When people think of Africa, it is easy to get caught up with visions of the continent's wildlife, landscapes and overall exotic culture; yet these examples of African architecture show a different side of the adventurous destination that encourage people to reevaluate their initial perceptions. With an eye for modernity that is often associated with Singapore, Dubai and North America, many African homes, hotels and cultural hubs are contemporary and innovative.
From sleek abodes fit for tech-savvy individuals to retreats that focus as much on its natural surroundings as it does on luxurious accommodations, these examples of African architecture suggest that its cities are appealing to upper-class tourists and tastemakers alike. Yet many of the designs still keep in mind its heritage in order to make the experience as unique and representative as possible.
26 Examples of African Architecture

27
Underwater Hotel Rooms
The Partially Submerged Manta Resort Offers Astounding Aquatic Views

26
Luxuriously Domed Retreats
Mahali Mzuri by Richard Branson is a Spacious African Getaway

25
Spectacular African Retreats
The Cove 6 Residence Features Panoramic Views
24
Ultra Modern Barns
This Emilio Eftychis Design is Sleek and Eco-Sustainable
23
River-Infused Residences
The Nico van der Meulen Architects ‘Ber House’ is Luxurious
22
L-Shaped Architecture
The 'Vame' House in South Africa is an ideal Getaway
21
Spectacularly Terraced Mansions
The Aloe Ridge House Diminishes Barriers Between Inside and Out
20
Secluded African Wilderness Resorts
The Leobo Private Reserve Offers Maximum Luxury
19
Enchanting African Treehouse Havens
This Game Reserve Lodge in South Africa is Whimsical and Sweet
18
Extensively Open Abodes
The House VK 1 by Greg Wright Architects is Mixed
17
Seven-Level Cliffside Villas
Nettleton 198 by SAOTA is a Beautiful South African Sanctuary
16
South African Zen Sanctuaries
The SGNW House by Metropole Architects is Modern and Rustic
15
Upcycled Shipping Container Dorms
Mills Junction from Citiq is Made from Old Silos
14
Water-Harvesting Vessels
The WarkaWater Towers Make Clean Drinking Water Easy to Access
13
Cabana-Inspired Abodes
The House Aboobaker by Nico van der Meulen Architects is Unbelievable
12
Transforming Auditorium Architecture
The CasArts Theater Presents for Indoor and Outdoor Audiences
11
Elevated Ecological Airports
Symbiotic Vaulting Lets Nature, Neighborhoods and Airlines to Coexist
10
Thatched African Hotels
The Kyambura Lodge by Regional Associates is a Modern Twist on Tradition
9
African Urban Planning
Koffi & Diabaté's Urban Planning Projects Offer Solutions
8
Wall-Less Seaside Escapes
The Sea House by Sarah Calburn Architects is an Ocean Getaway
7
Easily Adaptable Abodes
The Hyde Park Houses by Daffonchio + Associate Architects is Flexible
6
Aluminium-Wrapped Seaside Sanctuaries
La Lucia by SAOTA is a Beautiful Shoreline Retreat
5
African Tech Cities
Kenya’s Government is Investing in 'Africa’s Silicon Savannah'
4
Luxury African Towers
The Ramzi Towers High-Rise is Located on an Exclusive Nigerian Island
3
Visionary Floating Schools
Kunle Adeyemi is Building Floating School in a Water-Logged Slum
2
Stilted Architecture Designs
The Africanews Headquarters is Elevated off the Ground
1
Activism-Inspired Medical Centers
The Burkina Faso Medical Center Highlights Social Good
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Serenely Stilted Houses
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Modern Luxury Holiday Cabins
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Flexible Pre-Fabricated Homes
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Eco-Friendly Luxury Villas
