ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Diébédo Francis Kéré - Community-minded architect
Diébédo Francis Kéré and his architectural firm design buildings that are good for the environment -- and those who use them.

Why you should listen

Diébédo Francis Kéré grew up in Gando, a small village in Burkina Faso. Having gone away to school, first within his country and then at the Technische Universität in Berlin, Germany, he resolved to give back to the community that raised him. He does that through the power of architecture.

Through his firm, Kéré Architecture, Kéré focuses on using local building materials and techniques in a modern way, to redefine and redesign the enviroment. In Burkina Faso, that means working predominantly with clay, and his innovative approach has seen the creation of remarkably beautiful, modern buildings that are entirely appropriate to the setting.

His first building, a primary school in Gando, was completed in 2001 and received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Since then, he has designed other structures for the village; his other work there has also won multiple awards, including the Global Award, the BSI Swiss Architectural Award, the Marcus Prize and the Global Holcim Award Gold 2012.

Kéré also teaches architecture; he has lectured at colleges including the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and Harvard. In 2013, he began teaching at the Accademia di Architettura in Mendrisio, Switzerland.

More profile about the speaker
Diébédo Francis Kéré | Speaker | TED.com
TEDCity2.0

Diébédo Francis Kéré: How to build with clay ... and community

迪页贝杜·弗朗西斯·凯雷: 如何用粘土...和社群盖房子

Filmed:
1,009,720 views

迪页贝杜·弗朗西斯·凯雷清楚地知道当他拿到建筑学学位之后要做些什么。他想要回到他的家乡,布基纳法索的乡村甘多,和他的社群共同分享他的教育成果。在这篇优美的演说中,凯雷展示了他多年来和家乡的村民们一起建造的多个漂亮建筑。包括他的一个获奖作品--全体村民们合作完成的使用粘土建造的小学。
- Community-minded architect
Diébédo Francis Kéré and his architectural firm design buildings that are good for the environment -- and those who use them. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:12
I would like to show显示 you how
0
737
2909
我想向大家展示
00:15
architecture建筑 has helped帮助
1
3646
2877
建筑是如何帮助我们
00:18
to change更改 the life of my community社区
2
6523
3095
改善了家乡人们的生活
00:21
and has opened打开 opportunities机会 to hope希望.
3
9618
4815
并且打开了希望之窗
00:26
I am a native本地人 of Burkina布基纳法索 Faso布基纳法索.
4
14433
2959
我是土生土长的布基纳法索人
00:29
According根据 to the World世界 Bank银行, Burkina布基纳法索 Faso布基纳法索
5
17392
3218
据世界银行的分析称,
布基纳法索
00:32
is one of the poorest最穷 countries国家 in the world世界,
6
20610
3049
是世界上最贫困的国家之一
00:35
but what does it look like
7
23659
2847
那么生长于这样的环境
00:38
to grow增长 up in a place地点 like that?
8
26506
3419
是怎样的感觉呢?
00:41
I am an example of that.
9
29925
2560
我本人就是一个例子
00:44
I was born天生 in a little village called Gando甘多.
10
32485
3908
我出生在一个叫甘多的村庄
00:48
In Gando甘多, there was no electricity电力,
11
36393
4492
甘多那时没有电
00:52
no access访问 to clean清洁 drinking water, and no school学校.
12
40885
4214
没有清洁的饮用水,
也没有学校
00:57
But my father父亲 wanted me
13
45099
2824
然而我的父亲希望我
00:59
to learn学习 how to read and write.
14
47923
2049
去学习读书和写字
01:01
For this reason原因, I had to leave离开 my family家庭
15
49972
4048
因此,我不得不离开我的家人
01:06
when I was seven and to stay in a city
16
54020
3894
在我7岁的时候,
移居到城市
01:09
far away from my village
17
57914
1988
远离我的村庄
01:11
with no contact联系 with my family家庭.
18
59902
3677
无法和我的家人联络
01:15
In this place地点 I satSAT
19
63579
3421
在这个城市
01:19
in a class like that
20
67000
2226
我坐在这样的教室里
01:21
with more than 150 other kids孩子,
21
69226
3752
和超过150个孩子
01:24
and for six years年份.
22
72978
2492
共同度过了6年
01:27
