With a population of 3000 inhabitants, Gando is a small village in the southern plains of burkina faso. It is located 200 kilometers from Ouagadougou, the country´s capital. In 1998, Francis Kéré launched a project to build a school in his native village , convinced of the fact that education was the first step for the personal and economic development of his community. Three rectangular modules connected by a single roof make up the basic structure of the building, and each one of them accommodates one classroom for fifty students. The ceiling and walls are built with clay bricks, made on site by the villagers themselves, and wich play the most prominent in the project. To ensure natural ventilation and protect the school from rain and sunlight, the ceramic ceiling and zinc roof are separated by a light steel lattice.

The Primary School received the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 2004, and more importantly, it became a landmark of community pride. As the collective knowledge of construction began to spread and inspire Gando, new cultural and educational projects have since been introduced for further support sustainable development in the village.