
Shifting conditions, frameworks and approaches: the work of KPDV in postcolonial Africa
(2013)
ABE JOURNAL.
- Author
- Kim De Raedt (UGent)
- Organization
- Abstract
- This paper discusses the trajectory and production of the French architecture firm Kalt – Pouradier-Duteil – Vignal. This firm was very prolific in Africa from the late colonial period right up to the 1980s, I argue, because of its flexibility towards the constantly changing political, economic and socio-cultural context in which it operated. It was first active in the colonial context of mise-en-valeur du territoire, refashioned itself in the post-independence era to become a major consultant to the European Union’s development aid agency and ultimately realised various types of projects throughout West Africa for a wide range of clients, both African and foreign. While throughout this period, commissions for foreign architects in Africa were generally tied to a particular company, international (aid) organisation or (colonial) state agency -which meant that work opportunities ceased if the institutional framework disintegrated- KPDV managed to stay on the African scene for almost thirty years. By discussing a select number of projects designed by KPDV, I will show that the office accomplished this by constantly reformulating its modes of design, research, building practices and project management in response to the quickly changing context in which it operated.
- Keywords
- postcolonial, global consultant, architecture, European Development Fund, Africa
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Citation
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication: http://hdl.handle.net/1854/LU-5674300
- MLA
- De Raedt, Kim. “Shifting Conditions, Frameworks and Approaches: The Work of KPDV in Postcolonial Africa.” ABE JOURNAL 4 (2013): n. pag. Print.
- APA
- De Raedt, Kim. (2013). Shifting conditions, frameworks and approaches: the work of KPDV in postcolonial Africa. ABE JOURNAL, (4).
- Chicago author-date
- De Raedt, Kim. 2013. “Shifting Conditions, Frameworks and Approaches: The Work of KPDV in Postcolonial Africa.” Abe Journal (4).
- Chicago author-date (all authors)
- De Raedt, Kim. 2013. “Shifting Conditions, Frameworks and Approaches: The Work of KPDV in Postcolonial Africa.” Abe Journal (4).
- Vancouver
- 1.De Raedt K. Shifting conditions, frameworks and approaches: the work of KPDV in postcolonial Africa. ABE JOURNAL. 2013;(4).
- IEEE
- [1]K. De Raedt, “Shifting conditions, frameworks and approaches: the work of KPDV in postcolonial Africa,” ABE JOURNAL, no. 4, 2013.
@article{5674300, abstract = {This paper discusses the trajectory and production of the French architecture firm Kalt – Pouradier-Duteil – Vignal. This firm was very prolific in Africa from the late colonial period right up to the 1980s, I argue, because of its flexibility towards the constantly changing political, economic and socio-cultural context in which it operated. It was first active in the colonial context of mise-en-valeur du territoire, refashioned itself in the post-independence era to become a major consultant to the European Union’s development aid agency and ultimately realised various types of projects throughout West Africa for a wide range of clients, both African and foreign. While throughout this period, commissions for foreign architects in Africa were generally tied to a particular company, international (aid) organisation or (colonial) state agency -which meant that work opportunities ceased if the institutional framework disintegrated- KPDV managed to stay on the African scene for almost thirty years. By discussing a select number of projects designed by KPDV, I will show that the office accomplished this by constantly reformulating its modes of design, research, building practices and project management in response to the quickly changing context in which it operated.}, articleno = {650}, author = {De Raedt, Kim}, issn = {1079-7750}, journal = {ABE JOURNAL}, keywords = {postcolonial,global consultant,architecture,European Development Fund,Africa}, language = {eng}, number = {4}, pages = {4}, title = {Shifting conditions, frameworks and approaches: the work of KPDV in postcolonial Africa}, year = {2013}, }