Yoruba State and Community Architecture

    We have studied the multitude of ways that Architectural buildings in different cultures are designed as well as the reason behind their structures, but not much attention is given to traditional architecture outside of buildings. In Yoruba traditional architecture, we are able to see how non-standard forms of architecture come to life, and how this form of architecture reflects the difference and similarities between royal architecture and more communitarian-based architecture. 

This is a depiction of the traditional Oyo Palace 

    Like many African architectures, the Yoruba architectures are evanescent. This is because they consist largely of impermanent materials like mud, palm oil, gardens, plants, and other natural materials that can easily disintegrate. So while traditional Yoruba architectural structures have influenced many European histories, they no longer stand today. These evanescent structures reveal connections between royalty and the rest of the community in the traditional Yoruba society. The ruler of a Yoruba society, the "oba" or the "Alaafin" usually builds their palace at the center of the Yoruba Kingdom. This shows the importance of royals to the rest of the people. 

    As depicted in the image above, the traditional Yoruba communities usually rotate or are in a circular pattern with the king's palace located at the center. This can also serve as a form of protection for the royal family because you have to get through the rest of the town to be able to reach the king at the center. The marketplace is also an example of a Yoruba architectural structure that is usually built at the center of the town, reflecting the significance of the well-being of the people. 

Short Annotated bibliography:

    - Osasona, C. O. Ornamentation in Yoruba Folk Architecture : a Catalogue of Architectural Features, Ornamental Motifs and Techniques. Bookbuilders, Editions Africa, 2005.

    - Umoru-Oke, N. “Risawe’s Palace, Ilesa Nigeria: Traditional Yoruba Architecture as Socio-Cultural and Religious Symbols.” African Research Review, vol. 4, no. 3, 2010, https://doi.org/10.4314/afrrev.v4i3.60187.

    - B. Falade “Yoruba Palace Gardens” Garden History, Vol. 18, No. 1 (Spring, 1990), pp. 47-56.

    - Yoruba Architecture: https://medium.com/@bogzy96/vernacular-architecture-7452b1137af

    - Adeyemo, A. A., et al. “A Semiotic Perspective of the House Concept in Yoruba Architecture.” IOP Conference Series. Earth and Environmental Science, vol. 1054, no. 1, 2022, p. 012016, https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/1054/1/012016.

    - Ojo, Sanya. “Making Markets with the Dead: Residential Burial Among the Yoruba.” Journal of Consumer Behaviour, vol. 16, no. 6, 2017, pp. 591–604, https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1660.