THE NOMADIC ARCHITECT
C R O S S - C U LT U R A L A R C H I T E C T U R A L D E S I G N IN MOROCCO AND SENEGAL The nomadic architect seeks understanding of unfamiliarity. The nomadic architect learns about a place, slowly, before designing; the nomadic architect carries with them pieces of places formerly lived. The nomadic architect does not believe architecture is a “desk job,” valuing spatial experience as fundamental to the design process. Cross-cultural architectural design is driven by a goal of “reciprocal recognitions.” In designing across cultures, there is opportunity for a creative process that respectfully integrates identity—perhaps producing something stronger than either alone. “It is the space of intervention emerging in the cultural interstices that introduces creative invention into existence.” -Homi Bhabha, “The Location of Culture”
This digital portfolio documents my research on the process of cross-cultural architectural design as part of the Ryerson Traveling Fellowship. The fellowship allotted a travel period between graduation from the Master of Architecture program at University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) and the beginning of my first full-time job. My initial research involves studying architecture of interest in Morocco and Senegal, beginning with projects that have won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. The culture of West and North Africa remains largely inaccessible to Americans, hidden by a discourse of poverty, disease, and fear perpetuated by the media. This biased and prejudiced coverage creates a pretense among viewers which overlooks or denies existing cultural strengths. In an immersive mode of architectural practice, cultural and institutional hierarchies are deconstructed. Reciprocal recognition of cultural strengths provides opportunities for creative invention beyond aesthetic or superficial consequences.. To explore a theory of cross-cultural architectural design, my goals in traveling to Morocco and Senegal were as follows:
recognize, document, and share works of architectural merit experience successful community-initiated works of architecture study design process and construction methods
My fieldwork was comprised of two components: design project: working with a team of architects and engineers to design a primary school and teacher train ing center in Senegal case studies: experiential study of noteworthy architecture in Morocco and Senegal As with so many endeavors, the breadth of what I learned from my fellowship is greater than what I set out to learn. The questions that arose during my travels are more numerous than the questions I had when I set out. This portfolio is not comprehensive. Like my research, it is a start. It is meant to spark thoughts and questions and further investigation. I encourage you to explore. Here, and in the world.
w w w.t h e n o m a d i c a r c h i t e c t . c o m
RELEVANCE: Immersive learning changes habits. I noticed this first in learning a language--speaking French does not come easily to me. Given the choice, I will default to English, the language in which I can (usually) express myself with a moderate degree of articulation. I spent nine months in France and learned very little French. Traveling with other English-speakers meant I was never forced beyond basic phrases. I was not learning; I was merely strengthening existing habits of taking the easy way out. And then I traveled to Senegal--without my English-speaking friends. If I wanted to do anything other than sit inside alone, I had to figure out how to piece together my memorized verb conjugations and limited vocabulary into something that actually transmitted meaning. I swear, I spoke more French during those first three days in Senegal than in the duration of my time in France. Something in my brain changed. What started as a few poorly pronounced words grew into fluid sentences. This is what happens in immersion. But more interesting than the way my speech and thoughts changed in speaking French was the way I noticed my speech and thoughts change in the rare moments of switching back to English. In French, I became highly aware of the words I was choosing to communicate. I have a very limited French vocabulary, so the words I chose had to matter. I strung them together cautiously. I heard the subtleties of letters that indicate pronunciations as I spoke them. After functioning this way for days at a time, my brain was conditioned to communicate extra carefully. When I returned to speaking English, these habits remained. I noticed that, after the immediate feeling of relief prompted by complete clarity and comprehension, I retained a heightened awareness of sounds becoming words becoming sentences carrying meaning. I spoke with greater articulation. I used fewer words but delivered them with great intent. The communication habits I learned while immersed in an unfamiliar context remained when I returned to my native language. The habits learned while living in an unfamiliar context change the way we experience places upon returning. It is imperative that designers learn how to understand context and culture, even when designing in places that feel familiar. Cultural immersion through travel nourishes the inquisitive mind. When I travel, I am motivated to meet people and ask questions that help me understand who they are and where they come from. I am inquisitive of the unfamiliar; it seems my eyes are open a little wider in Berber-speaking Moroccan villages than on my daily walk to the office in Chicago. This is natural--the new and the foreign foreign necessitate an inquisitive attitude in order to move about at all. Stay longer, and questions grow deeper. Meet people, spend time with them, and see ways of life otherwise would have gone overlooked. Allow your habits of experiencing the world around you to be changed through immersion. The architect returns and sees what was once familiar with greater intention. The designer sees lifestyles and beliefs of their home culture, and explores these inquisitively, questioning what is known through the lens of what has been learned.
