November 2024
Last November, we had the privilege of experiencing a new edition of Architecture Week in Bata, and I want to share how special this experience was. Organized as part of World Architecture Day, this week allowed us to reflect on what it means to inhabit, not only from an architectural perspective but also from our own identity and culture.
As in every edition, we had the active participation of the two architecture faculties in Equatorial Guinea: Universidad Nacional de Guinea Ecuatorial (UNGE) and Universidad Afroamericana de África Central (AAUCA). It was amazing to see students, professors, and professionals immerse themselves in discussions and workshops to question and redefine the role of architecture in our context.
One of the most inspiring moments was the lecture by Dr. Verónica Ñengono, which made us reflect on how language shapes our understanding of space. We learned that the way we name places also influences how we inhabit and design them. We were also fortunate to listen to experts such as Xavi Rodríguez Soriano and Ursicino Endaman Nse, who encouraged us to rethink architecture from a more social and cultural perspective.
But the best part was the workshops. It was exciting to see students venture into the city, observe, analyze, and then transform all that knowledge into proposals. Each group worked from their own experience and perspective of Bata, and the final results were impressive. The effort to capture what was learned and translate it into concrete ideas that truly engaged with our environment was evident.
Architecture Week 2024 once again reaffirmed the importance of this space as a laboratory of ideas. It not only allowed us to learn and share, but it also reminded us of the importance of looking at our own reality to design a more sustainable future rooted in our identity. Thank you to everyone who made this edition possible! We will keep building together.