Swahili architecture
[1] What is today seen as typically Swahili architecture is still very visible in the thriving urban centers of Mombasa, Lamu and Malindi in Kenya and Songo Mnara, Kilwa Kisiwani, and Zanzibar in Tanzania.
The distribution of Swahili architecture and towns provides important clues about trade relationships among different regions and societal systems.
[2] Exotic ornament and design elements also connect the architecture of the Swahili coast to other Islamic port cities.
[3] Along the coast of East Africa, one can find many stone monuments built by the Swahili, including houses, pillar tombs, and mosques.
The materiality of local corallimestone marks the signature building language of Swahili architecture and provides a functional response towards both human needs and the physical environment.
The decorative designs on the building façade are influenced from a mix of cultures from mainland Africa and inspiration from Arabia and Indian immigrants.
[6] Lamu is the oldest living town on eastern coast of Kenya and one of the best well-preserved archeological sites of Swahili architecture.
Locating on the south side of Pate Island near Lamu and dating from the mid-8th century AD, Shanga is an ancient Swahili settlement built of mud and thatch.
Stone building was introduced in the early to mid-tenth century, through using a technology that cuts porites coral from the sea bed.
According to archeologist Mark Horton, "all the surviving stone houses at Shanga are of a single storey with walls of coral rag and lime between 0.38 m and 0.45 m thick.
With various influences from different communities like the Omanis, Arabs, Portuguese and Indians, Mombasa is drastically losing its identity as a Swahili Town.
[5][10] The traditional Swahili architecture in Mombasa exhibits unique strategies on both building and urban scales, as a response to the challenging climate of monsoon seasons.
[10] Most Swahili architecture in Mombasa are built of coral stones, which are readily available along the coast and have a low embodied energy.
3D model of Songo Mnara Kilwa Kisiwani is a city-state site located along the southern coast of present-day Tanzania.
Each Mitaa shares a standard Islamic plan, with a large mosque in the center with main streets running off in four directions from its vicinity.
[21] Local Swahili employed raw materials, including coconut palm founds, coral rag, lime, and mangrove poles, to elaborate multi-storied stone buildings.
The doors of Zanzibar architecture are distinguished in a sense that they reflect the indigenous Swahili culture and subsequent influences from Arabians, Indians and others.
