The first primary school was completed in 2001. Virtually all schools in Burkina Faso are built out of concrete, and look somewhat out of place in the Sahel. Concrete production is expensive and requires a lot of electricity. Concrete buildings are not well suited to the climate in Burkina Faso, as the interior becomes intolerably hot, making it difficult for pupils to concentrate. Earth is often regarded as a building material for poor people, but Kéré wanted to use locally available resources.
The primary school was built out of mud bricks, something the community was initially somewhat skeptical about. They were concerned that a mud brick construction wouldn’t survive the rain season. But Kéré’s innovative design provided the solution. A wide, raised tin roof protects the walls from the rain, and allows air to circulate underneath in order to keep the building cool. The community was delighted to find the school still standing after ten years, and the building is much cooler and more pleasant to work in than the conventional concrete school buildings. Kéré’s design has become renowned throughout Burkina Faso, and won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004.[3]
One of the major issues encountered was how to explain plans and designs in a village where most people are illiterate. On drawing a preliminary plan in the sand he found the community fully engaged in the project, many of them coming up with their own suggestions of how to improve it. As Kéré says, “Only those who are involved in the development process can appreciate the results achieved, develop them further and protect them”.
The entire population of Gando took part in the construction of the school. Everybody wanted to help - women prepared the floor while the men pressed earth for the brick walls and collected stones for the foundations. They received on-site training in construction techniques which they could use to build their own houses and to get jobs. Two neighboring villages were impressed by Gando´s community´s organization and achievement. They are now, step by step, building their own school in cooperation with Gando. The value of this project is also recognized by the local authorities: not only are they paying the teachers in the primary school, but they also contribute by employing more and more young people from Gando on their own construction projects.[4]