In this time, it just happened发生 to me to come to school学校
23
75470
4080
在这期间,某天我去上学
01:31
to realize实现 that my classmate同学 died死亡.
24
79550
5695
发现我的一名同班同学去世了
01:37
Today今天, not so much has changed.
25
85245
4513
今天,一切都没有怎么改变
01:41
There is still no electricity电力 in my village.
26
89758
4453
我们村仍然没有电力供应
01:46
People still are dying垂死 in Burkina布基纳法索 Faso布基纳法索,
27
94211
2462
布基纳法索的人们仍在不断死去
01:48
and access访问 to clean清洁 drinking water
28
96673
3603
如何得到清洁的饮用水
01:52
is still a big problem问题.
29
100276
4223
仍然是个很大的问题
01:56
I had luck运气. I was lucky幸运, because this is a fact事实 of life
30
104499
7552
我很幸运。我很幸运因为
02:04
when you grow增长 up in a place地点 like that.
31
112051
2752
如果你生长在那样的地方
这就是生命的现实
02:06
But I was lucky幸运.
32
114803
2369
但是我很幸运
02:09
I had a scholarship奖学金.
33
117172
2084
我有奖学金
02:11
I could go to Germany德国 to study研究.
34
119256
4210
我能够去德国留学
02:15
So now, I suppose假设,
35
123466
3905
所以现在,我想
02:19
I don't need to explain说明 to you how great a privilege特权
36
127371
4674
我不需要向你们解释
02:24
it is for me to be standing常设 before you today今天.
37
132045
4457
今天我能站在你们面前,
是多么的荣幸
02:28
From Gando甘多, my home village in Burkina布基纳法索 Faso布基纳法索,
38
136502
4372
从我居住的布基纳法索的村庄甘多
02:32
to Berlin柏林 in Germany德国 to become成为 an architect建筑师
39
140874
4306
到德国的柏林,成为一名建筑师
02:37
is a big, big step.
40
145180
5165
这是一个巨大的跨越
02:42
But what to do with this privilege特权?
41
150345
5652
但是,我还能多做些什么呢?
02:47
Since以来 I was a student学生, I wanted to open打开 up
42
155997
3955
从我还是一名学生起,我就希望
02:51
better opportunities机会 to other kids孩子 in Gando甘多.
43
159952
2643
为更多甘多的孩子创造更好的机会
02:54
I just wanted to use my skills技能 and build建立 a school学校.
44
162595
2915
我想用我的技能来修建一所学校
02:57
But how do you do it when you're still a student学生
45
165510
2984
但是,当你还只是个学生,
03:00
and you don't have money?
46
168494
2082
并且没有钱,这要如何实现呢?
03:02
Oh yes, I started开始 to make drawings图纸
47
170576
2502
恩,是的,我开始设计图纸
03:05
and asked for money.
48
173078
1982
并且筹集资金
03:07
Fundraising筹款 was not an easy简单 task任务.
49
175060
3979
筹款并不是件容易的事
03:11
I even asked my classmates同学
50
179039
2799
我甚至建议我的同班同学
03:13
to spend less money on coffee咖啡 and cigarettes香烟,
51
181838
3178
少花点钱在咖啡和香烟上
03:17
but to sponsor赞助 my school学校 project项目.
52
185016
3968
而把钱用来支援我的学校项目
03:20
In real真实 wonder奇迹, two years年份 later后来,
53
188984
3016
两年之后奇迹出现了
03:24
I was able能够 to collect搜集 50,000 U.S. dollars美元.
54
192000
6534
我筹集到5万美元
03:30
When I came来了 home to Gando甘多
55
198534
2963
当我回到甘多的家
03:33
to bring带来 the good news新闻,
56
201497
1525
带去了这个好消息
03:35
my people were over the moon月亮,
57
203022
4149
大家欣喜若狂
03:39
but when they realized实现
58
207171
2621
但是当他们知道了
03:41
that I was planning规划 to use clay粘土,
59
209792
2844
我打算用黏土建造学校的时候
03:44
they were shocked吃惊.
60
212636
2083
他们震惊了
03:46
"A clay粘土 building建造 is not able能够 to stand a rainy多雨的 season季节,
61
214719
3543
“粘土建筑是无法支撑过雨季的
03:50
and Francis弗朗西斯 wants us to use it and build建立 a school学校.
62
218262
5109
可是弗朗西斯希望我们用粘土来建一所学校
03:55
Is this the reason原因 why he spent花费 so much time
63
223371
2764
难道这就是他花了那么长时间
03:58
in Europe欧洲 studying研究
64
226135
2013
在欧洲学习
04:00
instead代替 of working加工 in the field领域 with us?"
65
228148
4099
而不是和我们一起,在田间劳作的原因吗?”
04:04
My people build建立 all the time with clay粘土,
66
232247
4293
我们的村民一直以来使用粘土搭建建筑
04:08
but they don't see any innovation革新 with mud.
67
236540
4921
但他们从来没见对粘土进行创新改造
04:13
So I had to convince说服 everybody每个人.
68
241461
2189
所以我需要说服每个人
04:15
I started开始 to speak说话 with the community社区,
69
243650
3383
我开始和社区的人们沟通
04:19
and I could convince说服 everybody每个人,
70
247033
2463
说服每个人
04:21
and we could start开始 to work.
71
249496
3010
然后我们就可以开始工作了
04:24
And the women妇女, the men男人,
