This theme was presented by Virgile Kiemtaremboum, representative of the Burkina Faso Order of Architects, at the Cut Laterite Bricks (BLT) Promotion Day organised by the Ministry of Energy, Mines and Quarries in Dano, in the South-West region, on 23 and 24 November 2023.
He highlighted the use of cut laterite bricks in modern construction, demonstrating their versatility and adaptability.
After defining what a laterite brick is and the local materials used, the presenter explained the process of drawing up a construction plan for a structure.
He pointed out that this takes account of people in their geographical environment, their culture and their ethnic group. For him, an architectural plan in the North will not have the same characteristics as one created for the Cassena in the Centre-South. The nature of the soil and the culture are very important to the architect.
He dwelt on the Cassena architecture, which is internationally recognised. He explained that the construction of the Tiebelé huts follows a defensive architecture, with huts built around the royal courtyard. He pointed out that these huts were built using local materials, in particular logs. “Even the roofs are made from local materials: clay mixed with straw and cowhide. This gives the Cassena huts a high level of durability and internal freshness,” explains Virgile Kiemtaremboum.
He gave the example of the construction projects carried out by the renowned architect Francis Keré (winner of the Nobel Prize for architecture), whose architectural system is based entirely on the Wood, Earth and Straw (WES) system.
With examples of completed projects, backed up by images, he explained how local materials can be used for modern buildings, while retaining an architecture that is close to the original culture.
He ended his presentation by highlighting some of the ecological constraints associated with these types of architecture. According to Virgile Kiemtaremboum, these constraints relate to the use of wood, and are taken into account by the architect. The architect must make an inventory of all the trees impacted by the construction and, together with the water and forestry department, propose a reforestation plan.
Georges YOUL
#Mines_Actu_Burkina