ASILAH
CASABLANCA
MOROCCO AÏT IKTEL
SENEGAL
RUFISQUE DAKAR N’GAPAROU MBOUR NIANING KAOLACK
SENEGAL:DESIGN PROJECT
TEACHERS’ SCHOOL | MBOUR Cross-cultural architectural design necessitates collaboration without hierarchy. Cultural knowledge is mutually respected in the design process, enabling an architecture that emerges from the strengths of both cultures. The first part of my trip was spent working with eMi (Engineering Ministries International) on the schematic design of a primary school and teacher training center, as part of the Beersheba Project. eMi is a nonprofit organization of Christian architects and engineers who work with local communities and ministries around the world. Our client was the Beersheba Project, led by Eric Toumieux. Eric is originally from France and has lived in Senegal with his family for seventeen years. His cross-cultural expertise was invaluable to the project. The client's vision is for a teacher training center that will help improve the quality of education in Senegal. Such a vision will only come to completion under the guidance of people who have lived in this country long enough to have an understanding of its culture. The rest of the team was primarily American, with one Irish, one Dutch, and one Senegalese. Suffice to say that our Senegalese team member, Gabriel, was critical to our understanding of the context, as well as in developing feasible construction systems and cost estimates. The team consisted of architects, a landscape architect, an interior architect, civil engineers, a structural engineer, an electrical engineer, and a videographer. The primary school and teacher training center will be constructed out of compressed earth block and powered entirely by solar panels. The master plan emphasizes outdoor space, employing Senegalese modes of organization around courtyard spaces and trees that provide protection from the sun. The schematic design was presented to the board--a team of Senegalese community members who will ensure the success of the project. Their feedback will be incorporated as the project is developed by eMi staff in order to produce documentation that can be used by the client for fundraising. Ideally, an architect designing cross-culturally should live in the context in which they are designing for an extended period of time. EMi's model typically involves international architectural/engineering staff living in the project context long term, local design professionals, and volunteer architects and engineers who travel to the project context to contribute their expertise in the schematic design phase. This model maximizes expertise from a variety of cultural backgrounds while working towards a shared goal of understanding the cultural context of the project. All images by Jenni Keiter, eMi staff photographer.
SENEGAL:DESIGN PROJECT
TEACHERS’ SCHOOL | MBOUR
SENEGAL:DESIGN PROJECT
TEACHERS’ SCHOOL | MBOUR
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
A G R I C U LT U R E T R A I N I N G C E N T E R | N I A N I N G The Agricultural Training Center was designed to strengthen the community of Nianing through education in agriculture and construction. Local masons were trained to build vaulted structures that could be adapted to other building types. The school also aims to improve local agriculture by offering a two-year training program for young men, who can then take what they learn home to their family farms. The training center is comprised of three main parts: a teaching block, student dormitories, and teachers’ housing. The campus is centered around a large hall that can be used for socializing, eating, and instruction--or, when school is out for the season, onion storage. + The campus is centered around a large hall that can be used for socializing, eating, and instruction--or, when school is out for the season, onion storage. The classroom facade faces a courtyard that functions as the training center’s main socialization space. To encourage lingering, shaded seating nooks are carved into the classroom’s exterior walls. These nooks then provide opportunity for indirect natural ventilation, making slight gains in combating the ever-prevalent dust intrusions common to the region. To encourage lingering, shaded seating nooks are carved into the classroom’s exterior walls. These nooks then provide opportunity for indirect natural ventilation, making slight gains in combating the ever-prevalent dust intrusions common to the region. The construction was designed to be labor-intensive, rather than technology-intensive. This enabled masons to replicate what they learned without depending on foreign materials or equipment. A long-term goal of the agricultural training center was to revitalize masonry construction methods and demonstrate adaptability of this design to other building forms. The classroom is airy and cool; a refuge from the sand and sun students likely experience in the fields. Natural light suffices without threat of excessive heat gain.
