"The more local materials you use..."
Earlier this year, the first African (and first Black person) won the Pritzker prize, architecture’s equivalent of the Nobel Prize. Diébédo Francis Kéré hails from Burkina Faso, and he strongly advocates for the role of design in creating “peaceful cities.”
Kéré was said to be the first child in the village of Gando to be sent to school – his father was a chief and sent him to live with his uncle in the city so that he could learn to read. Kéré went on to become a carpenter and later moved to Germany to do an apprenticeship. This led him to study architecture at the Technical University of Berlin, graduating just 18 years ago. During his time in Germany, he and his friends created Kéré Foundation, to fund the construction of a school in his village. It was his first building, and saw him using traditional techniques to enhance the building. He used local clay, enlisted children to help gather stones, asked women to bring water to make bricks. The finished building was cooler, and more pleasant than the conventional alternatives.
“The more local materials you use, the better you can promote the local economy and (build) local knowledge, which also makes people proud.”
Notably, Kéré designed the central building for Burkina Faso’s National Assembly after it burned down in 2014’s uprising. Kéré’s innovative proposal included a stepped pyramid with an exterior that created a public space for citizens. The idea was that the building would be built into the fabric of the city, and beloved, so that no one would ever want to burn it down. He saw it to be a symbol of transparency and inclusiveness, worthy of a new government, showcasing the country’s agricultural achievements.
What strikes me about Kéré was just how unique his perspective is in the architectural world. As we work in rural Zambia, we’ve built schools, latrines, offices, rainwater harvests, blind walls, and so much more! While we often defer to local builders, we have always valued how much they prioritize local materials that can be sourced and made in the village itself. Recently, we’ve brought in recycled goods and worked with local women in order to build basic walls. What I appreciate about Kéré is just how much he is working to bridge the divide between the architectural world, and traditional methods that are just as valuable. As he said so perfectly after winning the award:
“Sometimes the western world – and how it communicates – makes things in the west (appear to) be the best. And they are perceived by others to be the best, without taking into account that local materials can be the solution to the climate crisis and can be our best alternative in terms of socio-economic (development).”
Congratulations to him on this huge achievement!
-Reshma