Abstract
Learning from the sustainability of traditional architecture, as a solution to the current ecological crisis, seems more challenging in societies where a cultural imposition has occurred. In Burkina Faso, vernacular architecture has experienced a process of transformation, still in course, relying heavily on foreign resources and losing its adaptation to environmental conditions. As in other contexts, the dynamics of transformation are being examined. Joining this line of work, this research aims to explain the causes of the current local perception of traditional building techniques in Burkina Faso in order to consider how a sustainable development of its architecture would be possible. To this end, a historical analysis is conducted by reviewing the literature, consulting historical documents and collecting data during two stays in 2018. The study shows how earth has ceased to be appreciated by progressively becoming associated with “non-definitive constructions”; this perception is due to the narratives put forward by foreign agents since the end of the 19th century. The sustainable development of architecture in Burkina Faso seems to demand a return to the use of earth, local resource par excellence, but this will only be possible if the devaluation of this building material is reversed.
Highlights
The present global ecological crisis confronts humanity with a crisis that is environmental, due to the availability of resources; social, due to the rise of inequalities; and economic, due to an exponential growth that has been demonstrated to be unacceptable.This perspective leads to the questioning of the current socioeconomic order and the search for alternatives that allow adaptation to ongoing climate change.the transition towards a culture of sustainability does not necessarily have to be invented
A historical analysis of the country aims to reflect how foreign influences have contributed to creating the current perception and use of this material by the local population
The so-called “voltaic populations” were initially classified according to their languages. This began a wide academic discussion since there was no unanimity on the criteria to be used to systematize the variants of the local languages into groups and subgroups
Summary
The present global ecological crisis confronts humanity with a crisis that is environmental, due to the availability of resources; social, due to the rise of inequalities; and economic, due to an exponential growth that has been demonstrated to be unacceptable.This perspective leads to the questioning of the current socioeconomic order and the search for alternatives that allow adaptation to ongoing climate change.the transition towards a culture of sustainability does not necessarily have to be invented. The present global ecological crisis confronts humanity with a crisis that is environmental, due to the availability of resources; social, due to the rise of inequalities; and economic, due to an exponential growth that has been demonstrated to be unacceptable This perspective leads to the questioning of the current socioeconomic order and the search for alternatives that allow adaptation to ongoing climate change. As in architecture, it would be enough to look to the past: rather than imagining solutions, it would be possible to relearn them from traditional models [1,2] Regarding architecture, it seems that as societies have gained complexity and technical dominance, they have lost a relationship with nature that needs to be re-established. A single concept of progress, spread throughout the world especially since the end of the 19th century, explains to a great extent why architecture has lost some of its qualities of environmental, sociocultural and economic sustainability
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