Central Market in Koudougou - a Participatory Project in Earth Construction

The application of simple local construction techniques for the central market in Koudougou, the third largest city in Burkina Faso, demonstrates the superior attributes of a vernacular material in response to the climatic challenges of the region. In addition to which, it can also be seen just how tamped mud-bricks can be implemented for a truly intricate architecture of vaults, domes and arches. A total of 1155 shops in 125 buildings have been created, as well as 624 market stands in a market hall measuring 3000 square metres. The utilisation of mud-bricks in this participatory project allowed the importation of costly building materials to be kept to a minimum, while long-term employment and training opportunities were made available for many local workers.