Bamboo and clay: these were the only materials used by German architect
Anna Heringer in the construction of the
Anandaloy community center in Rudrapur, a village in Bangladesh.
Winner of the 2020
Obel – an international architecture award held annually at the Henrik Frode Obel Foundation in Denmark – Anandaloy, which means "a place of deep joy" in the local dialect, is characterized by construction with materials provided by the land and social motivation to give autonomy and improve the local community.
The two-story building houses a therapy center for people with disabilities on the ground floor and a textile manufacturing workshop for local women on the upper floor. For Martha Schwartz, a member of the Obel Prize jury, Anandaloy is "a project "Anna is building sustainably, using materials that are already there, involving people so they can learn to build for themselves, and creating opportunities for women and people with disabilities."
At Anandaloy, the ramp appears as a symbol of inclusion. "The architecture itself raises awareness of the importance of including everyone. Diversity is a beautiful thing that should be celebrated," adds Martha. The ramps appear at the entrance to the building and in the interior, connecting the two levels and creating, underneath them, a cave-like space that can be used for recreation or isolation.
Regarding its construction, Anna Heringer ponders "there are many resources available in nature for free, we just need our sensitivity to see them and our creativity to use them". Working with clay allowed the users themselves to actively participate in the construction of the building. "We need to bring work to where people are, so they can make use of their own resources, building their own homes, growing their own food and taking care of their families."
