The Thread
A cultural center, build exclusively from local materials, to encourage unity between local tribes
This cultural center in Senegal, designed by Japanese architect Toshiko Mori was constructed using exclusively local materials and techniques. Located in the remote village of Sinthian, the building performs several programmatic roles for the local community, including as a gathering space, performance centre and residency for visiting artists. Toshiko Mori developed the cultural hub to complement existing buildings on the site. The centre, known as the Thread, is surrounded by existing clinics, a kindergarten and a farming school. The facility seeks to encourage unity between the twelve local tribes that use it. The building's roof shape provides shelter to enclosed workshop spaces and bedrooms at either end, with a central gathering space. The undulating thatched roof also helps to collect rainwater, which is stored in large reservoirs and used by an association of local women to raise crops during the region's prolonged dry season.