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Everything reported below happened during the month of September 2023 😉

📋 A tour through some training modules 🚀

The Regenerative Architecture Workshop - Analyzing and co-designing architectures! 📐🏡

In this workshop, learners discover how to analyze an architectural project by dissecting all its elements - formal, structural, etc. - in order to understand the conceptual choices that were made - to understand the conceptual choices made. The aim of this workshop is for learners to develop and experiment with prototypes of regenerative architecture adapted to the specific context of the Sahel.

To achieve this, during each session they will approach one stage of architectural design with an analytical and critical approach. The month of September was dedicated to understanding these stages and the components of architecture, in particular by analyzing earth-built architectural projects in groups. We also began to think about and test the constructive and structural systems needed to design regenerative architectures using materials available in the area, drawing as much on endogenous architectural knowledge and cultures as on contemporary architectural technologies. In the coming sessions, the learners will move on to the other phases of architectural design, culminating in advanced, innovative projects.

The local materials and architectural cultures workshop - Experimenting and shaping materials 🧱⛏

As its name suggests, this module is entirely dedicated to learning about local architectural cultures and the use of local materials in architecture. Mamadou Koné, mentor of this training module and an architect specializing in local materials with unrivalled experience in the restoration of built heritage in the Dogon country, Timbuktu, Djénné, etc., took the learners on a journey during the month of September to rediscover the earth and its innumerable potential as a building material. After watching video capsules on the Kabakoo App, featuring local materials and Sahelian architectural cultures, learners were able to work with earth to understand both its characteristics and the various techniques possible for shaping it into walls and other architectural components.

This module is of enormous importance for deconstructing the learners' architectural imaginary in terms of material possibilities restricted by conventional and dominant building materials and techniques since colonization.

In subsequent sessions, learners will build architectural elements (walls, roofs, openings, foundations, etc.) to test and familiarize themselves with these materials. They will also discover a wide range of other local materials!

The Peasant city, city of tomorrow - Imagining the Sahelian city of the future 🏙🌳

During this workshop, mentored by Elvira Pietrobon, architect and doctoral student in urban planning at the IUAV Institute in Venice, learners experiment differently the Sahelian city and its various layers or components. The aim is to explore the Sahelian city of the future, its organization, functions, materials, social relationships and economy, while being highly sensitive to the scales of what lives in this city, to endogenous urban and village organizational forms and cultures, and to the possibilities offered by new urban technology.

📢 Engaging with the community, building the movement 🛠️

Wednesday's ritual: sharing and transmitting knowledge💡💬

The Bamboo Structures and Parametric Architecture masterclass, led by Maddalena Losindaco, a building engineer & Architect specialized in bamboo and parametric architectural design, showcased the tremendous potential of bamboo in sustainable design. The unique characteristics of this renewable resource, including rapid growth and remarkable strength, make it an exceptional choice for architects.

However, designing with bamboo presents its own set of challenges, requiring careful planning and the use of parametric software for optimized structures.

One of the masterclass's key takeaways was the importance of involving local communities in bamboo construction projects. Maddalena emphasized how this approach empowers individuals by imparting valuable skills while fostering a sense of ownership and sustainability. The diverse applications of bamboo, from bridge construction to nomadic homes and furniture, highlight its adaptability and versatility. Understanding these local uses is crucial for architects and regenerative construction professionals.

Participants left Maddalena's masterclass with a shared enthusiasm for future collaborations, further exploring bamboo's potential, and sharing their findings with a wider audience. As a symbol of innovative, regenerative design, bamboo is poised to play a central role in shaping the future of architecture.

💡 Masterclass: Decolonizing architecture in Africa

Emaelaf Tebikew Yalew, an architect who recently graduated from Lund University, shared his thesis on the decolonization of architecture in Africa with the Kabakoo learning community.

Emaelaf demonstrates that, since colonization, architecture in Africa has been disconnected from local realities and specificities, as well as from endogenous architectural knowledge and culture. He also demonstrates, through several examples and architectural references studied, that concrete has dominated African architecture since colonization, at the expense of several other materials that exist locally and are much better adapted to the local climate than concrete. The learners, already aware of these ideas, took the opportunity to share their insights with Emaelaf, particularly with regard to the economic and circular potential of processing and promoting the use of local materials.

This masterclass was an excellent opportunity to discuss the future of architecture in Africa and the Sahel, and the need to return to local knowledge in order to decolonize the architectural industry and create circular and local economic value.

🎉 Upcoming Teasers

For October, various events are planned too, from architecture workshops, heritage workshops, local materials workshops, to masterclasses with international experts, we'll have plenty to tell you next time about other learning modules and upcoming events! Stay tuned!

With Love & Hope from Bamako 💜💛

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