Culture

More with less: architecture as a social act

  • Dulce Pereira Abrantes

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Francis Kéré from Burkina Faso was the first African to design the Serpentine Gallery Pavilion, and talks about architecture as a social act, the guiding principle is doing "more with less". He talks about architecture as a social act that engages communities and serves humanity, under the Forum of the Future, at Rivoli, at 9.30 pm, 8 November.

As a kid Kéré was working at construction sites, carrying material, "heavy stuff" instead of playing soccer like other kids so at that time he admits he would be angry and say "Why I don't play and have to work hard on weekends?" 

Nevertheless, these were the first steps towards his life project - architecture.

"I also sat in a classroom where it was very hot. We were many people and that was not a comfortable place. I grew up with the idea of making things better one day. If you talk about a building, to make it better it is just to become an architect, to try to improve the building environment. I don't know when it arrived, but when I finished building my first school I realised that was something I liked doing. And so I did", says Francis.

And I seek inspiration in nature, precisely because it is so strong. "A tree - Kéré explains - is standing there in the environment, surviving the elements and providing shelter, this is my true inspiration".

"What I try to do is to create a structure. If I were a cook I would try to find the ingredients to cook a wonderful meal".

He further explains that it is not easy to be an architect in Africa because the access is too complicated and studying architecture is all about materials and "we lack this in Africa". The only place to study in French Speaking West Africa would be in Lomé, in Togo. People from Senegal, Côte D'Ivoire, Mali and Burkina Faso have to study there.

"People ask you why you are investing so much time, especially to women. It is very difficult. Architecture is a life profession. They ask the girls: Why don't you get married instead?"

Francis Kéré emphasizes that "in the west you have the infrastructure but becoming an architect and then marking your time with your work is a big step to achieve. I was lucky to earn a scholarship. This is not granted to everyone. It is an opportunity. You have to grab it. It means to serve people, communities and humanity".

The architect from Burkina doesn't like mentioning his most significant references in architecture because there are so many, yet he spotlights Louis Isadore Kahn because he was able to succeed both in the USA and in India, a poor country and Mies van der Rohe as well, as he was able "to make a brick mean much more than just a brick" and stress that he loves the work of Siza, in an inspirational way.

The Forum of the Future

For Francis Kéré, the Forum is showing how much the city of Porto cares for its own future and its own people.

Kéré describes such an event as an excellent opportunity for people in town to meet experts, professionals and artists who share their work with the population. 

"I think this is the best way to make people access trends and actual projects, so, I think for young men or young women in the city, just to have the chance this week to meet, listen and discover the work of all these people it is a great thing to do, it's wonderful. That is why when I was invited I just came", the architect adds.

When asked about his own future, Francis stated he doesn't have a specific attendance to build a museum and hoped he would be able to do the work that he is doing and that is "to keep being positive, enthusiastic about my work, to keep having a big view on Africa and then also at the same time to be involved in projects here. To keep being an architect, to keep meeting people, to change and to learn from other people. So I think that is a big dream enough, personal enough, to keep being informed, healthy, enjoying life, but to keep giving and getting back". 

Francis Kéré seeks his inspiration in Nature, because "Nature is so strong. If you consider a tree just standing in the landscape and surviving all the elements and then proving a sort of shelter, it is all a big inspiration. And I really like to try to create structures that are strong enough but are simple as a tree. I love all the buildings that are simple and serve and come with less maintenance".

"I was here almost two years ago for one week. This will not be the last time. This is such a rich city".

Francis Kéré is currently based in Berlin although he travels a lot in order to keep track of new trends and projects.