On Saturday, November 15th, we held the last workshop in the Architecture and Nature Series, led by workshop leader and architect Pablo Amor, in the garden of Can Prunera. In what has now become a ritual, families with their children enjoyed a theoretical introduction where they listened to what, at first glance, seemed like a fable. Francis‘ story is more like a fairy tale than a reality, and we were all captivated by Pablo Amor’s narration. Francis was born in a tiny, impoverished village called Gando in Burkina Faso, where no one could read or write. The community, which saw a special brilliance in little Francis, decided to collect all their available savings to send the young dreamer to Europe so that he could get an education. As is often the case in great stories, it is those who have the least who offer the most. Francis did not forget this gesture, which allowed him to be reborn and fulfill his dream. He studied architecture in Germany, but he never forgot the community’s efforts to get him there. So, after class, he became a carpenter and craftsman so that, many years later, he could repay his debt to his people, changing their lives forever. He saved and waited. He studied and hang on.

Upon returning to his community, he made the great change that was inside him. The revolution in Burkina Faso began with its people and with the simplest materials in the world. Using clay, mud and water, he fermented and then distilled a new way of using what was believed to be common and unsuitable for building. Francis managed, using the simplest principles of mathematics and elementary architecture, to give shape to poverty, turning it into a solution. Simple blocks of clay and mud, humble collectivization and professionalization of the villagers. He created new jobs that had never been necessary before: bricklayers, masons, builders, draughtsman and labourers. Not only did he build houses, schools, hospitals, libraries and meeting places that mitigated the scorching African heat, but he also returned the favor to his own people: he left, returned and triumphed as a human being. He followed the humble principle of gratitude. And thanks to his philosophy of life, he was the first African to win the Pritzker Prize in 2022, similar to the Nobel Prize, but in the field of architecture.

The children and their families, truly inspired by his story, designed clay and mud villages following Francis‘ optimized models, creating simple but resistant structures with sinuous, evocative and practical shapes. Creating together is another way of experiencing affection and love, as well as gratitude. All of us who attended could feel that gratitude as we perpetuated Francis‘ dream and made it a tangible reality, especially among the youngest participants.

Due to its warm reception, this Architecture and Nature Cycle will be held again in 2026. The dates and registration details will be available soon on our website and social media.