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
A G R I C U LT U R E T R A I N I N G C E N T E R | N I A N I N G
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
A G R I C U LT U R E T R A I N I N G C E N T E R | N I A N I N G
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
A G R I C U LT U R E T R A I N I N G C E N T E R | N I A N I N G
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
ALLIANCE FRANCO-SENEGALESE | KAOLACK Though the program initially called for all of the functions to be within one building, the design team instead choice to separate the various components to emphasize outdoor space and “draw on the scale of traditional domestic architecture (Aga Khan)." This effect is enhanced by subtle level changes and jogged paths that give each courtyard its own identity. The cultural center explores the potential of architecture as a “text” for users to interact with, incorporating surface decoration that allows each visitor to use “their own references and connotations” to define their experience. The intent was not to draw upon “kitsch imagery or nostalgia (Aga Khan),” but to re-interpret traditional forms into a new kind of architectural text. Each classroom has an entry sequence defined by decorative cement-filled PVC pipes, artistically demarcating the transition from outside to inside. The cultural center hosts a range of artistic and social activities, including theater, music, and sport, to promote mutual understanding of French and Senegalese cultures. The library is open to the public, and the center also offers paid language classes (French and Wolof) to all ages. The use of simple forms and a familiar structural system—load-bearing cement block walls—enabled efficient construction. Innovation is seen in the structure of the external pavilions, which are made of cement-filled PVC pipes.
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
ALLIANCE FRANCO-SENEGALESE | KAOLACK
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
ALLIANCE FRANCO-SENEGALESE | KAOLACK
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
KEUR LEAH | NIANING Keur Leah is the home of architect Richard Rowland of Atelier Koe. In Rowland’s words, “the idea was to create a simple, healthy living environment in harmony with its natural surroundings with a minimal environmental impact.” Keur Leah was constructed using rammed earth and earth bricks (from the site itself) in a trial-and-error method, demonstrating a viable alternative to cement block structures common throughout the region. By thoroughly studying place, Atelier Koé--a studio of American and French origin--is able to create contextual architecture that revitalizes historical methods of design and construction. Atelier Koé has continued to develop modern earth construction methods first studied at Keur Leah. Such a design process exemplifies creating within the “third space” that Homi Bhabha describes, yielding an architecture that reciprocally recognizes converging cultures. The outdoor space is the heart of Keur Leah, with bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a design studio at the periphery. Thick walls communicate groundedness and rest. + The outdoor space is the heart of Keur Leah, with bedrooms, a living room, a kitchen, and a design studio at the periphery. Thick walls communicate groundedness and rest.
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
KEUR LEAH | NIANING
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
KEUR LEAH | NIANING
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
KEUR LEAH | NIANING
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
F O I R E I N T E R N AT I O N A L E | D A K A R Foire Internationale de Dakar (FIDAK) is an exhibition hall complex that was constructed to host Dakar’s biennial international trade fair. Known simply as “Foire” by locals, the complex now hosts numerous smaller events throughout the year as well. Though expansive, FIDAK relates to the human scale though details that are consistent with the architectural language established in overall building form. The architectural language is apparent very quickly—large triangular building forms create unity between different program elements. These forms are echoed subtly in roof drainage components and stair details. The 120,000 square meters of program space include an administrative center, assembly hall, and multiple exhibition halls of varying sizes. Smaller halls are accessible via a raised plinth that also enables the user to understand the organization of the complex from a slightly higher vantage point. Concrete frames filled with hollow metal tubes provide enclosure while allowing light and natural ventilation to enter the larger halls. The bold and expressive architecture of FIDAK is unique to Dakar, providing a symbol of national identity in Senegal’s post-independence era.
