G.A.S. Lagos

About

G.A.S. Lagos is our primary residency facility, located in Oniru, a district of Victoria Island close to its business and entertainment centres. Our residencies and programmes here support research and project development for creative practitioners and cultural workers in arts, design, archival practice, curatorial practice, and research. We host three residents at a time for residencies of up to three months, welcoming participants from around the world at all career stages, from emerging to established.

Residents at G.A.S. Lagos demonstrate a clear interest in engaging with the specific cultural context and local environment of Lagos. As our residencies focus on research and practice development, we generally do not require a final outcome. However, we encourage residents to think about how they can engage meaningfully with the local community—through masterclasses, workshops, talks, or other forms of knowledge-sharing with students, peers, or the public. These community engagement activities contribute directly to G.A.S. Foundation’s public programme.

G.A.S. Lagos Building

The award winning G.A.S. Lagos residency building integrates traditional Yoruba and Brutalist architectural principles, combining local heritage with contemporary design. Designed by Ghanaian British architect Elsie Owusu in collaboration with Nigerian architect Nihinlola Shonibare, it incorporates the communal layout of traditional Yoruba dwellings, where spaces often centre around an open area called àjà or ilé (compound). It also takes inspiration from Japanese architect Tadao Ando’s use of raw, unfinished concrete, creating a space that interacts with light and shadow.

The building features a multifunctional studio and event space alongside an event kitchen on the ground floor, arranged around a central courtyard used for performances and gatherings. The first floor provides accommodation and shared living spaces for up to three residents, while the second floor houses the private residence of Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. An exterior ramp ensures the building remains fully accessible to all visitors and users.

G.A.S. Library and Picton Archive

In 2022 G.A.S. received a donation of a lifelong personal library from Professor John Picton and Sue Picton. The scope of the collection includes the visual arts of Sub-Saharan Africa (sculpture, masquerade, textiles), publications dealing with history and archaeology (including Saharan rock art); as well as African American and Black British arts, and more.⁠

The books totalling some 1500 volumes are being digitally catalogued and shipped to Nigeria in batches to be housed at G.A.S. Foundation’s Lagos building in purpose-built library cabinets as an open resource for residents and researchers in Nigeria.

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