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Beautifully Sculptural Concrete Museums
Qatar Museums Unveils Official Images of the Lusail Museum
Spacious Light-Filled Compact Homes
Cocoon Tiny Homes Design the Bright Long Black Home
Atlanta Heritage Contemporary Hotels
The New FORTH Hotel Takes Pride in its Atlanta Roots
Modern Minimalism Apartments
Between the Walls Designs the Old&New Apartment in Kyiv
Curved Translucent Experimental Apartments
NEUHÄUSL HUNAL Designs the Sculptor's Apartment
Narrow Lot-Based Modern Homes
Johnsen Schmaling Architects Designs the Curtain House
Silver Curtain Concrete Homes
Local Studio Bangkok Tokyo Architecture Designs the House K
Affordable Housing Prototypes
Harshit Singh Kothari and Tanvi Jai Complete the Tiny House
Black-Timber Stealthy Pavilions
Aptdotapt Designs the Drop-Stop Pavilion in the Mountains
Regionally Inspired Retail Destinations
Japan & France Converge in the Kenzo Dubai Boutique Design
Tropic-Inspired Residential Havens
DAMAC Properties Launches DAMAC Islands for Luxurious Living
Energy-Efficient Office Buildings
This Czech Office Complex is Outfitted With Eco-Friendly Designs
Monochromatic Minimal Cozy Homes
DIG Architects Designs the Vaulted Monochrome Haus
Sand Dune-Inspired Airport Roofs
Kohn Pedersen Fox Completes a Terminal Design
Sheep Wool-Insulated Guest Houses
DUB Arquiectura Created the Casa La Escocesa on a Farm
Urban Oasis-Reflecting Hotel Expansions
Ministry of Design Leads the Standard Singapore Designs
Modern A-Frame Toronto Homes
Reign Architects Designs the Contemporary House Caroline
African Culture-Honoring Chair Designs
Jomo Tariku Designs the Dynamic Kungdung Pembe Chair
Large Headquarter-Transformed Housing
Studio Egret West Designs Hayes Park Central and South
Swooped Museum Roof Planes
BIG Designs the Waterfront Suzhou Museum of Contemporary Art
Eco-Conscious Slim Skyscrapers
Muraba and RCR Arquitectes Join to Design the Muraba Veil
Juxtaposing Minimal Artful Homes
Hino Studio Designs the Oceana Retreat in Florida
Dynamic Y-Shaped Glazed Houses
Saunders Architecture Designs the Y House in Alberta
Lotus Plant-Inspired Skyscrapers
Aedas Designs the Pair of One Future Buildings Lined with Bronze
Trio Cuboid Music Buildings
SANAA Designs a Building for the Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building
Fiji Ocean-Front Estate Homes
A Tesm of Designers Join Forrces to Create the Reef House
Terraced Garden-Surrounded Homes
Arkitito Arquitetura Designed the Lechuza House in Brazil
Elegant Global Travel Publications
Agape Destinations Guides Readers Through Elegant Global Travel
Contemporary Rental Housing Series
EC3 Designs the Canopy Series of Buildings in Detroit
Elevated Timber-Clad Homes
Habitable Form Designs the Victory Bay House on Kiawah Island
Monolithic Metal-Formed Homes
Boyd Architects Designs the Summerville House in South Carolina
Self-Designed Evolving Homes
The Six Columns Home by WIll Burges is Designed to Grow with Him
Minimal Modernized Victorian Homes
Will Gamble Architects Extends a House in South London
Village-Inspired Tapered Stone Airport
Foster + Partners Designs a Set of Stone Buildings
Geometric Cone-Shaped Mosques
Altwadum Designs the Bab Al Salam Mosque in Muscat, Oman
Nature-Leveraging Home Designs
PAE Designs the Casa Coaba Tucked in the Hillsides
Nature Blending Modern Homes
MODU Designed the Mini Tower One Residence in Brooklyn
Charming Angular Contemporary Homes
Studio KUNZ Presents the Trapezium House in Brazil
Robust Monolithic Walled Homes
H Arquitectes Completes the Casa 1736 in Barcelona
Morocco-Inspired London Home Extensions
Merrett Houmøller Architects Helps Create a Home Extension