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
F O I R E I N T E R N AT I O N A L E | D A K A R
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
F O I R E I N T E R N AT I O N A L E | D A K A R
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
F O I R E I N T E R N AT I O N A L E | D A K A R
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
WOMAN’S CENTRE | RUFISQUE The Woman's Centre provides a place for womens’ groups to gather, learn, and create. Senegalese society follows strong gender roles, and it is common for women, especially in urban areas, to organize themselves into group to share skills and resources. The Woman’s Centre offers classes, workspace, and a place to gather and meet other women who live nearby. During the week, it is also used as a primary school. The architecture of the Woman’s Centre follows traditional Senegalese housing typology—interior spaces are arranged around a courtyard. The street facades are simple, and the red color gives the building identity within the community. The atelier (studio) is a pavilion that provides protection from sun and heat while maximizing cross-ventilation and natural light. Roofs in both the classroom and atelier are constructed of corrugated metal sheeting insulated with thick woven straw matting to provide protection from heat. The structure is cast-in-place concrete with locally made cement block. The architects partnered with Senegalese architects, engineers, and contractors, who were able to select a team of men locally to construct the building. The Woman’s Center was completed in 2001. There are no maps that I could find online telling me where I could find this place. I had a photo, and I knew it was located in or near Rufisque. So from Dakar I found a cab and asked him to go to Rufique, hoping we would be able to ask better directions once we got there. We arrived in Rufisue—a busy city filled with traffic moving into and out of Dakar. The cab driver asked multiple people, in Wolof, if they had seen the building in my photo. Not one of them had. One even tried to tell me that building was not in Senegal. Or maybe it had been demolished. “Monseuir,” I inquired, “peut-etre tu peux demande des femmes?” Maybe you can ask some women? It is, after all, a center for women—he had only been asking men. It took a lot more asking. He did not listen to my request. His French was not great, and my Wolof even worse. Finally, he asked a man who was near a group of women. “Ah, maison rouge!” The red house. Yes, she knew it. The women knew it. And we were actually even on the wrong side of town, but the women there knew it. So we were given directions and were on our way, to this unassuming structure on the outside of town.
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
WOMAN’S CENTRE | RUFISQUE
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
WOMAN’S CENTRE | RUFISQUE
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
HOTEL INDEPENDENCE | DAKAR Situated in a context of colonial buildings and government ministries, Hotel Independence is a signifier of the importance of cultural tourism in Senegal. The defining architectural feature of the hotel is the concrete sunshades protecting each window. The shades fold out from the facade, breaking the flat plane and creating a bold geometric rhythm in the form of the building. This dramatic design move emphasizes the importance of these elements—protection from sun and wind is vital in the Sahel region proximate to the Atlantic. The hotel has served as an important cultural symbol, hosting events such as DakarArt, the St. Louis Jazz Festival, and the Paris-Dakar Rally. However, the building is currently closed. At the time of my visit, the external arcades connecting to the plaza were also closed. I imagine this hotel has seen a lot of life. I also imagine that the view from the roof deck is incredible.
SENEGAL:CASE STUDIES
HOTEL INDEPENDENCE | DAKAR
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
DAR LAMANE HOUSING PROJECT | CASABL ANCA Dar Lamane is a residential community of 4000 units located in the industrial district of Casablanca. At the time of construction, it was the largest public housing project ever attempted in Morocco. The architect aimed to define a housing form that would accommodate low-income urban residents originally from rural areas. According to the project’s Aga Khan Award brief, the design approach was based on two observations: (1) Urban public space and the grouping of housing is more important to low-income groups than is the particular design solution for individual units. (2) Safety and security are more important qualities than possession and territoriality for newcomers to the city, especially those of rural or nomadic origin. The overall organizational structure of the complex resembles traditional Moroccan towns, but breaks from tradition in its formal expression. The main organizational elements are a central space (including a mosque, markets, and festival hall), housing clusters, gateway and market streets, housing streets, service yards, housing units, a road network, and schools.
