African Metropolitan Architecture

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David Adjaye

Rizzoli International Publications, New York, 2011, English

Nonfiction, Photography; Nonfiction, Architecture

12.1 x 9.8 x 2.8 inches, paperback, 568 pages, 4000 color illustrations

ISBN: 9780847837168

Suggested Retail Price: $100.00

From the Publisher. David Adjaye is renowned for his highly acclaimed buildings in Europe and the United States. Of Tanzanian descent but raised and educated in London, he has found endless inspiration for his modern buildings in Africa. This book is the culmination of a personal quest—a decade-long project to document the built environment of every major African city. Adjaye has photographed thousands of structures and places, letting each speak for itself in contrast to a design world obsessed with photorealistic slickness. Fifty-two cities are featured, arranged by terrain and region, including: the Maghreb, the Sahel, Savannah and Grassland, Mountain and Highveld, Desert, and Forest. Each is presented with a concise urban history, fact file, maps, and satellite imagery along with the photographs and essays by leading scholars and critics. This handsome seven-volume slipcased edition is one of the most original and ambitious publications of our time and is sure to be among the great architectural collectibles.

On 2 book lists

David Adjaye

On list of Books by David Adjaye

Justin Davidson

On Justin Davidson’s Notable Books of 2011 list

A collection of Adjaye’s snapshots from his travels around metropolitan areas of Africa. Provides a unique sense of how cities developed on that continent. One of the most appealing aspects of the book is the way it shows the connection between ugliness and beauty in these urban settings.

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