House in Djilor-Djidiack: The Rhythms of the Bolong, Djilor-Djidiack, Senegal
Nestled on the sandy banks of an estuary river arm in the Sine Saloum region, this residential sanctuary stands a stone’s throw from the childhood home of poet and statesman Léopold Sédar Senghor. The architecture rejects Western modernism by merging the deep-shaded logic of tropical African dwellings with traditional veranda-style profiles. Built almost entirely of earth, stone, wood, and straw, the home establishes a symbiotic dialogue with the changing tides and delta winds. It serves as a striking template for contemporary conservation and slow, localized craftsmanship.
The Vision
The primary intent was to establish an architectural entity born entirely of its immediate terrain, utilizing the natural constraints of the site to dictate the living program. The layout is divided into a series of vaulted bays that organize family life around a continuous belt of shade. By involving local village residents in the physical act of construction, the project turned the building process into an open-source classroom for vernacular earth techniques. The home acts as a tranquil framing device for the growing landscape, celebrating a life lived in direct response to the sun, the soil, and the river.
Tectonics
The building's construction is a beautiful exhibition of honest, unadorned structural logic, entirely avoiding costly concrete reinforcements. Massive self-stabilizing triangular brick pillars form the porch and create deep alcoves for resting and dining, while the primary walls consist of three-foot compressed earth blocks beaten into place using site-sourced soil. The lower level is crowned by thin concrete-earth vaults crafted by local artisans, while the upper level features a framing made from reclaimed electrical poles cut by chainsaw and bolted together. This robust timber framework supports local bamboo poles and a thick, traditional straw roof that isolates the interior from intense solar gain.
The Living Building
The house functions as a responsive "Living Machine," relying on pure passive engineering to combat the subtropical climate. The massive 14-inch-thick rammed earth walls act as an immense thermal flywheel, absorbing the cool night air and releasing it slowly to keep the living zones perfectly temperate during the daytime heat. Large windows lining the veranda feature lateral ventilation gaps, capturing the natural breeze coming off the river to create an ongoing interior cross-current. On the upper floor, a continuous ribbon of operable glass windows spans three facades, allowing the family to modulate airflow while enjoying an uninterrupted, panoramic view of the bolong.
Data Sheet
Project Name: House in Djilor-Djidiack
Location: Djilor-Djidiack, Senegal
Architect: Gilles Perraudin Architecte (in association with Atelier Architecture Perraudin)
Completion Year: 2024
Area: 2,800 sq. ft.
Key Materials: Rammed Earth, Concrete-Earth Bricks, Reclaimed Wood Poles, Bamboo, Straw Thatch
Typology: Residential
Client: Withheld
Project Gallery
