Kaira Looro Peace Pavilion
Typology: Pavilion (Kaira Looro, Architecture Competition)
Project Location: Sedhiou, Senegal, Africa
Plot Area: 300 sq.m.
Project Year: 2019
Concept
The design principles of the pavilion is based upon commemorative architecture. The form of two contrasting masses in geometries, feelings and usage; a circle being a symbol for unity expressing the solidarity of the community where the heart is used as an open free space to host traditional musical and dancing celebrations, also collecting water during rainy seasons, this hollow space represents the extraction of wars’ sad memories and replacing them with joy and peace, where the other mass with its sharp geometry and relatively large height represents the extracted part of the circle which commemorates the past wars’ lost souls creating a quiet space for contemplation and prayer. The whole pavilion is designed on a main axis joining the casamance river with the old scarce kapok tree, where the visitor can experience this sense of axiality and contrast from the beginning at the entrance viewing a glimpse of the lighted celebration space followed by the dark contemplation space with a narrow strip of light that creates a sense of anticipation to further explore. The visitor then moves through the project’s zones passing by the exhibition where he is surrounded by rammed earth solid walls in some areas and light spaced wooden bars in others to open the views, also the awareness space is oriented towards the old kapok tree following the community’s educational traditions. The visitor then elevates using transitional steps from the loud earthly mass to the sacred quiet sanctuary where as he enters he is showered by a rain of light that represents the voids left by the lost souls which gets denser from countable to countess until reaching infinity at the axial slit that points towards and overlooks the casamance. The pavilion is a proof that beauty can always be raised out of residue.
Cover Photo - Contemplation Zone (Sacred Space)
Final Submitted Board
Pavilion's Main Approach
Main Central Space (Exhibition & Celebration Zone)
Awareness Space - Old Kapok Tree Oriented
Contemplation Zone (Sacred Space) - Experience
Ground Floor Plan
Main Section A-A
Exploded Model With Materials
Natural Ventilation & Rain Water Harvesting Section
Roof Beam to Column Wood Connection
