The reason why European colonialism is at the heart of this research is simply be-because it provoked the most effective changes. These changes did not just introduce new ways of life, but they also changed the national languages in most parts of Africa. 

Over the past two hundred years, there have been significant alterations in the African built environment, and traditional  architecture began to disappear further in villages, making way for urban architecture. 

There is a feeling that African culture and architecture have become disconnected through colonialism. traditional  African architecture represented a simple culture that was not very boastful of its riches. 

However, as the need for technology grew during the colonial period, the connection between both culture and architecture greatly diminished in favor of Manhattan-like architecture. This is another aspect of colonialism that this research hopes to challenge - whether African traditional  architecture could have stood on its own, without European influence. 

It is already known that African architecture, in Ethiopia and Zimbabwe, was a great force in architecture globally, in the early centuries, therefore questioning whether colonialism helped or disturbed the development of African traditional  architecture. Colonization stands at the heart of what is now a reformed Africa. 

The reason why colonization had to take place is down to four simple reasons which are economic, humanitarian, prestige, and strategic. It is important to remember that every single aspect of colonization has hugely influenced the way the rest of the world, and in particular Western culture, perceives Africans and their culture. Raw materials such as cotton were of great interest to colonists who saw an opportunity to boost their economies. 

The exploitation of minerals in Africa created extraordinary wealth for colonizing countries. Investors saw an opportunity to make personal fortunes by financing the establishment of the colonies. Through colonization came slavery, which provided cheap labor and increased profits and consequently boosted the wealth of the colonizer. 

The fact that many Africans were enslaved in the process seemed to show that Africans are inferior, and Westerners are superior, and this is a trend that still lingers. What colonization has done is set a standard of living that is considered normal, and due to poverty, many postcolonial African locations, as well as institutions, do not fit this category, and therefore they are not in the norms of European standards. 

Consequently, they fall victim to the inferiority that leads to stereotypes. However, the question stands, do Africans need to live by European standards, or can they be proud of their own heritage? An essay written by David Washburn further emphasized this view, as he acknowledged the impact of colonization by stating, “To name the world is to 'understand' it, to know it and to have control over it" (David Washburn, 1997) - this was a statement made regarding Europeans being the founders of the name Africa and shows how colonialism insinuates superiority over its colonies. 

Motsoko Pheko describes the condition of Africa as, “Torn away from his past, propelled into a universe fashioned from outside that suppresses his values, and dumbfounded by a cultural invasion that marginalizes him. 

The African is today the deformed image of others." (Motsoko Pheko, 2012). This statement shows that Africans are losing their identity by emulating their colonizers. By constantly emulating a different culture, one becomes completely dependent on it, and therefore the original history and creativity that should have stood by themselves, are lost. 

It is this dependence that has allowed westerners to believe that African culture and architecture cannot be sustained on their own. This is a stereotype that has been passed down for centuries, to believe that Africans are incapable of building an urban, contemporary city without the helping hand of the West and China. When the West and the Chinese get involved in the construction of African cities, it is not to accommodate the rich culture and existing architecture, it is simply a copy-and-paste design of what is known to be perfect, and that is Western architectural styles.

Architecture in South Africa has been heavily inspired by European ideology and culture. A very good example of this architectural imitation is the town hall building in Cape Town. The town hall in Cape Town represents a great turning point in South African history. It was on the balcony of this building that Nelson Mandela delivered his first public speech after his release from prison. 

There are several aspects of this piece of architecture that show its European roots, and the interesting thing about the design is that none of it reflects South Africa or its people. It is in fact an almost exact copy of any traditional town hall seen in England. 

The town hall was built in 1905 by an architectural company called Reid and Green. It is located on the grand parade, which is the main public square in Cape Town, with the railway station within walking distance. The building was built in the Italian Renaissance style, which is not a style that celebrates South Africa’s culture or represents its habitants in any way. 

The Renaissance architectural period took place between the 15th and 17th centuries in various European regions, to revive and develop many elements of ancient Greek and Roman culture. This architectural style was imported to South Africa and does not honor South African Heritage. It is possible to say that a vast part of Cape Town tells a European story rather than a South African one. 

