About the Practice

We design architecture that listens to place, climate and people.

Studio discussion

Our Story

Reclaiming the right to design Africa

Decolonise Africa was founded on a simple conviction: African architecture has been constrained for generations by external templates that disregard local climate, materials, social patterns and cultural memory.

We practice pure architecture — rigorous, beautiful and contextually inevitable. Our work spans buildings, landscapes, educational environments and large-scale city models. Every project begins with deep listening: to the land, to communities, and to the knowledge systems that have sustained African places for centuries.

We are not interested in pastiche or nostalgia. We are interested in relevance — architecture that performs, that belongs, and that expands possibility.

Principles

How we work

01

Context First

Every site has a story. We begin with climate data, cultural research, material availability and community aspiration before drawing a single line.

02

Climate Intelligence

Passive design, natural ventilation, rainwater systems and low-embodied carbon materials are non-negotiable foundations of every project.

03

Beauty as Function

We believe well-crafted space elevates daily life. Beauty is not a luxury — it is a form of respect for the people who inhabit our buildings.

People

Leadership

A multidisciplinary team of architects, landscape designers and urban thinkers.

Amara Okonkwo

Amara Okonkwo

Founding Principal

Architect and urbanist with two decades of work across West and East Africa. Advocate for climate-responsive design education.

Kwame Mensah

Kwame Mensah

Director of Landscape

Landscape architect focused on ecological restoration, public commons and regenerative urban systems.

Thandiwe Nkosi

Thandiwe Nkosi

Head of Design

Leads conceptual design and material research. Previously worked on cultural and educational projects across Southern Africa.

Join the conversation

We collaborate with clients, communities, governments and institutions who share a vision for better African places.

Get in Touch