Architecture Road Trip to Zanzibar

Architecture road trip to Zanzibar will open our design lives to the conservation efforts,  cultural expressions  and Swahili language evolution along the east African coast  that will take us from the biggest port city of Mombasa down south to the island of Zanzibar.

A study trip designed for progressive designers to  learn and  unlearn the revolution of the region from trading towns to regional centres of culture, commerce and history.

In Mombasa, our designer skills will be at play engaging in local conservation efforts with roles in identifying local construction materials, preservation of materials for future building and engagement with local architects exploring the historical centre. Our conservation spirits will not stop there as we will engage conservationists in understanding the value addition of the mangrove forest and the coastal riverine forests.

A region rich in cultural expressions, our educational trip will head south across the border to the historical industrial town of Tanga. Once an economic powerhouse,we will explore the Tanga museum with its rich historical paraphernalia to the evolution of coastal towns into trade hubs as well as the  influence of Indians, Arabs, Portuguese in the region. As our journey matures,we will dive further south to the town of Bagamoyo, once an important German outpost during the colonial occupation of East Africa.

A city that has preserved its identity and historical buildings, we will explore the Customs House and other German-built structures, the local market  and relish sites. Later we visit Bagamoyo Slave Trade Museum: and learn about the dark history of the East African slave trade, Bagamoyo’s role in it, and the abolition efforts.

Our study trip will not only be a road trip along the coast but also a discovery journey identifying the major influence of the people towards the evolution of Swahili language. Our ears will be alert in picking diverse local dialects, identities and even biases.

Further down south to the big city of Dar es Salaam, we will engage our local architect for an exclusive visit to leading design firms for deeper understanding of the region and architectural discipline. Our trip will be complemented with a visit to the local university studios for exchange of notes and diplomacy.

Ahoy! Mr. architect.

Our final leg of the journey will be a voyage across the Indian ocean to the island of Zanzibar. One of the most picturesque places to visit and well preserved, we will explore the famous stone town picking architectural gems and identifying the ‘yummy’ details for our conservation studio projects. Indulging in the rich cultural offering, we will culminate our study trip with a workshop compounding our best ideas picked along the way and key findings for this adventure. Reward your curiosity and reap the benefits study trips.

Areas of Study

Art. Architecture. History. Culture

Age: 9+