1. ArchDaily
  2. Kassena

Kassena: The Latest Architecture and News

The Painted Houses of Tiébélé: A Model for Communal Collaboration

In the south of Burkina Faso, sharing borders with the northern environs of Ghana is Tiébélé; a small village exhibiting fractal patterns of circular and rectangular buildings, housing one of the oldest ethnic groups in West Africa; the Kassena tribe. With vernacular houses dating back to the 15th century, the village’s buildings strike a distinctive character through its symbol-laden painted walls. It is an architecture of wall decoration where the community uses their building envelope as a canvas for geometric shapes and symbols of local folklore, expressing the culture’s history and unique heritage. This architecture is the product of a unique form of communal collaboration, where all men and women in the community are tasked with contributing to the construction and finishing of any new house. This practice serves as a transmission point for Kassena culture across generations.

The Painted Houses of Tiébélé: A Model for Communal Collaboration - Image 1 of 4The Painted Houses of Tiébélé: A Model for Communal Collaboration - Image 2 of 4The Painted Houses of Tiébélé: A Model for Communal Collaboration - Image 3 of 4The Painted Houses of Tiébélé: A Model for Communal Collaboration - Image 4 of 4The Painted Houses of Tiébélé: A Model for Communal Collaboration - More Images+ 6