72
252506
1764
女人,男人
04:26
everybody每个人 from the village,
73
254270
2045
村里的每个人
04:28
was part部分 of this building建造 process处理.
74
256315
2017
都参与了建造过程
04:30
I was allowed允许 to use even traditional传统 techniques技术.
75
258332
3709
我使用了传统的方法
04:34
So clay粘土 floor地板 for example,
76
262041
2163
以粘土地面为例,
04:36
the young年轻 men男人 come and stand like that, beating跳动,
77
264204
4396
年轻的男子这样站着
04:40
hours小时 for hours小时,
78
268600
1596
捶打上好几个小时
04:42
and then their mothers母亲 came来了,
79
270196
1712
然后他们的母亲加入进来
04:43
and they are beating跳动 in this position位置,
80
271908
3734
她们用这个姿势捶打
04:47
for hours小时, giving water and beating跳动.
81
275642
4616
几个小时,不时地加水再捶打
04:52
And then the polishers抛光机 come.
82
280258
1628
接着负责抛光的人们来了
04:53
They start开始 polishing抛光 it with a stone for hours小时.
83
281886
5058
他们花费数个小时,
用石块给地面抛光
04:58
And then you have this result结果,
84
286944
4957
然后你会看到完成品
05:03
very fine, like a baby宝宝 bottom底部.
85
291901
3309
非常光滑,就像婴儿的屁股
05:07
(Laughter笑声)
86
295210
1773
(笑声)
05:08
It's not photoshoppedPhotoshop处理. (Laughter笑声)
87
296983
5265
它可没有修过图 (笑声)
05:14
This is the school学校, built内置 with the community社区.
88
302248
2984
这就是社区居民们建造的学校
05:17
The walls墙壁 are totally完全 made制作 out
89
305232
1790
墙壁完全是由
05:19
of compressed压缩 clay粘土 blocks from Gando甘多.
90
307022
4100
甘多当地压缩的粘土块制成
05:23
The roof屋顶 structure结构体 is made制作
91
311122
3154
屋顶结构是
05:26
with cheap低廉 steel bars酒吧
92
314276
2822
用廉价的钢条制成
05:29
normally一般 hiding inside concrete具体.
93
317098
3896
通常隐藏在混凝土内部
05:32
And the classroom课堂, the ceiling天花板 is made制作
94
320994
3068
教室的天花板是由
05:36
out of both of them used together一起.
95
324062
2755
上述两种材料共同制成的
05:38
In this school学校, there was a simple简单 idea理念:
96
326817
2910
在这所学校,
一个简单的概念就是
05:41
to create创建 comfort安慰 in a classroom课堂.
97
329727
3710
让教室是个舒适的地方
05:45
Don't forget忘记, it can be 45 degrees in Burkina布基纳法索 Faso布基纳法索,
98
333437
5171
别忘了,学校在布基纳法索,
最热的时候有45 度
05:50
so with simple简单 ventilation通风,
99
338608
1934
因此需配有简单的通风系统
05:52
I wanted to make the classroom课堂
100
340542
2050
我想让教室
05:54
good for teaching教学 and learning学习.
101
342592
2609
适合教学和学习
05:57
And this is the project项目 today今天,
102
345201
2845
今天,这个项目
06:00
12 years年份 old, still in best最好 condition条件.
103
348046
3634
经过12年 ,
仍处于其最佳状态
06:03
And the kids孩子, they love it.
104
351680
3572
孩子们非常喜爱它
06:09
And for me and my community社区,
105
357936
2855
对我和村民们来说
06:12
this project项目 was a huge巨大 success成功.
106
360791
3655
这项目是一个巨大的成功
06:16
It has opened打开 up opportunities机会
107
364446
2902
它为我们在甘多做更多的项目
06:19
to do more projects项目 in Gando甘多.
108
367348
2591
创造了更多机会
06:21
So I could do a lot of projects项目,
109
369939
2938
所以我做了很多项目
06:24
and here I am going to share分享 with you
110
372877
2324
我想在这里与你们分享
06:27
only three of them.
111
375201
2180
其中的 3 个
06:29
The first one is the school学校 extension延期, of course课程.
112
377381
3796
第一个当然是学校的扩建
06:33
How do you explain说明 drawings图纸 and engineering工程
113
381177
3315
你要如何向不识字
也不会写字的人们
06:36
to people who are neither也不 able能够 to read nor也不 write?
114
384492
3652
解释图纸和工程?
06:40
I started开始 to build建立 a prototype原型 like that.
115
388144
2947
我开始制作一个模型
06:43
The innovation革新 was to build建立 a clay粘土 vault拱顶.
116
391091
2986
创新之处是建造一个粘土拱顶
06:46
So then, I jumped跳下 on the top最佳 like that,
117
394077
3331
然后,我跳上了顶部
06:49
with my team球队, and it works作品.
118
397408
2312
和我的团队一起跳,拱顶能够支撑(我们的重量)
06:51
The community社区 is looking. It still works作品.
119
399720
2227
村民们一直看着它。它仍然坚固不倒
06:53
So we can build建立. (Laughter笑声)
120
401947
2858
这样一来,我们就可以开工了(笑声)
06:56
And we kept不停 building建造, and that is the result结果.
121
404805
3883
我们不断地搭建,这就是成品
07:00
