ABSTRACT
Throughout his career, Arieh Sharon's office participated in several major international architectural competitions. He also was asked by the Turkish government to consult on the design of hospital buildings, a field in which he had attained considerable expertise. However, the most substantial involvement of Sharon's office in architectural projects outside of Israel was in Ife, Nigeria. In 1961, Sharon was commissioned by the Israeli construction company Solel Boneh to design the masterplan for Ife University in western Nigeria. Sharon came up with a plan that took into consideration the site's climatic conditions and, no less importantly, the culture of the Yoruba tribe that populated the region. Before his involvement in Ife ended in 1976, Sharon's office designed seven additional buildings, including the university's administration building, general assembly hall, several faculty buildings, a library and the vice-chancellor's residence. This chapter outlines Sharon's professional activities outside of Israel, particularly in Ife, and discusses the ways in which he imported and integrated modernist ideas into the West African landscape.
