House of the impluvium, multi-storey house and architectural forms in&nbspCasamance

Casamance is an area in southern Senegal, named after its large river and lagoon system. Casamance is separated from the larger northern part of the country by a narrow strip of Gambia and is, in comparison, a very poor and neglected region. For over 30 years, there has been a separatist movement here seeking independence for the region from northern Senegal. The place differs from the northern part of the country with its tropical climate, which can produce up to 1500 mm of rainfall during the monsoon season. At the same time, the area is characterized by its ethnic composition, where the unique cultural forms of the Diola tribe are represented by distinctive architectural styles. The climatic conditions and traditional building practices are reflected in the forms of the so-called Impluvium House and the Multi-story House. These two typological forms arise from the need for protection against persistent rains and shield from heat and sunlight. Traditional building techniques have produced architectural forms that, due to civilizational development, are now disappearing, replaced by often foreign and imported architecture. Their remnants can be counted on the fingers of both hands. However, in the last five years, there has been a phenomenon known as Campement Villageois, where these buildings are being reconstructed for the purpose of accommodating visitors and tourists in such a way that the generated income directly contributes to the respective village communities. Tourists, with few exceptions, do not travel to Casamance due to unfounded concerns for their safety.
Houses case á impluvium and case á étages are spread over a relatively small area to the west and north of the region's capital, Ziguinchor. Their inspiring form and simple pragmatic logic of climate protection deserve professional attention and support. Most of the preserved examples are buildings from the second half of the 20th century, some of which are newly constructed designs by French architects with respect for local building culture.
This photo report is a record of my two trips to southern Senegal in February 2011 and 2012, where I had the opportunity to visit the buildings. With the support of French architect Francoise Joliot, who has been trying to design his works in traditional building practices in the region for over twenty years, I decided to document the most significant buildings in Casamance. All of them are easily accessible by local transport (taxi sept place), by bike, or by traditional wooden boat called pirogue. Almost all of them offer comfortable accommodation.