The kids孩子 are happy快乐, and they love it.
122
408688
3634
孩子们都很高兴,他们很喜欢它
07:04
The community社区 is very proud骄傲. We made制作 it.
123
412322
4161
村民们非常自豪。我们做到了
07:08
And even animals动物, like these donkeys,
124
416483
4141
甚至动物,像这些驴
07:12
love our buildings房屋.
125
420624
1760
也喜爱我们的建筑
07:14
(Laughter笑声)
126
422384
3647
(笑声)
07:18
The next下一个 project项目 is the library图书馆 in Gando甘多.
127
426031
4667
我要介绍的下一个项目
是甘多的图书馆
07:22
And see now, we tried试着 to introduce介绍
128
430698
3663
现在,我们试着去
07:26
different不同 ideas思路 in our buildings房屋,
129
434361
2515
为我们的建筑加入更多不同的概念
07:28
but we often经常 don't have so much material材料.
130
436876
3831
但我们往往没有太多的材料
07:32
Something we have in Gando甘多 are clay粘土 pots.
131
440707
3403
在冈多,我们有很多陶土罐
07:36
We wanted to use them to create创建 openings开口.
132
444110
3321
我们想用陶土罐来制造一些通风口
07:39
So we just bring带来 them like you can see
133
447431
2110
所以我们把它们带到建筑工地
07:41
to the building建造 site现场.
134
449541
2426
就像你看到的这样
07:43
we start开始 cutting切割 them,
135
451967
2166
我们切割这些罐子
07:46
and then we place地点 them on top最佳 of the roof屋顶
136
454133
2931
然后将其放在屋顶上
07:49
before we pour the concrete具体,
137
457064
2579
在我们浇筑混凝土之前
07:51
and you have this result结果.
138
459643
2011
就成了这样
07:53
The openings开口 are letting出租 the hot air空气 out
139
461654
2910
通气口让热空气排出去
07:56
and light in.
140
464564
1839
让光线穿透进来
07:58
Very simple简单.
141
466403
2073
非常简单
08:00
My most recent最近 project项目 in Gando甘多
142
468476
2838
我最新进行的项目
08:03
is a high school学校 project项目.
143
471314
2018
是甘多一所高中的建造
08:05
I would like to share分享 with you this.
144
473332
1933
我想与你们分享
08:07
The innovation革新 in this project项目
145
475265
2245
这一项目中的创新之处在于
08:09
is to cast mud like you cast concrete具体.
146
477510
4743
用浇筑混凝土的方式
来浇筑泥巴
08:14
How do you cast mud?
147
482253
2125
要如何浇筑泥巴呢?
08:16
We start开始 making制造 a lot of mortars迫击炮, like you can see,
148
484378
3266
我们开始制造大量的灰浆,
正如你们所见
08:19
and when everything is ready准备,
149
487644
2123
当一切都准备就绪
08:21
when you know what is the best最好 recipe食谱
150
489767
2137
当你找到了最好的配方
08:23
and the best最好 form形成,
151
491904
1194
和最佳的形态
08:25
you start开始 working加工 with the community社区.
152
493098
2651
就可以开始和村民们一同工作了
08:27
And sometimes有时 I can leave离开.
153
495749
2146
有时我可以离开
08:29
They will do it themselves他们自己.
154
497895
1759
他们能够自己完成
08:31
I came来了 to speak说话 to you like that.
155
499654
3552
就像我来到这里发表演说
08:35
Another另一个 factor因子 in Gando甘多 is rain.
156
503206
2691
冈多的另一个气候因素是雨
08:37
When the rains降雨 come,
157
505897
1824
当大雨来临
08:39
we hurry匆忙 up to protect保护 our fragile脆弱 walls墙壁
158
507721
2288
我们急着去保护我们易碎的墙
08:42
against反对 the rain.
159
510009
3052
不被雨淋
08:45
Don't confound混淆 with Christo克里斯托 and Jeanne-Claude珍妮 - 克劳德.
160
513061
3512
不要和克劳德夫妇的艺术混淆
08:48
It is simply只是 how we protect保护 our walls墙壁.
161
516573
2565
这只是我们保护墙的方式
08:51
(Laughter笑声)
162
519138
1469
(笑声)
08:52
The rain in Burkina布基纳法索 comes very fast快速,
163
520607
2878
布基纳法索的雨来势汹汹
08:55
and after that, you have floods洪水
164
523485
2565
大雨之后就会有洪水
08:58
everywhere到处 in the country国家.
165
526050
2945
整个国家都是这样
09:00
But for us, the rain is good.
166
528995
3050
但对我们来说,雨是好事
09:04
It brings带来 sand and gravel碎石 to the river
167
532045
3905
它让河流堆满砂和碎石
09:07
we need to use to build建立.
168
535950
2271
正是我们需要的建筑材料
09:10
We just wait for the rain to go.
169
538221
1901
我们只要等到大雨过后
09:12
We take the sand, we mix混合 it with clay粘土,
170
540122
3594
收集沙子,和粘土混合
09:15
and we keep building建造.
171
543716
2786
然后继续建造
09:18
That is it.
172
546502
1805
就是这样
09:20
The Gando甘多 project项目 was always
connected连接的 to training训练 the people,
173
548307
3094
冈多的项目自始至终都在培训村民的技能
09:23
because I just wanted, one day
174
551401
3492
