For the first time in its history, the Pritzker Prize, the highest award in the world of architecture, has been awarded to an African. Burkinabè Diébédo Francis Kéré has always been committed to his homeland, Burkina, with sustainable architecture that respects its environment. Maintenance.
RFI: What was your first reaction?
Diebedo Francis Kere: When I got the phone call that I was the winner of the Pritzker Prize 2022, I did not believe it. I did not believe it because it simply could not get into my head. Later, when I finally understood, there was a sense of honor and gratitude. And suddenly also a sense of responsibility, of great responsibility. In any case, you can imagine what a joy, what an honor to have this phone call.
You’re talking about “responsibility”. How?
Simply because for me, when I started with architecture, I went around collecting ideas, information during the pre-industrial era in Germany and combining it with what is being done in Burkina Faso to create a modern school. I always considered what I did something personal. And suddenly this work started to make an impact, because many people thought my ideas were very interesting and wanted the same thing. I had always used materials that were local, that were plentiful, that did not cause problems for the environment. And suddenly, when I see this work being considered by this foundation and this prestigious award, I say to myself, “Wow! You did well without knowing it, so you have to keep going. That’s why I say sense of responsibility and to keep going. work in this direction.
Exactly, that’s what the jury said. In his account, he says that your work “is connected to people, to people, to communities, because it is done by and for them”. Specifically, how is this translated into practice?
In fact, I have always done everything to transfer knowledge, whether it is at home in Burkina or even in the United States, I have tried to value the material I have found and to put people at the center of interest. You understand? Finally, my work or the work of the architect, if you will, is a service to humanity, it is to create space for people, for the poor as well as for the rich. That’s all. It is easy.
► To read:Francis Kéré, social architect
In that sense, many people I’ve talked to about your work since that announcement have told me it’s been forward-looking, but forward-looking for 20 years. Many have told me that you have always been ahead of this level. Does this Pritzker Prize mark a turning point in relation to certain visions of architecture that you have always defended?
That’s all. I am really honored to see that what for me was always in my DNA, that is, that it is not because you are rich that you have to waste material, that you have to cause a single mess. And it is not because you are poor that you have to be happy with what is mediocre, that both the poor and the rich have the right to beauty, to quality. And it is possible to achieve all this without causing too much trouble for the environment. Then we are all linked, we have a world. And I’m glad to see that this work has received attention from the Pritzker Prize. For me, it’s a dream I’ve never dreamed of. I could never imagine that this work, which I always consider to be something from the heart, something personal, could be linked to the Pritzker Prize.
Does this bode well for the future of architecture and in a context where environmental and climate issues are obviously at the center of architectural issues?
Maybe this will make us think a lot and say that we can be anywhere in the world. If we are aware of everything we are going through, I’m talking about the conflicts over very limited resources, the crises over energy supply and climate change, that it is together we can solve this problem, I think this is a very strong message that the foundation gave. And I’m glad to have been one of the artists or to have been one of those who considered it normal and not a supplement. But that was always what I was convinced one had to do.
You have a project underway that was unfortunately stopped by the political and military terrorist incidents in Burkina Faso, that is the Ouagadougou National Assembly. In light of this award, are there things that can be done to finally make this project happen?
This project is a project that has a vision, a vision of a nation that has found references. And after the 2014 revolution, I was invited by activists, civil society and politicians to create a national assembly that is transparent, welcoming and has an ideal. We are going to create a kind of pyramid. The pyramids come from Africa, it’s like a provocation. I want the entire population of Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, Africa, to be able to come and climb this pyramid. So that there is a priority due to terrorism and that we stop this project, I understand that. But I hope that one day there will be leaders who understand the need to give an emblem to the democracy of this country and hope to all its young people.
► To read: Francis Diébédo Kéré on the roof of world architecture
