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Courtyard Village

Status:

Completed

Date:

2016

Site:

Cortile d’Onore, Palazzo Litta, Milan, Italy

Size:

500 sqm

Client:

Mosca Partners, DAMN° Magazine

Collaborators:

Stone pavilions: Casone Group
Bamboo roof and Landscape: Euroambiente
Platform: Eterno Ivica
Light Design: Reggiani
Stools: Riva 1920
Kitchen Products: Gaggenau

Built as part of the 2016 Fuorisalone in Milan, the Courtyard Village was shown as part of an exhibition at the historic Palazzo Litta entitled A Matter of Perception: Tradition & Technology. It was on view in April 2016 and explored the relationship between both concepts of tradition and technology. 

Creating paths for social encounter and gathering among visitors, Kéré Architecture’s installation took inspiration from the social and spatial dynamics of a traditional compound as it can be found in many West African countries. Designed as the centrepiece of the exhibition, it was situated in the principal courtyard of the baroque building. 

Defining this communal ground was an elevated platform surrounded by a ground cover of native Italian grasses. Atop the platform stood three open, circular shelters made of stone, whose shaping and materiality dually expressed a sense of transparency and mass. Six stone varieties were used, drawing connections to the materiality and craftsmanship of both the historic palace and surrounding cityscape. Separated by several horizontally running stone planes, vertically placed slabs formed elements of different height and width. They started narrow and flat on the bottom growing bigger towards the top. Overhead, a singular overhanging roof of bamboo protected and shaded the compound’s community below.

The first furniture piece designed by Kéré Architecture, the ZIBA stool, was featured in this installation and invited the visitors to stay. Its shape is mechanically carved from a scented cedar log, which is a technique that refers to traditionally hand-carved chairs that Francis Kéré studied in Burkina Faso. 

Built as part of the 2016 Fuorisalone in Milan, the Courtyard Village was shown as part of an exhibition at the historic Palazzo Litta entitled A Matter of Perception: Tradition & Technology. It was on view in April 2016 and explored the relationship between both concepts of tradition and technology. 

Creating paths for social encounter and gathering among visitors, Kéré Architecture’s installation took inspiration from the social and spatial dynamics of a traditional compound as it can be found in many West African countries. Designed as the centrepiece of the exhibition, it was situated in the principal courtyard of the baroque building. 

Defining this communal ground was an elevated platform surrounded by a ground cover of native Italian grasses. Atop the platform stood three open, circular shelters made of stone, whose shaping and materiality dually expressed a sense of transparency and mass. Six stone varieties were used, drawing connections to the materiality and craftsmanship of both the historic palace and surrounding cityscape. Separated by several horizontally running stone planes, vertically placed slabs formed elements of different height and width. They started narrow and flat on the bottom growing bigger towards the top. Overhead, a singular overhanging roof of bamboo protected and shaded the compound’s community below.

The first furniture piece designed by Kéré Architecture, the ZIBA stool, was featured in this installation and invited the visitors to stay. Its shape is mechanically carved from a scented cedar log, which is a technique that refers to traditionally hand-carved chairs that Francis Kéré studied in Burkina Faso. 

Courtyard Village. Photo by Pier Carlo Quecchia.
Sketch of Courtyard Village by Francis Kéré.
Model of Courtyard Village.
Courtyard Village in the evening. Photo by Laurian Ghinitoiu.
Plan of the Courtyard Village.
Elevation of the Courtyard Village.
Ziba Stools in the Courtyard Village. Photo by Giovanni Desandre.
Visitors at the Courtyard Village.Photo by Laurian Ghinitoiu.
Visitor reading at Courtyard Village. Photo by Laurian Ghinitoiu.
Interior of the Courtyard Village. Photo by Giovanni Desandre.
Roof detail of the Courtyard Village. Photo by Laurian Ghinitoiu.