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Gando, ein kleines Dorf in Burkina Faso, einem der zehn es gelingt, die Raumtemperatur um mehrere Grad unter
ärmsten Länder der Welt. Das Klima am südlichen Rand der Außentemperatur zu halten. Eine wesentliche Rolle
der Sahara ist unwirtlich und trotzdem leben die meisten bei seinem Energie- und Lüftungskonzept spielt das schirm-
Menschen unter extrem kargen Bedingungen als Selbst- artige äußere Dach, mit dem er das Haus verschattet und
versorger von der Landwirtschaft. 1972 beschließt hier der gleichzeitig während der zwar kurzen, aber sehr heftigen
Vater einer Großfamilie mit insgesamt 24 Kindern einen Regenzeit vor Niederschlägen schützt. Für dieses simple
seiner Söhne in die nächstgelegene Stadt zur Schule zu Blechdach entwickelt Francis Kéré eine einfache, gut durch-
schicken. So wird Francis Kéré im Alter von sieben Jahren lüftete Tragkonstruktion aus zusammengeschweißten
zum allerersten Mitglied seiner Dorfgemeinschaft, das Lesen Bewehrungseisen, denn Profilstahl oder auch Stahlbeton
und Schreiben lernt. Später folgt die Oberschule und – wären in seinem Heimatdorf viel zu teuer. Als Hauptbau-
ermöglicht durch ein Stipendium – eine Berufsausbildung in stoff für die Wände und das innere Dach hingegen setzt
Deutschland. In Berlin besucht Kéré das Abendgymnasium, er die in der Gegend üblichen Lehmziegel ein. Um diesen
macht Abitur und beginnt mit 30 Jahren an der Technischen eine längere Haltbarkeit während der Regenfälle sowie
Universität Architektur zu studieren. ein besseres Image bei den Menschen vor Ort zu verleihen,
Noch während seines Studiums weiß der angehende veredelt Kéré sie mit Zement.
Architekt, der selbst die Privilegien einer Ausbildung erfah- Auch die Redaktion DETAIL ist damals sofort von
ren konnte, dass er seinem Heimatdorf etwas zurückgeben seiner nachhaltigen und sozialen Architektur angetan. 2003
möchte. Er überzeugt seinen Professor und entwirft als kann Francis Kéré hier zum allerersten Mal in einer Fachzeit-
Semesterarbeit für Gando eine kleine Schule mit nur drei schrift veröffentlichen. Und noch heute erinnert sich der
Klassenräumen. Anschließend sammelt er Spendengelder Autor dieser Zeilen sehr gut an das vorausgehende Telefo-
und verwirklicht den Bau mithilfe einiger Kommilitonen, vor nat und das überzeugende Auftreten des jungen Architekten
allem aber mit der Eigenarbeit der einheimischen Bevölke- dabei. Es ist diese Überzeugungskraft, gepaart mit einer
rung, noch bevor er sein Diplom in der Tasche hat. großen Authentizität, mit der es Kéré immer wieder gelingt,
Das Konzept für Kérés Schule ist ebenso einfach Sponsoren und Förderer für seine Projekte aufzutun.
wie nachhaltig. Er verwendet nur vor Ort verfügbare Mate- Eine wesentliche Grundlage für seinen weiteren Erfolg
rialien und Techniken, die die ungelernten, aber im Bauen ist die Verleihung des Aga Khan Awards 2004. Es gleicht einer
erfahrenen Dorfbewohner mit ihren einfachen Werkzeugen kleinen Sensation, dass Francis Kéré diesen renommierten
selbst ausführen können. Nicht zuletzt aber entwickelt er Preis bereits für sein erstes, bescheidenes Projekt – und
ein ausgeklügeltes Belüftungskonzept, mit dessen Hilfe beinahe gleichzeitig zu seinem Studienabschluss – erhält.
