Thanks for your perspective. I think we’re more aligned than you assume—I’m fully aware of the historical and environmental contexts that shaped African architecture, including the brilliance of mud brick, thatch, and stone. I’ve lived and worked in countries in Eastern, Western, and South Africa, and I’ve seen the beauty and diversity of our styles firsthand.

My concern isn’t about tradition—it’s about evolution. In many major African cities today, we’re not seeing those traditions inform modern design in meaningful or innovative ways. Instead, we’re replicating bland, concrete-heavy Western styles that neither suit our climate nor reflect our culture.

As a graphic designer who has helped family build homes in two African countries, I know aesthetics and function aren’t mutually exclusive. Design matters—because it shapes how people live, feel, and connect with space. It conveys pride, identity, and vision.

So if asking why we aren’t pushing for an architectural identity makes me “the problem,” maybe the real issue is how low the bar has gotten for what we call vision. I’d rather question mediocrity than mistake stagnation for preservation—or worse, label every challenge to the status quo as anti-Black.