Get curated editors’ picks, peeks behind the scenes, film recommendations and more.
Developed amid British colonisation in the 1940s, Tropical Modernist architecture adapted the simple designs and functional philosophy of Bauhaus for the climate of West Africa. Following decolonisation, the style evolved to become a symbol of a newly free Ghana before being abandoned in the 1960s amid political and economic collapse. This short documentary from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London captures the complicated legacy of Tropical Modernism while looking ahead to the potential for ‘a future African architecture’ that captures the spirit of its people and responds to the changing climate. Featuring images of significant structures born of the movement, and commentary from scholars and other experts, the film frames architecture as both a form of cultural expression and an inevitably political act.
Video by the Victoria and Albert Museum
Directors: Christopher Turner, Bushra Mohamed, Nana Biamah-Ofosu
Producers: Holly Hyams, Justine Sambrook
video
War and peace
‘She is living on in many hearts’ – Otto Frank on the legacy of his daughter’s diary
12 minutes
video
Art
Why Diego Velázquez needed a lifetime to paint his enigmatic masterpiece
31 minutes
video
Earth science and climate
There’s a ‘climate bomb’ ticking beneath the Arctic ice. How can we prepare?
8 minutes
video
Political philosophy
The radical activist couple who fought for social change in the courtroom
21 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
When a burial for slave trade victims is unearthed, a small island faces a reckoning
29 minutes
video
Technology and the self
A haunting scene from ‘Minority Report’ inspires a voyage into time and memory
7 minutes
video
Family life
The stream-of-consciousness thoughts and memories that emerge while cooking a meal
5 minutes
video
Ecology and environmental sciences
GPS tracking reveals stunning insights into the patterns of migratory birds
6 minutes
video
Human rights and justice
Can providing humanitarian aid be illegal? A troubling case from the US-Mexico border
17 minutes