Nigerian designer Nifemi Marcus-Bello is known for his community-led, ethnographic-conscious design approach; his strengths lie in material experimentation to pursue new forms and typologies while leaning on a keen interest in manufacturing, production availability, habits, and history.

Nifemi Marcus-Bello is a designer based in Lagos, Nigeria. Known for his community-led, ethnographic-conscious design approach, his strengths lie in the exploitation of materials to pursue new forms and typologies, allowing him to create truly unique products, forms, and experiences while leaning on a keen interest in manufacturing, production availability, habits and history. In 2022, Nifemi was awarded the Hublot LVMH Design Prize and in 2021, the “Life Enhancer of the Year” award by Wallpaper* Magazine. 

Nifemi graduated from the University of Leeds with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Product Design, receiving the “Potential for Social Change” award from the University.

Waf Kiosk is a modular and interactive kiosk designed to be used for flash retail experiences for skateboarding brand, Waf.

Leaning toward the evolution of the brand and its use of natural materials and tones, the idea was to design a space that would embrace a singular and humble material, in this case bamboo. The choice of bamboo was inspired by locally made Beninese blinds called “kosinlé ”, which is a prominent staple in interior spaces in homes located in Porto-Novo, Benin.

While the kiosk is in use, clothes are hung above eye level to pay homage to Lagos’ “streetwear” vendors, “Okrika”, who have created an architectural archetype to the selling of bootleg and secondhand clothing across Lagos.

Modular in its function due to its hexagonal shape, the final design is able to create a variety of setups allowing modularity in not just its form but its experience.