Creating a Maasai house

Following a transhumant practice, the Maasai have been constructing structures revolving around their livestock. Building practices in the Maasai land are characterised by the resources available and the knowledge systems that have been passed down through generations. The rudimentary building forms have been employing skills of the well versed Maasai women.

Windows to Vernacular is an architecture focused organization based in India. A process-driven collaborative that is set on an exploratory journey, traversing through the countryside’s and hinterlands of India. They engage with the local population, listening to them, learn and understand the nuances of their culture, their way of life, why they build and how to build. In the process, the team creates a repository adding to the existing knowledge pool of built ecological studies. These experiences and learning are imbibed into a contemporary practice where the work contributes in shedding a light on the lost crafts and building skills. This engages in a fresh dialogue that involves a relevant, modern-day application of an otherwise factual investigation.

In the third edition of the Wise Wall Project, we are collaborating with the culturally rich and one of the oldest communitys in the world, the Maasai community, in Arusha, Tanzania, in partnership with Vikram Solar Ltd., Vijana Inspiring Foundation, Lions Club of Dar es Salaam and Arusha City, and Google Arts and Culture. Along with building an on-ground community centre and museum for the community, we are bringing an exclusive insight into the life, lifestyle and learnings from this inspiring community.

The Wise Wall Project is an initiative of Project FUEL that aims to document, design and strengthen the wisdom of rural communities and marginalised villages using art and community outreach programmes. The arts lead the way to raise support for the challenges these villages face today like migration, quality education and access to basic amenities like water and roads.