Transforming Kasena houses and indigenous building technology in Burkina Faso

摘要

Field surveys were conducted to explore the design and construction methodologies of Kasena earthen compound houses in the Alampoa settlement. Regarding the design methodology, villagers use their steps to determine the dimensions of floor plans in traditional housing units (i.e., manguelo and diniya-didiyou). Meanwhile, height dimensions are decided by the number of layers of adobe bricks or mud balls used as the earthen material for constructing walls. The construction process was clarified through measurement and interview surveys. These housing units need considerable community cooperation for construction; however, less participation has resulted from lifestyle changes. For this reason, another housing unit that can be constructed more easily using modern materials, the tol-dige, has become popular, especially since the 2010s. The housing transformation has made it difficult to sustain unique building cultures over generations. Therefore, it is time to reevaluate these indigenous building technologies before they disappear.