In a poignant tribute to a long-overlooked group of World War I heroes, Lagos-based Oshinowo Studio has revealed designs for an innovative glass war memorial to be erected atop an existing stone plinth designed by renowned British architect Sir Edwin Lutyens in Freetown, Sierra Leone. Commissioned by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC), the memorial will honor the 946 fallen members of the Sierra Leone Carrier Corps, men who played a critical but underrecognized role in transporting supplies and materials during the First World War. The project, set to begin construction later this year, marks a significant step in commemorating these unsung heroes and ensuring their legacy resonates across Sierra Leone.

The memorial, situated in a courtyard flanked by government buildings, is designed to complement the existing Lutyens plinth, constructed in 1930 to commemorate fallen soldiers of the war. While the original monument lists the names of soldiers, it omitted those of the Carrier Corps, whose vital contributions were essential to the war effort but rarely acknowledged. Oshinowo Studio’s design seeks to rectify this historical oversight, offering a visually and conceptually striking addition to the site.

“The main concept for the memorial was to find a way to very strongly, conceptually, visually, and materially pay homage, and give some kind of celebrated acknowledgment for the Carrier Corps who had not previously been commemorated,” said Tosin Oshinowo, founder of Oshinowo Studio, in an interview with Dezeen. The studio’s design is both a tribute to the past and a symbol of resilience, reflecting Sierra Leone’s commitment to honoring its history while fostering a collective sense of remembrance.

The Freetown memorial is a bold architectural intervention, featuring four structural glass panels rising nine meters atop the Lutyens plinth. Each panel will be etched with the names of the 946 Carrier Corps members, whose identities were meticulously uncovered through collaborative efforts between CWGC historians and local heritage consultants. The choice of materials—stone and glass—creates a powerful contrast, symbolizing the permanence of the original structure and the ethereal, almost fleeting quality of the new addition.

“The relationship between stone and glass was selected to reflect a feeling of permanence of the existing structure, and a more ephemeral nature of the addition to the monument which would have the names of the Carrier Corps,” Oshinowo explained. This interplay of materials underscores the memorial’s dual role: grounding the site in its historical context while elevating the memory of the Carrier Corps with a modern, translucent tribute.

Adding to the memorial’s evocative design, a beacon of light will be integrated at its core, projecting a beam visible from a 2.5-kilometer radius. This feature ensures the monument’s presence extends beyond its physical boundaries, serving as a citywide symbol of remembrance. “As the site sits in a restricted area, with public access limited, we wanted to ensure the monument remains as a symbol for all people across Freetown,” Oshinowo noted.

Recognizing the broader regional significance of the Carrier Corps, Oshinowo Studio’s design extends beyond the capital. Four additional satellite memorials will be constructed in the provinces from which the Corps members were enlisted, creating a network of remembrance that connects rural communities to the national narrative. These satellite sites, designed in harmony with the Freetown memorial, aim to foster a sense of shared history and pride among Sierra Leoneans, particularly in areas where the Corps’ contributions were deeply felt.

This approach aligns with the CWGC’s evolving mission to engage local communities in the commemoration process. The commission, established in 1917 to honor the 1.7 million Commonwealth men and women who died in the two World Wars, has increasingly emphasized inclusive and participatory designs. The Freetown memorial project represents a pioneering co-design process, ensuring that the places, people, and events commemorated reflect the lived experiences of Sierra Leoneans.

The Freetown memorial is a landmark project for Oshinowo Studio, marking the first time a West African architect—and a woman—has designed a memorial for the CWGC. Tosin Oshinowo, celebrated for her innovative designs such as an Adidas store in Lagos wrapped in perforated aluminum and a “solid and porous” villa, brings a fresh perspective to the commission’s storied architectural legacy. Her design not only pays tribute to the Carrier Corps but also reimagines the role of war memorials in fostering collective memory and resilience.

“Honoring the past, shaping the future, our design for the Freetown memorial stands not only as a tribute to the fallen, those who lost their lives during the First World War, but as a symbol of Sierra Leoneans’ collective commemoration, representing the cost of war and a people’s resilience, as well as the global commitment to peace for generations to come,” Oshinowo said in a statement shared by the CWGC.

The Sierra Leone Carrier Corps, composed primarily of local men enlisted to support the Allied forces, played an indispensable role during World War I. Tasked with carrying supplies, ammunition, and equipment across challenging terrains, these men enabled military operations but often faced harsh conditions and significant risks. Their contributions, however, were largely omitted from official records and memorials, a gap that the new Freetown memorial seeks to address.

The CWGC’s efforts to document the names of the 946 fallen Corps members highlight the commission’s commitment to confronting past inequalities. As noted in a recent CWGC post on X, “This period of Sierra Leone’s history is under-recognized globally in narratives dealing with the First World War, with few photographs and limited archival records. The new memorial offers a form of redress, and creates a permanent home to honor the men.”

The Freetown memorial joins a global network of CWGC sites, many of which were designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens, one of the commission’s principal architects. Lutyens, renowned for iconic works like the Cenotaph in London and the Thiepval Memorial in France, set a high standard for war memorial design with his emphasis on simplicity, dignity, and universality. The Freetown plinth, originally erected in 1930, is a testament to his enduring influence, and Oshinowo’s addition builds on this legacy while introducing a distinctly African voice to the narrative.

Construction of the memorial is slated to begin in 2025, with completion expected to coincide with significant commemorative events, including Remembrance Day in November. The beacon of light, visible across Freetown, will be lit on key dates, such as Armistice Day, to mark the end of World War I and honor the sacrifices of the Carrier Corps and other servicemen.

The Freetown memorial is more than a monument; it is a call to remember and reflect on the human cost of war. By integrating modern design with historical reverence, Oshinowo Studio has crafted a space that speaks to both the past and the future. As Sierra Leone continues to navigate its post-colonial identity, the memorial stands as a beacon of resilience, unity, and remembrance, ensuring that the contributions of the Carrier Corps are never forgotten.

For more information on the project, visit the Commonwealth War Graves Commission at www.cwgc.org or Oshinowo Studio at www.oshinowostudio.com.

The visualisation is by Hayes Davidson.