A sheltering roof is a humanitarian project led by the ra.syn association in Gambia in the village of Kassi Kunda. After nine intense months of participatory construction, the construction is delivered in March 2019 to accommodate professional classes.

The concept of the project - A sheltering roof - is based on architectural principles specific to the tropical climatic environment, ie to protect the users from heavy rains or the burning sun and to allow a good ventilation of the roof. space . A large frame houses classrooms, whose layout is flexible, and promotes ventilation through space.

To respond to current environmental issues, the use of biosourced materials, such as raw earth, wood or stubble, has been favored . These resources have been extracted locally. The constructive techniques used are mainly from traditional practices, like the weaving of the straw called "Bassari" for the cover or the earth pisé for the walls. The technique used for the framework consisting in the molding and hitching of sections of wood is the subject of a contribution of technicality absent in the region.

Without water or electricity, building at Kassi Kunda in the Gambia leads to a complete reflection on the construction process: the production of materials, their routing, their transformation and implementation with limited technical means . The land used is partly extracted from the site, with shovel and pickaxe. Thatch was harvested from nearby fields and transported by carts. The structure was entirely erected using ropes, pulleys and human strength.

This work is the result of a research at the heart of the subject, as much by its characteristics as by its implementation. The architectural device takes into account the requirements of each material in order to benefit from both their thermal and acoustic qualities, as well as their environmental virtues.

Sustainable development approach of the project owner

A sheltering roof is a humanitarian project in Gambia for the village of Kassi Kunda. This is the first achievement of the ra.syn association. It was requested to build a school infrastructure using bio-based materials such as raw earth, traditional technique in The Gambia. The project was the subject of a participatory process involving international volunteers working alongside village workers. Without pre-qualification, the site is the place for cultural exchange and constructive learning.

Architectural description

The concept of the project - A sheltering roof  - is based on architectural principles specific to the tropical climatic environment, that is to say to protect the users from the torrential rains or the burning sun and to allow a good ventilation of the 'space. A large frame houses classrooms, whose layout is flexible, and promotes ventilation through space. The framing created by the carved infrastructure opens towards the surrounding landscape and underlines the beauty of the Gambian steppe.

To respond to current environmental issues, the use of biosourced materials, such as raw earth, wood or stubble, has been favored. These resources have been extracted locally. The constructive techniques used are mainly from traditional practices, like the weaving of the straw called "Bassari" for the cover or the earth pisé for the walls. The technique used for the framework consisting in the molding and hitching of sections of wood is the subject of a contribution of technicality absent in the region.

Without water or electricity, building at Kassi Kunda in the Gambia leads to a complete reflection on the construction process: the production of materials, their routing, their transformation and implementation with limited technical means. The land used is partly extracted from the site, with shovel and pickaxe. Thatch was harvested from nearby fields and transported by carts. The structure was entirely erected using ropes, pulleys and human strength.

This work is the result of a research at the heart of the subject, as much by its characteristics as by its implementation. The architectural device takes into account the requirements of each material in order to benefit from both their thermal and acoustic qualities, as well as their environmental virtues.