Burkina Institute of Technology BIT Koudougou – Francis Kéré
After a successful collaboration with Kéré Architecture on the construction of the Lycée Schorge Secondary School, the Stern Stewart Institute decided to expand its campus with the commission of a new facility that would allow high school graduates to continue their education.
The Burkina Institute of Technology is designed using a system of repeated modules, housing classrooms and auxiliary functions, arranged orthogonally to define a rectangular courtyard. The orthogonal arrangement of modules allows the campus to expand incrementally according to its needs. The modules are staggered, allowing air to flow through the central void, creating a cool space where students can relax and interact.
Building on the experience acquired on the Naaba Belem Goumma Secondary School, the walls are made of poured local clay, cast in-situ. This innovative method meant construction could be completed within a tight timeframe, using large formworks that allowed an entire module to be poured in one session. Although the classrooms need mechanical air conditioning because of the IT equipment, the massive clay walls contribute significantly to cooling down the interior spaces.