It is therefore not an example of South African architecture, but rather an imposed architectural style that is very different from South Africa’s traditional architecture. An interesting point regarding Cape Town city hall is the way it was designed. Not only is it European-styled architecture, but most of the building’s materials, fixtures, and fittings were imported from Europe to give it a completely European feel. 

The town hall has thirty-nine impressive bells, which makes it the largest carillon in South Africa. However, these bells were also imported from Loughborough in England by a company called Taylors Bell Foundry which is the largest working bell foundry in the world. This is another aspect of this architecture that shows colonial domination and how it has partly erased South Africa’s traditional identity. 

This view is also a view shared by Fassil Demissie, as he says, “Colonial architecture and urbanism carved its way through space, ordering and classifying the built environment while projecting the authority of European powers across South Africa in the name of science and progress.“ (Fassil Demissie, n.d.) This quote clearly shows his position regarding the impact of colonization in South Africa. The West aims to unify Europe and South Africa in a way that only glorifies its superiority in the name of colonialism.

The biggest problem with colonization, as already established in this research, is the idea of one being superior to another. However, the biggest issue now remaining is the effect of post-colonization. Since Westerners have sought to establish their importance and superiority over Africans for years, Africans began to believe in their own inferiority to Europeans (www.newobserveronline.com, 2013). 

A personal, four-week observation was carried out in an orphanage in Uganda that emphasizes this theory. In this orphanage, there were eleven white volunteers and one black volunteer. 

The interesting thing about this observation was the fact that the children were intrigued by white skin. Their assumption was that every white volunteer was very wealthy, and as a result, the children began begging for presents on an almost weekly basis. It was no secret that they admired Western culture more than their own. 

During an interview with a Ugandan teenager at the orphanage, it became obvious that their biggest dream was to live in Europe and experience European culture. This observation was crucial as it shows young children idealizing the prospect of being Europeans from an early age. These children dressed and behaved like Westerners, and this is, without doubt, an effect of colonization. 

Certain Africans, like the children at the orphanage, have accepted the stereotype of having an inferior culture and architecture compared to that of Westerners, and that is a huge problem in need of eradication. In order to get a different perspective and validity on this issue, a question was passed out to a group of fifty architecture students in Kampala University, in the capital of Uganda. The questionnaire simply asked the students to write in brief how much impact Western culture has had on their own architectural practice. 

One particular response stood out which said, “I get my inspiration mostly from previous famous and current European architects because they provide the best contemporary architecture that not many Africans can do, especially here in Uganda.” This response validates the point raised in the argument, that not only have Africans accepted the stereotypes that brand them as inferior, but they have also accepted that their own architecture is weak compared to Western designs. 

This is also a view shared by Tom Burell, as he says in his book, “Why, despite our apparent strength, intelligence, and resourcefulness do we continue to lag behind and languish in so many aspects of American life?” (Tom Burell 2010, p.13) The same concern is also raised by Oluwaseun Idowu. In his blog, he says, “Our race has been so stigmatized with being inferior that it has affected our mentalities and perceptions about ourselves. 

We strongly believe that anything foreign is very superior to what we produce or what exists here in the continent.” (Oluwaseun Idowu, 2013) This quote emphasizes the effect of post-colonialism, and the way it has not only impacted the way Africans are perceived around the world but has also impacted the way Africans see themselves. They believe that their culture and intellectual ability are not to a high standard. 

This mentality has given support to the traditional stereotypes that the current, Western generation has in mind when mentioning Africa. The important thing here for Africans to understand is that Westerners have capitalized on their own culture and did not seek to change it in any way. Instead, they made it appealing and celebrated it on a daily basis. This is the approach that Africans must take regarding their culture and architecture, which is a heritage to be proud of.

“What African architecture could look like without western influence?” 

Firstly, it’s important to understand the previous great African architecture, and with that understanding, we begin to get a clear picture of what uninterrupted African architecture could look like. So, this section will briefly study the Kingdom of Aksum now known as Ethiopia as the basis for imagining African futuristic architecture. 

This section not only seeks to disprove stereotypes and the idea of architectural inferiority but also seeks to show how African architecture could look when we take into consideration what has previously been established. 