Geometric Prefabricated Pavilions
Heams & Michel Architectes Presents the 7 Kiosks Project
Arched Brightened London Homes
Dominic McKenzie Architecture Brightens the Segmental House
Futuristic Curved Islandic Homes
The Collective Studio Co., Ltd Designs the Nest Residence
Modern Interpreted English Homes
Threefold Architects Designs the Eight Gables Home
Prayer Room Government Offices
Agata Kurzela Studio Rewors a Floor of a Heritage Building
Multifunctional Vietnamese Homes
H-H Studio Designs the House for Young Families in Da Nang
Pyramidal Concrete Japanese Homes
IGArchitects Completed the Pyramid Hut Concrete Home
AI Africa-Based Travel Apps
The Akwaaba App Provides Insights and Boasts Sustainable Travel
Wooden Louvres Family Homes
3dor Concepts Designs the Slab Home in Kerela, India
Natural Japanese Art Galleries
Brazil's Yayoi Kusama Gallery Features a Nature-Inspired Design
Local Craft-Shown Bamboo Pavilions
AtArchitecture Designs the Northeast Pavilion for an Art Fair
Brutalist Concrete Tower Apartments
Archmongers Renovates the Trellick Tower in London
White Fabric-Style Facade Residences
3dor Concepts Designs the Minimal Nyori Home in Kerela
Exposed Concrete Stealthy Homes
OFIS Aritekti Designs the Villa Eternal Way in Slovenia
Contrasting Facade Panoramic Residences
SO? Completes the Two Face House in Turkey
Urban Skyline-View Apartments
i29 Designs the Apartment with a View in Amsterdam
Artfully Inspired Home Renovations
Reflect Architecture Designs the North Drive House in Toronto
Curvaceous Brick Forest Homes
Blurring Boundaries Designs the Asmalay Home in a Forest
Raw Concrete Industrial Homes
Studio Cochi Architects Designs the House in Nishizaki
Live-In Art Gallery Homes
Casa Galeria is a Home That Doubles as an Art Gallery
Modern Concrete Community Residences
AOA Architects Designs the Hoji Gangneung Dwellings
Gridded Steel Framed Homes
3dor Concepts Designs the Elegant House XO in Kerala, India
Mass-Timber Apartment Blocks
Local Architecture Network Completes the Wood Up Apartment Block
Temple-Inspired Striking Galleries
Abin Design Studio Designs a Gallery with Temple Themes
Uniquely Designed Artistic Wallpapers
Mitchell Black & Blessed Little Bungalow Debut a New Capsule
Textured Local Stone Residences
Point27 Architects Designed the Atrium House in Greece
Expansive School Bamboo Canopies
CollectiveProject Creates a Canopy at Talaricheruvu Rural School
Parametric Style Video Games
Zaha Hadid Architects and Epic Games Add to Re:Imagine London
Volcanic Landscape-Informed Lodges
Hacker Architects Designs the Black Butte Ranch in Oregon
Halo-Like Skylight Homes
Tamara Wibowo Architects Designs the Halo House in Indonesia
Concrete Cultural Visitor Centers
UAD Completes the Villagers' Home Center in Zhejiang Province
Ribbon-Like Dynamic Structures
Zaha Hadid Presents the Capital International Exhibition Space
Cascading Aluminum Pipe Museums
Kengo Kuma Design the Audeum Museum with an Aluminum Facade
Contemporary Adaptable Concrete House
Gabriel Rivera Arquitectos Designs the Binocular House
Electric Heritage-Based Apartments
Yana Molodykh Renovates the Landscape Alley Apartment
Modern Deco Office Designs
Reflect Architecture Designs the NewGen Office with Contemporary Detail
Duplex-Appearing Home Designs
Atelier ST Designs the Duplex House for a Family in Leipzig
Rustic Striking A-Framed Residences
Jack Morgan Designs the Bold A-Frame House in Dallas
Aegean Architecture-Inspired Home Designs
Studio Kali Designs the Arkhe Collection of Furniture
Open-Air Perforated Concrete Homes
MM++ Architects Designs the Anchor House in Vietnam
Square-Shaped High-Rise Buildings
OODA Designs the Ndarja Building in Central Tirana