因为我只是希望某一天,
09:26
when I fall秋季 down and die,
175
554893
2903
如果我倒地死亡
09:29
that at least最小 one person from Gando甘多
176
557796
2684
甘多至少有一个人
09:32
keeps保持 doing this work.
177
560480
3742
能继续这项工作
09:36
But you will be surprised诧异. I'm still alive.
178
564222
2843
但你们感到惊讶的是,我还活着
09:39
(Laughter笑声)
179
567065
1550
(笑声)
09:40
And my people now can use their skills技能
180
568615
3177
村民们现在可以用他们的技能
09:43
to earn money themselves他们自己.
181
571792
3177
来赚钱
09:48
Usually平时, for a young年轻 man from Gando甘多 to earn money,
182
576830
3963
通常情况下,如果一个甘多的
年轻男子想赚钱
09:52
you have to leave离开 the country国家
183
580793
2096
他就必须背井离乡到城市去
09:54
to the city, sometimes有时 leave离开 the country国家
184
582889
3243
有时他们离开了家乡
09:58
and some never come back,
185
586132
1992
就再也没有回来
10:00
making制造 the community社区 weaker较弱.
186
588124
3444
这使社群关系变得松散
10:03
But now they can stay in the country国家
187
591568
3677
但现在他们可以留在村庄
10:07
and work on different不同 building建造 sites网站
188
595245
2192
在不同的建筑工地工作
10:09
and earn money to feed饲料 their family家庭.
189
597437
1887
赚钱来养活他们的家人
10:11
There's a new quality质量 in this work.
190
599324
3156
这项工作中有了新的性质
10:16
Yes, you know it.
191
604278
2196
是的,你知道这点
10:18
I have won韩元 a lot of awards奖项 through通过 this work.
192
606474
4654
通过这些项目,
我赢得了许多奖项
10:23
For sure, it has opened打开 opportunities机会.
193
611128
3681
肯定的是,它创造了一些机会
10:26
I have become成为 myself known已知.
194
614809
2392
也为我带来了名声
10:29
But the reason原因 why I do what I do
195
617201
4890
但是我做这些事的动机
10:34
is my community社区.
196
622091
3475
是为了我的家乡
10:37
When I was a kid孩子,
197
625566
2114
当我还是个孩子的时候
10:39
I was going to school学校,
198
627680
1783
我去城里上学
10:41
I was coming未来 back every一切 holiday假日 to Gando甘多.
199
629463
4031
每个假期我都会回到甘多
10:45
By the end结束 of every一切 holidays假期,
200
633494
2143
到每个假期结束的时候
10:47
I had to say goodbye再见 to the community社区,
201
635637
3044
我不得不和村里的人们告别
10:50
going from one compound复合 to another另一个 one.
202
638681
3746
挨家挨户地去告别
10:54
All women妇女 in Gando甘多 will open打开 their clothes衣服 like that
203
642427
5231
甘多所有的妇女都会像这样打开她们的口袋
10:59
and give me the last penny一分钱.
204
647658
3935
把身上仅有的一枚硬币给我
11:03
In my culture文化, this is a symbol符号 of deep affection感情.
205
651593
5121
在我的文化里,
这象征着感情的深厚
11:08
As a seven-year-old七十岁 guy, I was impressed印象深刻.
206
656714
3183
作为一个七岁的男孩,
这是印象深刻的
11:11
I just asked my mother母亲 one day,
207
659897
2590
一天我问我的母亲
11:14
"Why do all these women妇女 love me so much?"
208
662487
2743
"为什么所有这些妇女都这么爱我?"
11:17
(Laughter笑声)
209
665230
1749
(笑声)
11:18
She just answered回答,
210
666979
2335
她回答说
11:21
"They are contributing贡献 to pay工资 for your education教育
211
669314
3781
"她们想要为你的教育支出作点贡献
11:25
hoping希望 that you will be successful成功
212
673095
3345
希望你学有所成
11:28
and one day come back and help
213
676440
3098
某一天会回到村里
11:31
improve提高 the quality质量 of life of the community社区."
214
679538
4032
帮助改善社区的生活质量。”
11:35
I hope希望 now that I was able能够
to make my community社区 proud骄傲
215
683570
4878
希望现在我值得村民们
为我感到骄傲
11:40
through通过 this work,
216
688448
1873
通过这些项目
11:42
and I hope希望 I was able能够 to prove证明 you the power功率
217
690321
3812
我希望能够证明
11:46
of community社区,
218
694133
1639
社群的力量
11:47
and to show显示 you that architecture建筑
219
695772
3727
并告诉你们
11:51
can be inspiring鼓舞人心 for communities社区
220
699499
4689
建筑可以激励村民们
11:56
to shape形状 their own拥有 future未来.
221
704188
2253
去建造属于自己的未来
11:58
Merci留言Merci beaucoupbeaucoup. (Applause掌声)
222
706441
2387
非常感谢(掌声)
12:00
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
223
708828
4341
谢谢。谢谢。谢谢。谢谢。
12:05
Thank you. Thank you. (Applause掌声)
224
713169
1680
谢谢。谢谢。(掌声)
Translated by Zhiting Chen
Reviewed by Shiwen He

