The Africa Centre
Located in the heart of Southwark, The Africa Centre has long served as a cultural beacon for the African continent and its diaspora. For its newly refurbished home on Great Suffolk Street, Tola Ojuolape Studio was commissioned to bring warmth, tactility, and a powerful sense of place to the interior design.
The Africa Centre
The Africa Centre is a cultural hub championing the cause of the African continent and its diaspora since 1961. Its refurbishment on Great Suffolk Street, London will be the new home for the centre’s housing functions and activities across various levels in the building.
Tola was appointed to lead the interiors look and feel for the refurbishment of the space.
Having travelled to various parts of the Africa over the past decade, her response to the brief was rooted in honouring and unfolding the continent’s sense of place through craftsmanship, materiality, tactility and the warmth it evokes.
From the onset, we wanted to create a space that celebrated contemporary African design, a hub where everyone is welcome and an environment where Africans and its diaspora can truly feel at home.
Some of the artisans and designers we worked with include Kenyan and UK based designers Studio Propolis, Senegalese Textiles Maven Aissa Dionne, South African Lighting Designers Mash T Design Studio and many more.
The project was made possible with the involvement of esteemed Architect and Project Manager Annette Fisher and Tapiwa Mutsinde, curator of African design at Atelier 55 alongside the architects Freehaus led by Jonathan Hagos AJ Rising star 40 under 40 and CCM Project Director Robert Vaughn
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Materiality and tactility was at the heart of the project. Walls throughout are finished in Clayworks natural clay plasters, including a custom indigo textured plaster as a nod to West African dyeing traditions used prominently in the stairwell and gallery areas.
Natural handmade sun breakers feature around the restaurant, while sandy tones, terracotta hues, and FSC-certified timber surfaces ground the space in warmth and cultural resonance. The interiors span a restaurant, bar, gallery, and event space – each designed to feel lived-in, soulful, and unmistakably African.
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Furniture and styling spotlight African craftsmanship and contemporary design. Bespoke live-edge tables by John Alfredo Harris, seating by Moroso and Wiid Design, and woven elements by artisans across the continent form a vibrant, textural mix. Pieces include woven pendant lights, indigo textiles, and patterned upholstery, creating a welcoming, culturally rich environment.
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Procurement focused on ethical sourcing, sustainability, and storytelling. Artisans from across Africa contributed handmade elements, coordinated with support from African art curator Tapiwa Matsinde. Locally in the UK, Clayworks collaborated on custom finishes. All pieces were delivered to spec, resulting in a cohesive space that reflects both heritage and innovation.
‘Our clear vision for the Africa Centre's new home was for a building which captured the bold freshness of contemporary Africa; showcased interiors which were rooted in the colours, textures and crafts of Africa but were not bound by them; invited the visitor to dwell and relax in a timeless way. We believe that Tola has realised our vision with an authenticity that will stand the test of time.’
- Oba Nsugbe SAN QC (Chairman The Africa Centre)
As seen In
The Guardian - July 2022
Domino Mag - Aug 2022
Spaces Mag - Aug 2022
Interior Designer Magazine - Jan 2023
Frame - Jan 2023
Awards
Shortlisted Frame Award 2023.
Finalist of Beyond Hospitality with Hospitality Design Award 2023.
Winner Architects’ Journal Retrofit Award 2023