Efficient Architecture Design Tools
Architecture Helper Provides Design Insights in Seconds
Caribbean-Inspired Retro Home Extentions
Artefact Designs the Triangle House in London's Epsom
Family-Oriented Apartment Renovations
Atelier L'Abri Takes on the Triplex Fabre Renovation Project
Understated Luxe Modern Apartments
Renesa Designs the House of Gond for Monica Gaur
Gabled Forest-Side Homes
Théque Atelier Designs the Frame House in Hungary
City-Framing Concrete Residences
Cadence Architects Completes the Design of the K-Home
Mirrored Panel Tropical Gardens
Research Artistic Design + Architecture Designs the Frame Garden
Roman Architecture-Themed Pavilions
Pratique and Fanum Design the Forum des Vestiges Pavilion
Thick-Walled Coastal Buildings
KLG Architects Designs the Hytte Riverview in South Africa
Brutalist Minimal Apartment Designs
Zalc Arquitetura Reimagines the JF Apartment in Brazil
Urban Natural Expansive Buildings
Atelier Delalande Tabourin Designs Office National des Forêts
Curved Surface Portuguese Homes
Fala Atelier Designs a House Within a Few Lines
Silky Camouflage-Design Capsules
Lisou's 'Empire Collection' Celebrates African Heritage
Contemporary Cantilevered Residences
Alterstudio Architecture Presents the Westview Residence
Trapezoidal Coastal Beach Houses
Emergentes Architectures Sàrl Designed the Dreal House in Chile
Sleek Contemporary Elevated Retreats
Brown & Brown Architects Designs the Tidal House
Retro Apartment Transformations
Space is around us Designs the Kyano Apartment in Greece
Expansive Roofs Concrete Homes
Studio MOB Creates a House in the Farm in Coimbatore
Plaza-Surrounding Housing Complexes
Tariq Khayyat Design Partners Designs the H Residence
Star-Shaped Structural Pavilions
Minsuk Cho Designs the Archipelagic Void Shelter in London
Housing Block Defensive Facades
Bureau des Mésarchitecture Creates Gold Aluminum Shutters
Dynamic Concrete Modern Buildings
Atelier Matias Mosquera Designs the Shire Building
Water Flow-Inspired Art Buildings
MAD Designs the Waterfront Nanhai Arts Center in Guangdong
Classically Designed Geometric Mosques
Babnimnim Design Studio Creates the Mamluki Lancet Mosque
Greenery-Surrounding Lush Homes
Ho Khue Architects Creates the Nest House in Vietnam
Renovated Terraced London Home
EBBA Architects Renovates and Brightens the Camden Residence
Immersive Breeze Houses
Alya Ola Abbas' Design Was Installed for Dubai Design Week 2023
Vaulted Compact Merged Homes
Studio Tololo Ugarte Designs the Tiny Vaulted Catalejo Home
Spain-Based Bright Modern Homes
Isla Architects Presents a Look at the Casa Mila
Slaugherhouse-Transformed Unique Museums
Cave Bureau Creates the Anthropocene Museum 9.0
Angular Black Cantilevered Homes
Fouché Architects Designs the Tallowwood Cabin in Queensland
Asymmetrical Sculptural Apartment Blocks
LOHA Designs the South E8 Housing Block in Raleigh
Colonial History Art Exhibitions
RIBA Presents Raise the Roof: Building for Change
Warm-Tonal Urban City Apartments
General Assembly Creates a Comforting Palette in New York
Artful Cultural Centers
Kéré Architecture Unveils the Centre des Cultures et Spiritualités Ewés
Arched Garden-Topped Cultural Centers
Atelier Apeiron Creates the Hengqin Culture and Art Complex
Brazilian Modern Dallas Homes
A Team of Designers Join on a Home Exuding Brazilian Modernism
Regional Modern Tropical Homes
Lijo Reny Architects Designs the Stoic Wall Residence
Philosophically Designed Modern Homes
c.dd Designs the Boundaless Residence in Guangdong
Textural Tranquil Cottage Extensions
So Architecture Adds a New Sanctuary to Harriet's House
Columned Entrance Family Homes
31/44 Architects Created the 6 Columns Home in Southeast London