4 Mud dwellings in Djenne. 5-6 The greatest outside contributions have been by people working directly with the afflicted communi - ties. One such example is Dutch architect Joop van Stigt, who has been offer- ing his skills to the Dogon people of Mali for decades. He has built numerous schools here and has con- structed many wells with a network of local people.
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banko — water, rice sheath aggregate and clay, supports a cycle of repair that maintains the physical integrity of these buildings for centuries
application follows the rainy season, when water begins to dissolve buildings like sugar cubes. The other follows the dry season, when lack of water dries and splinters the organic makeup of the walls. This basic and utilitarian application has maintained the physical integrity of these buildings for centuries. It also nourishes tradition by training the next generation of masons. Beyond this achievement, architecture that is built by hand and constructed with a natural palette of materials reaches truly evocative and sculptural highs. Photographs from the journey show suggestive formal expressions of master masons and common people alike. Although such creations are a product of distant origins, they remain in a constant state of change and evolution. It is their very cycle of existence that gives them such plasticity.
Drought has devastated the south of Niger, and a recent famine in 2005 killed many people. Although not witness to this particular tragedy, I did visit communities fighting disaster on many fronts. On the receding frontiers with the Sahara desert, mankind struggles to protect the lives of children, and to protect a way of life. Yet in the face of impending malnutrition, disease and death, clean water is a main source of resistance. If it is available for all, and clean, then it not only directly sustains the lives of men, women, and children, but also agriculture and livestock, and is the fundamental ingredient in the construction and maintenance of shelter. With regards to this sustenance of the built environment, the preservation cycle of mud-brick architecture is based on water. Water, along with a rice sheath aggregate, is mixed with the cement-like clay found on river banks. The result, banko , is used to replenish homes, mosques, and marketplaces twice a year. One
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