In this conversation, architect, researcher, and educator Paolo Cascone, and contributor Maddalena Laddaga reflects on the ideas and practices developed in his book African Fabbers Atlas: Manual of Synthetic Vernacular Architecture (Actar Publishers, 2025). Drawing from years of work with CODESIGNLAB and the African Fabbers School, Cascone presents Africa not as a peripheral testing ground, but as a generator of architectural knowledge capable of addressing global ecological and social challenges.
The discussion explores how the atlas emerged through thematic and technological mapping techniques that trace the interrelation between climate, available materials, local tectonics, and collective building practices. More than a book or manifesto, the project is presented as an evolving system for engaging with communities, rethinking ecological design, and challenging deterministic architectural models through cultural, anthropological, and spatial knowledge.
