The city of Seville, renowned for its rich cultural and architectural heritage, became the backdrop for the Hay Festival Seville 2023 from October 5th to 7th. The event, held between the Real Alcázar and the Consulate of Portugal, brought together renowned experts from various disciplines to discuss how culture can transform cities.
Among the thirty distinguished guests at the Hay Festival Seville were art curator Vicente Todolí, writer Jaime de los Santos, and Nigerian architect Kunlé Adeyemi. The latter presented his African Water Cities project, which has become a beacon of hope at the intersection of urbanism and sustainability.
Hope for future floating cities
Architect Kunlé Adeyemi is known for his innovative approach to architecture and his commitment to environmental sustainability. Alongside urbanist Marta Thorne, they addressed the issues arising from urbanization processes and climate change, proposing floating construction systems that demonstrate architecture’s potential to address these challenges. Adeyemi showcased his African Water Cities project at Hay Festival Seville, a project he has been working on for ten years.
A new MFS IV was installed in Cape Verde in 2021, used to house a floating music space. NLÉ
Through his architecture, design, and urbanism firm NLÉ, based in Lagos, Nigeria, established in 2010 with the mission of revolutionizing how cities are built. Among their projects are African Water Cities and the creation of the Makoko Floating System (MF). This sustainable, locally produced wooden floating construction solution has been implemented in five countries across three continents. The facilities serve various purposes, including housing, education, hospitality, or agriculture, fitting into everyday societies while promoting sustainability.
The MFS II was exhibited as Waterfront Atlas at the 15th International Architecture Exhibition – La Biennale di Venezia. It was awarded the Silver Lion. NLÉ
The central focus of the project is the creation of self-sufficient floating communities that utilize technology and natural resources to provide housing, services, and employment to their inhabitants. These floating cities are built on water and adapt to changes in sea level while promoting sustainable practices such as solar energy and waste management to minimize environmental impact. This project shares the same goal as Oceanix Busan, designed by BIG, aiming to materialize by building the floating city in the South Korean city of Busan.
A global project with local impact
Kunlé Adeyemi has not only made his mark on African shores but his vision has also extended to other parts of the world. An example is his project in Rotterdam, known as Water City Rotterdam. This initiative is the result of a collaboration between the Nieuwe Instituut in Rotterdam and NLÉ. The project provides a platform to explore various ways designers respond locally to the global climate challenge.
The Water City Rotterdam installation. Aad Hoogendoorn
For over a decade, Adeyemi has been researching the effects of rapid urbanization combined with rising water levels in African cities. Based on this research, he developed MFS IIR – Water City Rotterdam, a seven-meter-high floating pavilion installation bringing his ideas to the ponds of the Nieuwe Instituut. The parallel exhibition showcases historical and current examples of possibilities for living and designing on water, including works by other designers like Thijis de Zeeuw, along with pieces from the National Collection of Architecture and Urbanism. The exhibition will be open until October 22, 2023.
The three floating structures are constructed with local wood and bamboo from Chengdu, China, to create an outdoor concert hall, an indoor exhibition space, and a small information center. NLÉ
Urban design should not be static but should adapt to changing environmental and social circumstances. Thus, these floating city designs are a call to action to rethink urbanization. In recent years, coastal cities have faced rapid sea-level rise, and projects like Adeyemi’s propose an innovative solution that addresses these concerns without compromising ecosystem well-being.
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