Designer Olalekan Jeyifous Imagines Poverty-Stricken High-Rise Towers
Riley von Niessen — August 11, 2016 — Art & Design
As a means to outline economic inequality, Olalekan Jeyifous decided to show what shanty towns in Lagos, Nigeria, might look like if they had towering skyscrapers like more well-off urban landscapes.
The project, dubbed 'Shanty Megastructures,' is strange to view due to its ability to subvert ones expectations as to what a city should look like. By translating shanty towns to the center of cities, the designer places the issue somewhere that can't be ignored, as the people living in extreme poverty too often are.
Olalekan Jeyifous explained the project by saying "These images juxtapose sites of privileged and much coveted real-estate throughout Lagos, Nigeria, with colossal vertical settlements representing marginalised and impoverished communities." With this, Shanty Megastructures looks to generate a conversation surrounding the lack of resources granted to shanty towns and the government's desire to replace the areas with private sectors.
The project, dubbed 'Shanty Megastructures,' is strange to view due to its ability to subvert ones expectations as to what a city should look like. By translating shanty towns to the center of cities, the designer places the issue somewhere that can't be ignored, as the people living in extreme poverty too often are.
Olalekan Jeyifous explained the project by saying "These images juxtapose sites of privileged and much coveted real-estate throughout Lagos, Nigeria, with colossal vertical settlements representing marginalised and impoverished communities." With this, Shanty Megastructures looks to generate a conversation surrounding the lack of resources granted to shanty towns and the government's desire to replace the areas with private sectors.
Trend Themes
1. Economic Inequality - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Developing innovative solutions to address and reduce economic inequality in urban areas.
2. Urban Poverty - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Creating sustainable and affordable housing solutions for impoverished communities in urban areas.
3. Social Awareness - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Leveraging technology and design to raise social awareness about poverty and inequality in cities.
Industry Implications
1. Urban Planning - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Integrating inclusive and sustainable urban planning strategies to address the needs of marginalized communities.
2. Architecture - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Designing innovative and cost-effective housing structures for economically disadvantaged populations.
3. Social Impact - Disruptive Innovation Opportunity: Leveraging business models and technologies to create positive social impact in urban areas affected by poverty.
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