This One's for Ray.......

I happen to know several Ray's but one of them is an architect and a friend of mine.  He lives in Augusta and I met him at Maranatha Church many years ago.  One of the more fascinating things about Burkina Faso is the way they build buildings around here and every time i see one under construction, i think of ray.  and Gil, my step-dad (now deceased), who was also an architect.  Driving around Ouagadougou these last 2 1/2 months has given me plenty of opportunity to observe the, well, architecture of the city and i thought it might provide an interesting view.

Everywhere in Ouagadougou, there are buildings in some stage of un-finished construction.  Between the unfinished buildings (work stops when the money runs out and resumes when more money becomes available) and the rubble lying everywhere along the streets, at first it reminded me of a bombed out city.  But I find them quite fascinating, actually, and I have taken way more pictures of them than what any sane person would have taken and more than what I have posted.

This was one of the first pictures I took while Melissa was driving me downtown one day.  The wooden ladders on the corners of the buildings really caught my attention.  How in the heck do people climb those to reach the upper levels??  safely?????  

This is on a very busy street in Ouagadougou. The building at the end is being constructed and if you look closely (get a magnifying glass!) you can see these wooden posts at the front of the building on the third level.  They are supporting the floor above.  For real.

This is  close up view of that same building - through the car window it's a little cloudy.  I was still very new at trying to discreetly take pictures while driving through the city - didn't want people to think I was string at them (which i most definitely was!).  On the 2nd level you can see the same tree limbs/ trunks farther back into the unit.  And, by the way, it is illegal to cut down trees in Burkina Faso due to re-desertification.  But if they fall down, it is o.k. to pick them up and use them.  So ALL these trees, and thousands more just like them, SOMEHOW, just fell down!

And caught myself in the side view mirror taking a picture of a building.  the bars on the doors and windows is more cultural than anything.  Many of the buildings in the city look like they may have been built during the 1950's - 1970's with newer construction here and there and in-between.  The pavers in the foreground are common throughout the city.  They are just beautiful.  Some of the designs in the pavers and the way they are laid can be very intricate.  Beautiful.  But if they get damaged, they are seldom repaired or replaced.

This is an empty space not far from downtown.  Several of the buildings in the background are under construction.  The rubble in the foreground comes from other torn down structures and brought here for some reason.  New bricks/ blocks are also being made.  Not sure if the truck on the right is in active-duty or abandoned.  The smoke in the background is from people burning trash.

Same picture, different angle.

The building on the left is nearly finished.  the one in the middle and on the bottom right are not as far along.  These are the tallest structures i've seen in Ouagadougou.  I haven't seen anything over 9 stories tall.

This is a different view of the photo above.  Newer, modern buildings.  Wooden scaffolding and ladders are still visible on the building on the right.  Outside stairs, as can be seen on the building on the left, are also common.  and flat roofs.  very few peaks.

According to Melissa, the cranes have been in the same place since she and Isaak moved here nearly two years ago. There is no construction going on in these two buildings at the present time.

This is just a favorite.  I like the circular design.

This is one of my favorite un-finished buildings.  It gives a very clear view of the work in progress. Wood supports are used on the exterior as well as the interior.  No safety belts.  Nothing to make sure the scaffolding doesn't crash to the ground.  or that workers don't crash if the scaffolding does.  no OSHA!

Incredible!  Notice the wood ladder inside the lower left window.  No metal ladders.  Wood supports at the top right will come down eventually.  where'd you get all those trees?  they fell down.  ok.

More traditional, metal scaffolding on this building, but it is not commonly used.  I feel safer just looking at it!

Another favorite.  This building is being worked on as evident by the motos and bicycles.  Because buildings can be open like this and empty for long periods of time, it is also fairly common for squatters to be living in them.  I do not think they are evicted until the building is complete.

Downtown.  Rows and rows of fallen trees!!

The mosques are plentiful and beautiful.  Even though this picture leaves something to be desired. Middle Eastern influence is evident throughout the city.  This mosque is a landmark for me - tells me where to turn to get to the girls' school.  Even though i don't drive, I figure it's still good for me to know!

And more fallen trees!  I've never seen anything
quite like it!

Not sure if this home is finished or not.  Most Burkinabe build their own.  The handmade wooden ladders are another item of interest to me.  Apparently, it doesn't take much to capture my interest!

And then there are the simpler structures.  this corner stable is held up with a few posts.  the metal roof supports the hay that the horses eat.













                                                                  The house in the background is quite grand.  

Not sure if the stable is their's or belongs to another.  And yes, the tires contain feed!