KÉRÉ: BETTINA STRENSKE—ALAMY; VÉLEZ: AMANDA PEROBELLI—REUTERS; GEBRU: AUGUST
Francis Kéré
Building a legacy
BY DAVID ADJAYE
Francis Kéré brings to
the world a different kind
of contemporary African
architecture. The 2022
Pritzker Prize winner has
built a career out of making
places that exist on the
periphery—places that have
a transformative impact on
the way in which communities
and societies see and serve
themselves. He is a trail-
blazer for his long- standing
commitment to formalizing
space for both social and
environmental good, and in
this sense his legacy lives not
just in his built work but also
in his general practice and
methodological spirit. This
is manifest not only in Kéré’scompleted buildings—such
as a Burkina Faso–based
health center that boasts
roofs designed to collect
needed rainwater—but in
the integrity of his process,
which is predicated on
knowledge building and knowl-
edge sharing as he works with
local communities to inform
his creations. His recognition
is fully and rightfully deserved.Adjaye is an architect80 Time June6/June13, 2022 PHOTOGRAPHBYDJENEBAA DUAYOM