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
DAR LAMANE HOUSING PROJECT | CASABL ANCA
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
DAR LAMANE HOUSING PROJECT | CASABL ANCA
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
AIT IKTEL | ABADOU The Aït Iktel Association is part of the Association Migration et Développement Local (MDL) network, which aims to link Moroccan emigrants living abroad to their homelands through improvement projects derived from the emigrants’ own skills. Ait Iktel is an example of community-driven development in which projects are not imposed on communities—improvement comes from communities defining and prioritizing their own demands and needs. According to Aït Iktel’s Aga Khan Award brief, the general objectives set forth by the Aït Iktel Association were to “provide basic social services and infrastructural facilities to a fairly isolated community,” “to organize economic activity and resource management,” and, “in the process, to empower the community by giving them control over decisions and resources.” These objectives were implemented through infrastructure projects that included electrification of the village, installation of a water-supply network, improvement of access to education, and improvement of the existing communal dispensary. Pictured here is one of Aït Iktel’s schools.
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
AIT IKTEL | ABADOU
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
AIT IKTEL | ABADOU
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
TO W N R E H A B I L I TAT I O N | A S I L A H The rehabilitation of Asilah originated with the desire to promote the city as a prominent Moroccan cultural center. Asilah is known for its summer arts festivals, which attract painters, poets, musicians, and intellectuals, as well as tourists. Mohammed Benaissa, as a Member of Parliament, insisted that the arts festival draw upon resident participation, as opposed to outside influence. Beginning in 1976, multiple projects were initiated to renovate the town with community participation. The goal was to not only accommodate summer festivals but to improve Asilah’s infrastructure for local residents year round. Success in Asilah’s renovation projects comes from the initiative of local residents and demonstrates a symbiotic relationship between tourism and community. The Al-Karma Tower is an example Portuguese influence in Asilah’s architectural character. For Ramadan, a temporary mosque is set up in the main square (red partitions). Just outside the fortified city center, locals procure fresh fruits, vegetables, and breads at the market in anticipation of breaking the daily Ramadan fast. The medina is characterized by courtyard houses, painted in colors complimentary to the sea, and narrow pedestrian streets.
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
TO W N R E H A B I L I TAT I O N | A S I L A H
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
TO W N R E H A B I L I TAT I O N | A S I L A H
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
TO W N R E H A B I L I TAT I O N | A S I L A H
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
C A S A P O R T T R A I N STAT I O N | C A S A B L A N C A
At Casa Port, a successful composition of spaces, volumes, materials, lighting, and geometry welcomes people to Casablanca. The city's third railway station "carries on the heritage of Moroccan places and public buildings, while paying tribute to the modernity of Casablanca (Aga Khan)." Thin suppoting columns branch to support the hypostyle roof. Casa Port anticipates 25 million passenger trips per year in the future. A mashrabiyya screen protects the glass facade from direct sunlight.
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
C A S A P O R T T R A I N STAT I O N | C A S A B L A N C A
MOROCCO:CASE STUDIES
C A S A P O R T T R A I N STAT I O N | C A S A B L A N C A
RESOURCES: WEB The Aga Khan Award for Architecture | http://www.akdn.org/architecture/ Atelier Koé | http://www.atelierkoe.fr Caritas Internationalis | http://www.caritas.org UNESCO Dakar Regional Office (BREDA) | http://www.unesco.org/education/aladin/?menuitem=17®ion=002&member=83 Hollmen Reuter Sandman Architects | http://www.hollmenreutersandman.com
PRINT Bhabha, Homi K. The Location of Culture. London: Routledge, 1994. Print. Canizaro, Vincent B. Architectural Regionalism: Collected Writings on Place, Identity, Modernity, and Tradition. New York: Princeton Architectural, 2007. Print. Herz, Manuel, and Iwan Baan. African Modernism: The Architecture of Independence. Zurich: Park, 2015. Print.