The results of this chapter should therefore resurrect the confidence that was lost through many years of believing the opposite. The Kingdom of Aksum which existed approximately between the years 100-940 AD was an important trading nation in an area now known as Northern Ethiopia. 

Located in the north-eastern portion of Ethiopia, the Kingdom of Aksum sat on a high plateau, 7200 ft above sea level, and during the first century, the Kingdom of Aksum traded actively on the Red Sea coast. 

The Kingdom of Aksum began to rapidly rise in the early centuries of its existence by trading its vast agricultural resources, and gold and ivory, throughout the Red Sea network, through the port of Adulis, which was then transported to the Roman Empire. After becoming the first major empire to convert to Christianity, the Kingdom of Aksum, along with the Roman Empire, became even more powerful, which made it an even more respectable nation in the early centuries. 

It has become clear that this African nation was muchly respected, and was seen as an important nation, in contrast to what has been thought of any African nation. Clear that early Aksumite architecture was advanced for its time, and this is a massive contrast to what is known as traditional  African architecture. When talking about traditional  architecture in Africa, it is almost automatic to think of mud huts and straw shelters. 

Although it is indeed true that this form of architecture does exist, it is equally important to point out the early modern architecture that was just as good, if not better, than the European architecture of that time. 

This architecture only begs the question of whether colonialism was the best thing for a country that was already progressing without European influence. The Kingdom of Aksum presents some fantastic architecture, as supported by Kris Hirst, who says, “in Aksum itself, impressive structures were built,” (Kris Hirst, n.d.). 

It is unfortunate that Aksumite architecture is unknown to many people, and as Stuart Munro-Hay mentions in his book, “In most of the recent, general histories of Africa or of the Roman world, Aksum is either not mentioned at all, or is noted in brief summaries culled from earlier works” (Stuart Monru-Hay, 1991 pp.6). 

It is evident that the world is not aware of this brilliant, African architecture, which is a problem, because it leaves people with a poor image of European-colonized Africa. With this understanding, let's try to imagine what futuristic African architecture could look like. The first idea was to imagine a building that would relate to its origins, simply by using clay as a construction method. 

This is the same method that was used to build the great mosque of Djenné in Mali, which gave a starting point for reimagining the African architecture of the future. This method of construction can be seen throughout Africa, especially in most villages. 

Without Western influence, African architecture would have further developed the use of rammed earth, as it was already the main method in ancient Africa. The material is known to be environmentally friendly and has a minimal carbon footprint, which is exactly what modern architecture is looking for today. 

The material used has greatly influenced the result, which has irregular organic forms that almost mimic the African way of life. There is nothing regular about pure African architecture, and this design seeks to follow that concept with its irregular forms. It is obvious that without Western influence, African architecture would have a unique identity, and the cities would be in harmony with nature. 

Beautiful architecture is subjective, but identity is as unique as DNA. This artwork highlights the importance of finding one's identity through architecture. A building can speak for itself and describe its inhabitants with few words. The question is: can we look at a building and identify its origins? 

Architecture plays an essential role in how we perceive cultures, and the idea is to reimagine an Africa built with a strong sense of heritage, with the aim of evoking emotions and a sense of joy at the authenticity of the work that can take us all back to our childhood. So this is what African architecture would look like without Western influence.

It would have its own identity that is undoubtedly recognizable around the world with its organic forms and sense of nature at the heart of every design. Without Western influence, African architecture would not be as generic, with some buildings looking more and more like Western cities. Ultimately, the best way to describe what African architecture might have been without Western influence, and identity would be more important. 

The architecture would be able to stand on its own and represent its people much better than a typical modern skyscraper can. It would contain modern technology, but without the typical materials and design style that can easily confuse an African city with a Western city. Finally, African architecture will instill a sense of pride that will lead to the creation of other great African architecture. 

The purpose of this research was to examine and look at whether colonialism has helped African culture and architecture. In order to achieve this, it was important to look at the impact of colonialism. This was very significant as the evidence allowed me to analyze some of the problems that came with colonialism. 

As mentioned already in this Research, colonialism has created a certain type of stereotype against African culture and architecture. This then gave room to tackle these stereotypes and disprove them.