Dahlia Nduom

Dahlia Nduom is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Architecture at Howard University and Adjunct Assistant Professor at Columbia GSAPP for the Fall 2021 semester. She received a BA in Architecture and Visual Studies from the University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Architecture degree from Columbia University. She is a licensed architect whose professional experience spans the US and Ghana, previously working with Stan Allen Architect (NYC), PKSB Architects (NYC), and Adjaye Associates (Ghana) before starting her own research based studio, Dahlia Nduom Design. In addition to her experiences at Howard and Columbia Universities, she has taught at Ashesi University in Ghana.

Her work investigates the relationship between history, culture, and perception and their impact on the architecture of the African Diaspora. Her research in this context focuses on the architectural evolution of dwelling spaces in the African Diaspora. She examines cultural, economic, social, political, and sustainability issues to understand the spatial practices and systems occurring in the home and their role in what it means to dwell. Her current work is focused on Caribbean architecture and the role of the image, archive, and memory in the framing of the exotic vs the realities of the development of dwelling architecture in touristed landscapes. She has presented and published her work nationally and internationally. She received the National Organization of Minority Architects (NOMA) Honor Award: Unbuilt Category in 2017 for her work exploring the multi-family apartment typology in a Ghanaian context. Her work is currently on display as part of the New Blood 2021 exhibition at the ArchiAfrika Pavilion, taking place as part of the European Cultural Centre’s Time Space Existence exhibition in Venice alongside the 17th International Architecture Exhibition, La Biennale di Venezia. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Neighborhood Design Center in Maryland where she contributes as an advocate for affordable housing and community engagement.