As explained in his TED Talk, Christian Benimana wants to build a network of architects who can help Africa's booming cities flourish in sustainable, equitable ways - balancing growth with values that are uniquely African. Benimana is Senior Principal and Managing Director at the MASS Design Group.
With the African Design Center, MASS aims to launch a new Bauhaus of Africa: an educational fellowship program based in Kigali, Rwanda, to train the next generation of creative leaders in Africa. The Center’s interdisciplinary and field-based model will professionalize the skills of top emerging talent, a major step towards MASS ’s mission to incubate innovation towards tackling the biggest building boom of the next quarter century.
The lecture series is organised by Chair of Theory and History of Architecture, Art and Design and aims to provide a platform to discuss inspirational art and architecture projects in the Global South. This will illuminate the contribution of artists and architects in processes of facilitating environments for democratic engagement.