Gando is a small village in Burkina Faso, one of the ten poorest concept, a major role is played by the umbrella-like outer roof,
countries in the world. While the climate on the southern edge shading the building and simultaneously protecting it from rain
of the Sahara is inhospitable, most people nevertheless live as during the short but intense rainy season. For this plain tin roof,
self-supporters from agriculture under extremely austere condi- Francis Kéré developed a simple, well-ventilated load-bearing
tions. It was here that, in 1972, the father of an extended family structure made of welded reinforcement bars, since profile steel
with 24 children decided to send one of his sons to school in or reinforced concrete would have been much too expensive
the nearest city. This is how seven-year-old Francis Kéré became in his home village. As the main building material for the walls
the very first member of his village community to learn to read and the inner roof, on the other hand, he used the locally com-
and write. Secondary schooling followed, and, thanks to a schol- mon mud bricks. In order to improve their durability during the
arship, vocational training in Germany. In Berlin, Kéré visited rains and their image among the local people, Kéré refined them
night school, passing his school-leaving examination, and at with cement.
the age of 30, started studying architecture at the Technical The editorial department of DETAIL, too, was immediately
University. impressed by his sustainable and social architecture. In 2003,
Even before completing his studies, the prospective Francis Kéré was able to publicise his work here for the first
architect who personally experienced the privilege of an educa- time in a professional journal. To this very day, the author of
tion knew that he wanted to give back something to his village. these lines very well remembers the preceding telephone call
After convincing his professor, for his course work, he designed and the convincing appearance of the young architect. It is this
a small school with only three classrooms for his home village of power of persuasion, coupled with great authenticity, with which
Gando. He subsequently collected donations, and realised the Kéré time and again succeeds in finding sponsors and patrons
building with the help of a few fellow students, and above all, for his projects.
with the active effort by the local population, even before com- A key foundation for his further success was the confer-
pleting his degree. ment of the Aga Khan Award in 2004. Sensationally, Francis Kéré
The concept for Kéré’s school is as simple as it is sus- received this prestigious prize for his very first, modest project –
tainable. He exclusively used locally available materials and and almost simultaneously with his university degree. Numerous
technologies, which the uneducated but building-experienced other prizes and awards quickly followed, giving him a boost for
villagers could implement themselves with their simple tools. further buildings. In Gando, he initially constructed teachers’
Not least, he developed an ingenious ventilation concept, which accommodations and was simultaneously able to convince
helps in maintaining the room temperature several degrees the government to meet the cost of their salaries. The excite-
below the outside temperature. In his energy and ventilation ment about and rush for his small school was so great that an
Die gesamte Dorfgemeinschaft hilft mit beim Bau. Lehrerunterkunft in Gando 2004 /
The entire village community helps with the construction. Teachers‘ accommodation in Gando 2004
extension soon became necessary, which was completed in 2008. sium on sustainable architecture in poorer countries. With passion
In quick succession, further buildings were constructed, and spirit, he talks about his architecture, and especially about
almost always with social relevance: schools and health centres, its processes. In doing so, his own biography lends him authen-
or a women’s centre. Kéré’s architecture increasingly gained ticity, making us aware that a school in Burkina Faso, a country
expressive quality. This is demonstrated in an especially beautiful with an illiteracy rate of still around 70 percent, is much more
manner in the surgical clinic in Léo (2014), or the secondary than a learning facility. A simple school in the country can be
school in Koudougou (2016), where the architect deftly gives the the basis for advancement and economic development per se,
simple constructions a special character as well as a cheerful ap- thus also becoming a symbol of a better future for the people.
peal using colourful touches, sculptural ventilation caps, or a cov- Coming from West Africa and having been trained in Germany,
ering structure of wooden rods. Outside Burkina Faso, he de- Kéré is able to build bridges between worlds. Above all, however,
signed a museum and new buildings for a national park in Mali, his projects don’t risk creating the impression among locals in
amongst others, as well as a partial exhibition for the International his home country that something is being imposed on them from
Red Cross and Red Crescent Museum in Geneva. In 2017, Francis the outside.
Kéré was able to realise the Serpentine Pavilion, placing him in Kéré’s architecture is quiet and unspectacular yet dis-
a succession of internationally distinguished architects. His tinctly sustainable and highly socially relevant. For him, the
commissioning to construct the Pavilion also demonstrates that small school in Gando started everything. In building it, the archi-
curators in the fields of art and architecture are gradually start- tect succeeded in sending an impressive signal, namely what
ing to open up towards other cultures. passion and commitment, coupled with an intelligent concept,
In conjunction with his construction activity, Kéré is an can achieve. Even with very small budgets, a change for the
internationally sought-after speaker, being part of every sympo- better is possible.