Imhotep Architecture and Construction

11/08/2025

Today we are being told Africans didn’t built castle but many were being destroyed during colonialism.

This castle in Korhogo, Ivory Coast was built in the 13th-century ce during the Medieval Mali Empire expansion. Mali expansion into today Ivory Coast was central to their wealth, as the Ivory Coast (and Gold Coast) was a great source of the gold that made Mali rich.

What makes this a castle, and not just palace, are the defensive fortifications built into the royal structure. As you can see, there are several stories to the castle with many windows, but at the very top there are a series of archers' openings, from which the royal guard would shoot arrows at invaders and then hide behind a pillar when shot at. This is the typical feature of a castle, dating all the way back to Buhen, Nubia, the world's oldest castle.

Another distinguishing feature of castles over palaces are the presence of fortified thick walls. If you look at the photo, you can see that the castle is surrounded by a thick wall (between the castle proper and the thatched roof huts); so thick it looks like a building on its own. But that is in fact a wall surrounding the castle and its several structures.

The castle also featured barracks and equestrian stables for the knights, the central military class in the Mali Empire. It was their invincible equestrian knights that gave Mali the power to forge an empire that covered nearly all of West Africa and the Western Sahara up to the doors of Marrakesh, Morocco.

The first large supply of captives to leave West Africa for the Americas came when the SonghaiMali Empire collapsed in 1591 and its citizens were captured by Arab-Moroccans and sold to Europoids.

Korhogo Castle was first bombed by the French in the late 19th century as part of the joint European gang r**e of Africa. Many of its larger structures were damaged.

The final remains of the castle (as seen in this photo) were destroyed in 1939 by the French as part of their systematic campaign to erase traces of intelligent history in Francophone Africa.

10/05/2025

Traditional Architecture.

Tukuls are round huts made of mud, grass, millet stalks, and wooden poles, with thatched conical roofs which are a common type of rural housing in South Sudan 🇸🇸

09/29/2025

09/24/2025

This architectural design belongs to the Bandjoun people of western Cameroon, part of the larger Bamileke cultural group renowned for their visually striking royal compounds. The structure features a series of sculpted wooden columns carved with detailed human and animal figures. These carvings serve more than a decorative function, as they narrate ancestral lineages, symbolize social rank, and reflect spiritual beliefs tied to protection, fertility, and continuity. Each motif details the values and history of the community.

The building’s tall, conical roof is traditionally thatched offering insulation and ventilation. Another distinctive feature is the white veil-like façade constructed from vertically arranged bamboo rods. This veil, often found enclosing ceremonial spaces within royal compounds, provides both privacy and a symbolic boundary between the sacred interior and the public exterior. The bamboo screen contribute to the harmony of the space while allowing light and air to filter through.

09/10/2025

Each time I encounter this type of structure, I feel both satisfaction and deep humility before an achievement that, while seemingly simple, is perfectly adapted to its context.

This earthen architecture embodies the essence of Sahelian vernacular design: massive adobe walls and buttresses that naturally regulate desert heat. Built from sun-dried mud bricks, it reflects durability, collective craftsmanship, and remarkable harmony with the environment, a timeless form of architecture shaped by climate, culture, and local resources.

06/18/2025

Tiebele Village in Burkina Faso 🇧🇫

These houses are made of mud, have no windows, and are beautifully painted with traditional designs.

06/01/2025

05/16/2025

In the heart of Burkina Faso, near the Ghana border, there’s a village where houses are decorated in a unique way. In Tiébélé, married women from the Kassena tribe keep an old tradition alive.

Every year after the rainy season, they create murals using only natural materials like clay, red laterite, and a special dye made from boiled pods. These decorations aren’t just for beauty—they also help protect the homes from heat and bad weather.

The houses are arranged in a circle and have thick walls that were once built for safety. Each wall shows patterns from the Gourounsi tradition, turning the whole village into an open-air gallery. “It’s a tradition that shows how real beauty often comes from the earth itself. ”

05/09/2025

05/21/2022

In 1942, sandbags were placed to protect the Sphinx against enemy bombs during World War II.

05/20/2022

05/14/2022

**p

The cost of wood has gone up by 500% in a year, pushing more builders to consider h**p building materials In April 2020, lumber cost a little over $300 per thousand board feet. Today, the same amount costs just over $1700, according to lumber futures data from CME Group. That’s […]