Abstract (300 words maximum)
What happens to countries that do not have the economic power to initiate or keep up with globalization? In moments of revolution, architecture often plays a pivotal role in shaping and boosting the economy for cities. However, this is more often portrayed or studied in wealthy countries like Germany, Russia, and the United States. Countries that do not have economic power, especially developing nations, begin to mix culture with modern architecture. The Gando Primary School, a project located in Gando, Burkina Faso is a school that was built cooperatively by the village community funded by members who lived away from home. This project consisted of clay walls that support a double structured roof and a tin roof that made the inside of the building up to six degrees cooler than a singular layer tin roof. This project was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and contributed to Francis Kéré receiving the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Similarly, the Majara Residence was awarded the Aga Khan Award in 2025, which is described as a vibrant archipelago of varying programs that serve to incrementally build an alternative tourism economy. This paper investigates how architects Francis Kéré and ZAV Architects Collective used local materials and community engagement to develop impactful buildings that reflect the local culture. This paper compares these two precedents through the interpretation of Kenneth Frampton’s 6 Points of Architecture Resistance, showcasing the resistance to globalization aesthetics through a design strategy that incorporates the unique characteristics of a specific location. This research argues that struggling countries or cities can combat the standards of globalization through designs that involve the community, adapt to local materiality, and embrace culture, establishing cultural agency.
Use of AI Disclaimer
no
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CACM – Architecture
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Ehsan Sheikholharam
Resisting Globalization: Gando Primary School and Majara Residence Beyond Critical Regionalism
What happens to countries that do not have the economic power to initiate or keep up with globalization? In moments of revolution, architecture often plays a pivotal role in shaping and boosting the economy for cities. However, this is more often portrayed or studied in wealthy countries like Germany, Russia, and the United States. Countries that do not have economic power, especially developing nations, begin to mix culture with modern architecture. The Gando Primary School, a project located in Gando, Burkina Faso is a school that was built cooperatively by the village community funded by members who lived away from home. This project consisted of clay walls that support a double structured roof and a tin roof that made the inside of the building up to six degrees cooler than a singular layer tin roof. This project was awarded the Aga Khan Award for Architecture and contributed to Francis Kéré receiving the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Similarly, the Majara Residence was awarded the Aga Khan Award in 2025, which is described as a vibrant archipelago of varying programs that serve to incrementally build an alternative tourism economy. This paper investigates how architects Francis Kéré and ZAV Architects Collective used local materials and community engagement to develop impactful buildings that reflect the local culture. This paper compares these two precedents through the interpretation of Kenneth Frampton’s 6 Points of Architecture Resistance, showcasing the resistance to globalization aesthetics through a design strategy that incorporates the unique characteristics of a specific location. This research argues that struggling countries or cities can combat the standards of globalization through designs that involve the community, adapt to local materiality, and embrace culture, establishing cultural agency.