in Shanghai, China. Not letting his inability to speak Mandarin stand in his way, he spent a year gaining fluency before pursuing his degree in architecture. Upon returning to Rwanda, he joined MASS Design Group as a Design Fellow in 2010 and today directs the firm's Rwanda Programs and the ADC. He has taught at the Kigali Institute of Science and Technology and chairs the Education Boards of the Rwandan Institute of Architects and the East African Institute of Architects. His goal is to develop the talent and potential of the next generation of African designers with socially-focused design principles. He announced the plans for the African Design Centre at the UN Solutions Summit in New York in 2015.
Christian Benimana | Speaker | TED.com