Francis Kéré lecture

The Berlin-based, Burkina Faso-born architect discusses his work.

April 9, 2012

Recorded on February 9, 2012.

Current Work is a lecture series featuring leading figures in the worlds of architecture, urbanism, design, and art.

Born in Burkina Faso, Francis Kéré studied architecture at the Technische Universität Berlin, where he is now based. As an architect, he defines himself as “a bridge between cultures, between the technically and economically developed countries of ‘the north’ and the less developed African countries (of the south).”

His projects have focused on education as “the developing concept for his country.” While a student, he founded the association Schulbausteine für Gando e. V to fund his first project, a primary school in his native village. The building, completed in 2001, received the Aga Khan Award.

The school’s construction, he said, is “the result of a vision, initially verbalized by the architect and realized by the community.”

Explore