MONUMENTAL MUD [01

The surrounding environment provides many opportunities and resources to develop shelter against climatic hazards. In hot, desertscapes such as Mali, that resource is the earth underfoot. Predating the adobe brick construction of the Pueblos in the Americas (1400 C.E.),021 the people of modern day Mali have developed a strong and durable mud brick construction technique by utilizing direct local materials. Some of the structures were built in the early 1300s, and are still standing today, hundreds of years later.022 Ferey is a type of sun-baked mud brick construction method in which logs penetrate the mud structure to work as scaffolding; various layers of mud based mortar and plaster are then applied to create a smooth, organic, monolithic appearance.023