Tunji Adejumo
Decolonization of Space: worldview perspectives
Michelmas 2022-2023
Thursday, 27 October 2022
Abstract
2016 Africa’s Priorities for the New Urban Agenda emphasized the promotion of localized systems of sustainable urban development. This is not unconnected with culture free homogeneous central business district traceable to economic globalization and architectural internationalization that characterized 20th century African developmental agenda. Must physical planners engaged in these nations, transplant Global North central business district features to hot and humid or hot and dry tropical landscapes in different cultural climes? What thinking process generated this urban scenario? How can place centered urban design be done locally within the context of global sustainability paradigm? This presentation will examine cosmopolitan localism and metanarratives rooted in indigenous urbanism to make central business space a ‘place’. Yoruba pre-colonial worldview urban conceptualization process will be engaged to demonstrate place based urbanism. On this platform geosophic landscape is theorized as resilient rootstock on which can be grafted compatible symbolic economy and functional infrastructures as appealing scions.
Bio
Adejumo Olatunji is a Nigerian landscape architect, urban design theorist and environmental planner. He is also an Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture in the Department of Architecture, University of Lagos, Nigeria. Tunji’s research interest is nested in the interface of cultural system and ecological system as a determinant of useful worldview principles relevant to the conceptualization of contemporary urban interstitial spaces as meaningful places in global south cities. Tunji has a book to his credit titled Landscapes: Canvas of Our Civilization. He also a co-editor of the book Architectural Confluence: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow - a festschrift for Professor Joseph Igwe.
Dr. Adejumo was one-time President of International Federation of Landscape Architects (African Region). He is an External Advisor to the West Midlands National Park Lab as part of CATiD Research Centre at Birmingham, UK. He is also an External Collaborator, Critical Landscape Design Lab, Graduate School of Design, Harvard University, Cambridge. USA. Tunji is a member of African Journal of Landscape Architects Editorial Board resident in Pretoria S.A. He currently coordinate Architecture and Urbanism Research Hub at University of Lagos.