Africa Quote by Rem Koolhaas
“Lagos has also had a particular effect on my career. I was there early, and although it was a courageous step to go there and invest on this scale - I went there maybe 20 times - it's also been also super-controversial. There's an old school of thought that somebody like me has no place to go there.Because of colonialism and so on.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: Architectural Review, 2015
Working in Lagos was both pioneering and controversial, confronting colonial legacies while expanding professional horizons.
In simple terms: Lagos offered risk and reward, challenging norms.
Key Takeaway
Embrace bold moves despite criticism.
Themes
architecture
colonialism
career
risk
Mood
determined
critical
Type
professional
reflective
When to use this quote
- career planning
- global projects
- cultural engagement
Key Concepts
Urbanism
post‑colonial critique
Questions to Reflect On
- What drives you to work in contentious places?
- How can architecture address colonial histories?
A Different Perspective
Controversy may hinder progress.
![“Lagos was a city that had been turned against itself. There was a bridge that became the perfect trap for crimes, which began with nails being scattered to cause flat tyres. If the driver stopped, the car would be dismantled in 20 minutes and the parts thrown overboard [to people waiting below]…” quote by Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/05d/rem-koolhaas-5371_bridges_lagos-was-a-city-that-had-been-turned-ag_1402665.jpg)
![“[ifemelu] did not think so, but she was no longer sure. She was no longer sure what was new in Lagos and what was new in herself.” quote by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/bf4/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie-505_quote_ifemelu-did-not-think-so-but-she-was-no_1821101.jpg)
![“That has been another interesting discovery: that basically a city [Lagos] could recover from a really deep, deep, deep pit.” quote by Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/61e/rem-koolhaas-5371_cities_that-has-been-another-interesting-discov_15915.jpg)
![“The beauty of my profession [architecture] lies in its randomness and surprise. And don't think I can choose my projects. I have to build what's offered to me.” quote by Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/712/rem-koolhaas-5371_architecture_the-beauty-of-my-profession-architecture_97486.jpg)
![“Nigeria [in 1990] was all rumour, an unbelievable amount of rumour - largely about crime and almost mythical manifestations of evil.” quote by Rem Koolhaas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/72f/rem-koolhaas-5371_amount_nigeria-in-1990-was-all-rumour-an-unbeli_125862.jpg)
