The Kaya Medical-Surgical Center is located about one hundred kilometers northeast of Ouagadougou, the capital of Burkina Faso. Awareness of limited resources and the promotion of local craftsmanship serve as the starting point for the center’s expansion project. The volunteer project involves a multidisciplinary and multicultural team in a collective process of research and knowledge exchange.

The entire construction is made of adobe and laterite stone, a sedimentary rock manually extracted from a nearby quarry. The proposed construction takes up the principle of the Nubian Vault, without formwork, and aligns itself with the work carried out in the 1970s by Hassan Fathy. The only tools used are the hoe for kneading the earth, the hands for shaping the bricks, and a taut iron wire to verify placement.

The construction of the complex is carried out in two phases: training local craftspeople through an on-site learning program, and developing, refining and verifying construction techniques.

By valuing local labor and materials, the project eliminates technological and material dependency and stimulates the regional economy, leading to greater autonomy for the population. The construction system offers a real example for future works.

In a first phase, two hospitalization buildings are constructed with shaded spaces attached to the rooms for patients and visitors. The second phase, at the heart of the campus, groups together reception, administration, analysis laboratories, pharmacy and storage.