▲Back to top

ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Diébédo Francis Kéré - Community-minded architect
Diébédo Francis Kéré and his architectural firm design buildings that are good for the environment -- and those who use them.

Why you should listen

Diébédo Francis Kéré grew up in Gando, a small village in Burkina Faso. Having gone away to school, first within his country and then at the Technische Universität in Berlin, Germany, he resolved to give back to the community that raised him. He does that through the power of architecture.

Through his firm, Kéré Architecture, Kéré focuses on using local building materials and techniques in a modern way, to redefine and redesign the enviroment. In Burkina Faso, that means working predominantly with clay, and his innovative approach has seen the creation of remarkably beautiful, modern buildings that are entirely appropriate to the setting.

His first building, a primary school in Gando, was completed in 2001 and received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture. Since then, he has designed other structures for the village; his other work there has also won multiple awards, including the Global Award, the BSI Swiss Architectural Award, the Marcus Prize and the Global Holcim Award Gold 2012.

Kéré also teaches architecture; he has lectured at colleges including the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, and Harvard. In 2013, he began teaching at the Accademia di Architettura in Mendrisio, Switzerland.

More profile about the speaker
Diébédo Francis Kéré | Speaker | TED.com

Data provided by TED.

This site was created in May 2015 and the last update was on January 12, 2020. It will no longer be updated.

We are currently creating a new site called "eng.lish.video" and would be grateful if you could access it.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to write comments in your language on the contact form.

Privacy Policy

Developer's Blog

Buy Me A Coffee