Butabu
For centuries, complex and intricate adobe structures, have been built in the Sahal region of western Africa, including the countries of Mali, Niger, Nigeria, Togo, Benin, Ghana, and Burkina Faso. Made of earth mixed with water, these ephemeral buildings display a remarkable diversity of form, human ingenuity, and originality.
In a fascinating book, published in 2003, titled ‘Butabu: Adobe Architecture of West Africa’, and co-authored by British photographer James Morris and Harvard professor Suzanne Preston Blier, a stunning visual array of these structures is displayed.
In his Preface to the book, Morris writes:
“Too often, when people in the West think of African architecture, they perceive nothing more than a mud hut—a primitive vernacular remembered from an old Tarzan movie. Why this ignorance to the richness of West African buildings? Possibly it is because the great dynastic civilizations of the region were already in decline when the European colonizers first exposed these cultures to the West. Being built of mud, many older buildings had already been lost, unlike the stone or brick buildings of other ancient cultures. Or possibly this lack of awareness is because the buildings are just too strange, too foreign to have been easily appreciated by outsiders. Often they more closely resemble huge monolithic sculptures or ceramic pots than “architecture” as we think of it. But in fact these buildings are neither “historic monuments” in the classic sense, nor as culturally remote as they may initially appear. They share many qualities—such as sustainability, sculptural beauty, and community participation in their conception—now valued in Western architectural thinking. Though part of long traditions and ancient cultures, they are at the same time contemporary structures serving a current purpose.
The mud from which these buildings are made is itself a controversial substance that tests our conventional views of architecture. It is one of the most commonly used building materials in the world, and yet in our urban-dominated society it is seen, effectively, as dirt. Buildings subtly alter in appearance each time they are re-rendered, which can be as often as once a year. Yet the maintaining and resurfacing of buildings is part of the rhythm of life; there is an ongoing and active participation in their continuing existence. If they lost their relevance and were neglected, they would collapse. This is not a museum culture…”
In this review of the book from The Guardian Newspaper, journalist Jonathan Glancey writes:
“What these magnificent mosques prove is that mud buildings can be far more sophisticated than many people living in a world of concrete and steel might want to believe. Mud is not just a material for shaping pots, but for temples, palaces and even, as so many west African towns demonstrate, the framing of entire communities. The very fluidity, or viscosity, of the material allows the architects who use it to create dynamic and sensual forms.
Morris’s photographic trips through the region in 1999 and 2000 record a world of architecture that, sadly, is increasingly under threat. Perhaps it is mostly poverty rather than culture and memory that keeps this rich and inventive tradition of building alive…”
This book is a treasure trove of imagery and information to any architecture enthusiast. Critical elements like space, light, and texture are explored in intimate detail, revealing a strong argument for this kind of architecture to be studied, documented, and profiled more wildly. As Morris sums up his preface: “I am still curious why West Africa’s adobe buildings receive so little serious consideration. If architecture is a cultural expression, perhaps it is the culture from which these buildings have evolved, so alien to the European mind, that keeps it in the academic wilderness, hard for the commentators to place.
Sadly, the English version of the book is now out of print. There are, however, used and new copies avaibale from independent oulets via Amazon.com
Photographs and Preface published courtesy of James Morris.
Freedom Park
Freedom Park
Salvokp, South Africa
Client: Freedom Park Trust
Architects: GAPP Architects/ Urban Designers, MMA Architects, Mashabane Rose
Landscape Architects: Newton Lansdcape Architects, Mashabane Rose
Driven by the necessity for the diverse people of South Africa and the world to understand and appreciate the country’s struggle for liberation, The Freedom Park was born as a national and international icon of humanity and freedom.
The Freedom Park, with its Garden of Remembrance, is located on a 52-hectare site on Salvokop Hill at the entrance into Tshwane (Pretoria) from Johannesburg.
The uphill climbs and winding roads serve a very symbolic purpose at The Freedom Park: it stands as a testimony to the arduous road that South Africans had to travel to reach their destination of humanity and freedom.
Documentation issued by the Freedom Park Trust highlights the significance of high ground, rock, hills and mountains in African culture. “Essentially, the rock is our home… in the mountains African people listened to the voice of silence. Mountains and hills served as a seat of governance for many of the royal kraals. Mountains were considered sacred by some groups who used to go there to pray for rain, or to bury kings in the caves… believing that the ancestors reside there… a step to the heavens and to our humanity.”
The entire site – a natural indigenous garden – constitutes the Garden of Remembrance. It is intended to become “a national symbol for reparation, a symbol of healing, a symbol of cleansing, a place where the spirits of those who lost their lives for freedom can rest.”
The conceptual design for the Garden evolved as an iterative process between the design team – including the landscape architects and architects – and an advisory panel established by Freedom Park Trust. The panel included traditional healers, artists and academics specialising in African culture and indigenous knowledge systems, who provided information and guidance on cultural matters.
The Garden of Remembrance creates the context in which the various elements will be built and anticipates further development in the future, as South Africa’s story unfolds.
The Elements of the Park:
Isivivane:
Situated on the eastern side of the hill is Isivivane – a sanctuary, the resting place for the spirits of those who died in the struggles for humanity and freedom. The concept of Isivivane is derived from the word ‘viva’, which means ‘to come together in a group’.
Sikhumbuto:
This consists of five areas:
Amphitheatre
Gallery of Leaders
Reeds
Sanctuary
Wall of Names
On the crest of Salvokop, subtly blending into the curves of the hill, nestles Sikhumbuto – The Freedom Park’s major memorial element. It stands as a testimony to the various conflicts that have shaped the South Africa of today and commemorates those who have sacrificed their lives for humanity and freedom.
The concept of Sikhumbuto is drawn from siSwati nomenclature and signifies a place of remembrance for those who have died and also a place for invoking their assistance in current and future affairs.
Moshate:
A high-level hospitality suite, which will be used for presidential and diplomatic functions, currently being used as a temporary exhibition space.
Mveledzo:
Mveledzo is a spiral path, which links all the elements of The Freedom Park together. It has been designed in such a way that visitors are taken on a contemplative journey in the serenity of the natural landscape as they walk between Isivivane and Sikhumbuto.
Uitspanplek:
Uitspanplek is a peaceful place where families can spend the day together or where visitors to the Park can relax after a tour. The tranquility of this area, with its panoramic view over the city, makes for an ideal reflective space.
Earmarked for completion in late 2009, two of The Freedom Park’s elements, namely Isivivane and Sikhumbuto, have been opened for public visitation during 2007.
As time goes by, The Park will play a primary role in healing South Africa’s wounds by uniting her diverse people towards reconciliation and nation building.
*Winner: World Architecture Festival Awards 2008 – Nature Category
