Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence

A desire to fuse the principles of modernist architecture with an approach that responded to humid conditions led to the development of Tropical Modernism in the late 1940s. Though this architectural movement was bound to a colonial history, originating in West Africa during British occupation, countries such as Ghana and India embraced it as a means of constructing their national identity after independence. The resulting structures, such as Scott House in Accra, Ghana, incorporated both traditional architectural styles and the sleek, functional qualities of modernist design. Through a collection of photographs, films, drawings, models, letters and archival materials, this exhibition at the V&A (2 March–22 September) bears witness to the myriad ways that Tropical Modernism manifested across the globe and how it became an emblem of post-colonial idealism. Find out more from the V&A’s website.

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Scott House designed by Kenneth Scott, Accra, as seen in a still from a film in ‘Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence’. Photo: © Victoria and Albert Museum, London

Library veranda of University College, Ibadan. Photo: courtesy RIBA.

Mfantsipim School designed by Fry, Drew & Partners, Cape Coast as seen in a still from a film in ‘Tropical Modernism: Architecture and Independence’. Photo: © Victoria and Albert Museum, London