SEH18

The cultural pavilion in Sehdjou, Senegal, is a place for learning and gathering beneath the shade of large trees. The building is conceived as a long, low hall defined by walls of perforated brick, which allow air to circulate freely and filter the intense light into a soft, dappled atmosphere. Simple, locally available materials and a straightforward construction make the building part of its place.

Above the masonry, a crown of triangular panels in woven and printed textiles gives the pavilion its identity. The colourful frieze works as sunshade, as sign and as a reference to local craft traditions. Wide entrance steps become benches and a stage, blurring the boundary between the building and the square around it. The pavilion is less an object than a framework for community life: open, cool, and rooted in the materials and skills of the place.