Crowned with the architecture world's highest distinction, the Pritzker Prize, Diebedo Francis Kere works in close relation with communities and ecology.
With his local and participatory approach, he brings social and sustainable dimensions to his work in architecture – themes that are core to future concerns.
Kere was awarded the Pritzker Prize on March 15, becoming the first African architect to receive the profession's highest honour.
The 57-year-old architect is a pioneer in sustainable construction for the benefit of local populations. From local materials to ventilation systems, insulation and techniques inspired by biomimicry, the architect thrives on architectural projects with social and ecological dimensions.
This approach has led him to build clinics, museums and schools around the world, from Berlin to Gando, his native village in Burkina Faso.
The Kere Architecture website details the studio's local and participatory approach. Consciously pioneering, it is by imagining sustainable solutions that the team has sought new ways of working with materials and new techniques.
Here's a look at three of the architect's projects.
Serpentine Pavilion
Kere created a steel and wood structure in 2017 for the Serpentine Gallery's architecture pavilion in London. The structure itself resembles a large tree in the centre of a village, and was, in fact, inspired by the one in the architect's native village. It's a place that he says serves as a link between members of the community, while also providing a connection with nature.
Gando Primary School
The architectural firm built an elementary school in Kere's childhood village in 2001. Taking into account climatic, geographic and feasibility issues, the architects created a sustainable structure by studying and incorporating ways of using natural light and ventilation. Ten years later, a library is being connected to the elementary school. It is built with eucalyptus wood.
Startup Lions Campus
Completed last year, the Startup Lions Campus is located on the shores of Lake Turkana, Kenya. The building was designed to fit the slope of the hill. The shape of the structure was inspired by the mounds built by termite colonies in the area, creating a natural ventilation system through biomimicry. This campus seeks to address the issue of youth unemployment in the region by training young people in telecommunications technologies. – AFP Relaxnews
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