Primary School | Aga Khan Development Network

Exterior view, with lined up children before classroom. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Located in a remote settlement of Burkina Faso, the Primary School, in Gando, Burkina Faso, is the result of a vision that was first articulated by the architect and then embraced by his community. Made with local compressed earth blocks and covered with a light metal roof, the walls are articulated with pilasters for structural soundness and to provide solar protection. Shutters running the length of the walls provide ample natural light and ventilation. Climatic comfort is also ensured by the overhanging roof that shades the façades, and the raised corrugated metal roof, which allows cooling air to flow freely between the roof and the ceiling. It won an Aga Khan Award in 2004.

Aga Khan Trust for Culture/Özgür Basak Alkan
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

AKTC
Exterior view, with children. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Workers resting on shaded patio between classrooms. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
View of shaded patio between the western and central classrooms, with women and girls gathered around blackboard. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Exterior view, front and side elevations. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Exterior detail, brick pier and concrete beam at southwest corner, and projecting metal roof raised over steel bar structure. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
View of western patio, looking southwest, with blackboard. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Workers assembling roof trusses. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Partial exterior view from south, showing western classroom, with children playing in the school grounds. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Partial exterior view from southeast, showing western classroom and patio, with ramps for access to school platform. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
View of test building, erected to test resistance of compressed earth blocks to rain. It is now used as the school kitchen. Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet
Primary School, Gando, Burkina Faso.

Özgür Basak Alkan, ArchNet

Project Finder

Region

Country

City

Building Type

Primary School

Technical Information

Award Cycle:

2002-2004 Cycle

Status:

Award Recipient

Country of origin:

Burkina Faso

Location:

Gando, Burkina Faso

Client:
Community of Gando Village

Architect:

Francis Diebedo Kéré

Design:

Size:

30'000 m²

Completed:

2001

A primary school built cooperatively by a whole village community. Its clay walls are topped with a double roof structure of adobe and tin that blocks the heat of the sun, making the inside up to six degrees cooler than it would be with tin alone. Inspired by this model, two neighbouring villages now have their own new schools, built entirely with their own labour and funded by community members living away from home.

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