Thread by Toshiko Mori architect

Thread
Thread
Photo © Iwan Baan

Situated in the remote community of Sinthian, Senegal, near the fragile border of Mali, this project offers multiple programs for the community, including gathering space, performance center, and residency for visiting artists. A collaboration with the Josef and Anni Albers Foundation and American Friends of Le Korsa, the cultural facility is intended to complement the existing clinics, kindergarten, and farming school on site.

Thread
Photo © Iwan Baan

It is also meant to ensure stability and provide a common ground within a community consisting of twelve different tribes. The shared music, art, and performance programs are a testament to the resiliency of the region. In the design, a parametric transformation of the traditional pitched roof is achieved through a process of inversion, inscribing a series of courtyards within the plan of the building and simultaneously creating shaded studio areas around the perimeter of the courtyard.

Thread
Photo © Iwan Baan

The inversion of the roof also creates an effective strategy for the collection and storage of rainwater in cisterns. With a total footprint of 11,285 square feet, the project is capable of fulfilling substantial domestic and agricultural water needs for the community.

Thread
Photo © Iwan Baan

Relying exclusively on local materials and construction techniques, the building’s traditional structure is formed primarily of large bamboo members and compressed earth blocks. Climatic considerations figure prominently into the building’s form and specify the orientation of the studios and covered gallery areas. The building also offers ample shading of outdoor areas and considers wind orientation for ventilation.

Thread
Photo © Iwan Baan

Climatic comfort is reinforced through multiple overhangs and spaced-brick walls that absorb heat and allow for airflow through the building interior. In addition to local material, project management will be undertaken by local villagers. The project offers an iconic shape in a landscape that is a vast, flat bush land. Source by Toshiko Mori architect.

Thread
Photo © Iwan Baan
    • Location: Sinthian, Senegal
    • Architect: Toshiko Mori
    • Consultants: Schlaich Bergermann and Partners
    • Others: Nick Murphy (Director, Thread), Moussa Diogoye Sene (General Manager, Thread), Brian Harris
    • Contractor: Dr. Magueye Ba
    • Client: The Josef and Anni Albers Foundation
    • Award: American Institute of Architects 2017 Honor Award
    • Size: 11,285 sq ft
    • Final Budget: 227,715 USD
    • Completion Date: 2015
    • Photographs: Iwan Baan, Courtesy of Toshiko Mori architect
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