Diébédo Francis Kéré is an architect that designs for sustainability and to drive social change using local materials and traditional techniques
Imeobong Utuk
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Diébédo Francis Kéré is an internationally renowned Burkinabè architect who is known for his innovative, often sustainable, and collaborative work.
Born 10 April 1965 in?Gando, Burkina Faso, he started his education in Burkina Faso, and although his village didn’t have any schools at the time, he left his family at the age of 7 to live with his uncle in Tenkodogo city where he was able to go to school.
On finishing his early education, Francis moved to Fado N’Gourma, a city in eastern?Burkina Faso where he undertook a four-year vocational course in carpentry.
Looking to further his studies , he got a carpentry scholarship from BMZ Deutschland and moved to Berlin in 1985?where he learnt to make roofs and furniture ; he later on?enrolled ?at the?Technical University of Berlin to study architecture and graduated in 2004.
While studying, Francis also set out to establish the Kéré Foundation (formerly Schulbausteine für Gando), and in 2005, he founded?Kéré Architecture, an architectural practice that ‘creates contemporary?architecture?that feeds the imagination with an afro-futurist vision’.
Through Kéré Architecture, he has embarked upon numerous projects around the world including, the Gando Primary School (2001), Burkina Faso, National Park of Mali (2010), Mali, and Centre de Santé et de Promotion Sociale (2014), Burkina Faso.
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Other projects undertaken include the Léo Surgical Clinic & Health Center (2014), Burkina Faso , Lycée Schorge Secondary School (2017), Burkina Faso , Serpentine Pavilion (2017), UK , Xylem pavilion (2019), USA , and the Startup Lions Campus (2021) , Kenya.
?Francis , who is currently based in Berlin , Germany , has won a number of awards , including the?Pritzker Architecture Prize, which he won in 2022.
In addition ,?Kéré Architecture has ?been recognized internationally with awards that include the?Aga Khan Award for Architecture?(2004) for his first building, the Gando Primary School in Burkina Faso, and the Global?Holcim Award for Sustainable Construction?2012 Gold.