Vernacular riches
The Bigo bya Mugyenyi and Ntusi sites boast the oldest earthen architecture in Uganda. These are alignments of ditches, embankments and platforms erected to protect local crops, notably from the destructive passage of pachyderms! Another representative of vernacular architecture: the traditional hut. Always circular, they are built from natural materials (earth, wood, grass, mud). The frame is made of wood, while the roof is thatched. Reeds are often woven into pillars or trellises to reinforce the structures. Huts are made up of a single room, which may include reed partitions delimiting the various living areas. Some huts, such as the Nkolé and Ganda, can be identified by their conical roofs; others, such as the Karamajong, have roofs whose thatch is levelled, creating surprising rhythmic effects. Some huts have roofs that descend to the ground, protecting the dwelling. This type of structure can be found in the Nyoro and Ganda huts, whose reed facade with an arched threshold is also noteworthy. The Soga and Teso decorate the walls of their huts with natural pigments. Constructed from natural materials and designed with the environment in mind, these huts are the country's first bioclimatic creations! The most famous of these huts can be seen at the heart of the Kasubi palace complex, which contains the tombs of the Buganda kings. The Muzibu Azaala Mpanga, the main and central building, is a circular hut topped by a dome. The grandeur of the Buganda kingdom is also reflected in the rich decoration, as evidenced by the wooden posts clad in finely worked bark. The hierarchical organization of the complex is echoed in all Ganda villages, which are organized around the chief's house, which also serves as a meeting place.
Colonial heritage
The ruins of Fort Patiko, also known as Baker's Fort, bear witness to stone architecture designed for defensive purposes, while Namirembe Cathedral, the oldest in the country, reflects the settlers' desire for evangelization. While the original building dates from the 19th century, the current edifice, with its mud-brick silhouette and tiled roof, dates from 1919. Once the Protectorate was established, the country saw a proliferation of churches, administrative buildings and villas. The latter can be recognized by their colonnaded verandas, flat roofs and white color contrasting with the brightly colored roofs. The larger buildings, on the other hand, alternate between neo-Romanesque styles - such as Kampala's Cathédrale Sainte-Marie with its two imposing square towers, the classic Baha'i Temple with its dome and colonnades, orMakerere University with its square tower - and more modern styles, with Art Deco at the forefront. Jinja abounds in buildings with curvaceous silhouettes, exotic colors and stylized signs. Don't miss the Cinéma Odéon or the Madlani Building. Another astonishing testimony to this period is the legacy of the Indian community. The railroad and its infrastructure, such as the 140 m steel bridge linking Jinja to Kampala, were built by the Indian community. Once the work was completed, many Indians remained in Uganda. Supported by the British protectorate, they were able to set up thriving businesses. The streets of Jinja are lined with their numerous stalls. The town also boasts one of India's most beautiful mansions: the Madhvani building, the country's oldest two-storey edifice. Admire its balconies and verandas, as well as its finely carved woodwork. But the most impressive testament to India's presence is the Hindu temple in Kampala. Designed as a replica of the famous Somnath temple in Gujarat, the temple was built using traditional techniques and materials... so you won't find any iron or steel. Instead, you'll be able to admire an interior bursting with color and light.
Contemporary Uganda
The simple concrete volumes of modernism and the glass curtains of the international style were widely used to symbolize the country's newly-acquired independence. The Ministry of Finance in Kampala is a good example. Today, the country is multiplying projects that revive traditional skills and materials, while imagining environmentally-friendly structures. The most obvious examples are ecolodges. The Kyambura Gorge Lodge, one of the first to be built on the site of a former coffee cooperative, is a perfect example of this chameleon-like architecture that blends into its environment, as is the recent Nile Safari Lodge in Buliisa, whose cottages are built on stilts and whose roof geometry is reminiscent of the silhouette of trees. Other flagship structures include schools. The Australian foundation Cotton On has set itself the challenge of building nearly 20,000 educational facilities. With their passive design, clay brick structure and wind and light orientation, these schools adapt to their environment... as do hospital structures, such as the Mount Sinai branch in Jinja, whose solar panels have been arranged like banana leaves to generate shade and coolness, or the Pediatric Surgery Center in Entebbe, a bioclimatic adobe building designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano. Other fine recent initiatives include the Batwa Village in Gahinga, a sustainable housing project designed to relocate Batwa populations expelled from their forests, who contributed to the construction of each of the houses; and the SINA (Social Innovation Academy) Village on the outskirts of Kampala, which welcomes young people in difficulty who participate in the construction of traditional huts, as well as huts made of... plastic bottles! What if the architecture of tomorrow was written in Uganda?
