francis kéré conceives memorial to thomas sankara in burkina faso

francis Kéré honors memory of thomas sankara

Pritzker Prize-winning architect Francis Kéré (Kéré Architecture) reveals renders for the upcoming Memorial Thomas Sankara — a complex honoring the memory of the late revolutionary leader. The project is located in Burkina Faso’s capital city, Ouagadougou, extending across 9,760 square meters over the very site where Sankara and his comrades were assassinated in 1987. This particular location is marked by a preserved building and a new 87-meter-tall tower which invites a moment of reflection on the ideals that Sankara stood for as visitors journey to the ascent.

Encircled by water, the tower further forms part of a network of commemorative public spaces, including a media library, ateliers, restaurants, and offices, interwoven by a green promenade that invites visitors to engage with the principles that defined Sankara’s 1983 revolution — universal education, agricultural self-sufficiency, and social equity — embedding these ideas into the natural landscape. It was recently announced that the project’s first stage, the Mausoleum, is under construction with completion slated for the first half of 2025.

all images courtesy of Kéré Architecture

the memorial as a new urban landmark in Ouagadougou

Francis Kéré envisions Memorial Thomas Sankara as both a site of remembrance and an active space for learning, gathering, and contemplation. Throughout, the complex remains a steadfast reminder of Sankara’s ideals and his leadership which was defined by radical self-sufficiency, food self-sufficiency, women’s emancipation, and a reimagining of African governance. The prominent tower, with a silhouette rising as a new urban landmark for the city, captures the figure’s resilience and uncompromising vision and invites those paying respect in an experiential ascent.

A helicoidal ramp spirals upward, symbolizing the arduous yet rewarding path of revolution. Along the way and at the top, those undertaking the climb are met with expansive views of the capital and a restaurant modeled in the contours of Burkina Faso. The architects have also integrated a suspended funicular cabin that offers an alternative route for those unable to undertake the journey on foot, ensuring accessibility for all. Outside, the water that surrounds the preserved building where the attack took place, creates a contemplative area for remembrance.

Kéré Architecture to complete Memorial Thomas Sankara

While the space is primarily a commemoration of Thomas Sankara, Francis Kéré’s approach seeks not to simply monumentalize his legacy, but also activate the attached history. Architecturally, the memorial reflects the empowerment afforded by the revolution, though with a conciliatory approach, subtly integrating the complex into Ouagadougou’s urban landscape. Aligned with the city’s Green Belt initiative, it is additionally envisioned as a green lung, supplemented by the natural ventilation techniques employed by the architects throughout the complex’s individual structures.

Speaking on the progress of construction, Kéré expressed in a statement a desire to ‘amaze and surprise people,’ emphasizing the involvement of both governmental bodies and the International Committee of the Thomas Sankara Memorial in guiding the project. Prime Minister Rimtalba Jean Emmanuel Ouédraogo, who recently met with the architect to discuss the development, emphasized the government’s commitment to leveraging cultural landmarks as catalysts for socio-economic growth.

located in Burkina Faso’s capital city, Ouagadougou, extending across 9,760 square meters

located over the very site where Sankara and his comrades were assassinated in 1987

a new tower rises 87 meters

a journey of contemplative ascent

a network of commemorative public spaces, including a media library, ateliers, restaurants, and offices

project info:

name: Memorial Thomas Sankara

architect: Kéré Architecture | @kerearchitecture

location: Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso

lead architect: Francis Kéré, Jeanne Autran-Edorh

design team: Leonne Zoe-Vögelin, Andrea Maretto, Kinan Deeb, Jeanne Autran-Edorh, N’Faly Ismaël Camara, Roberto Rodríguez Martínez, Javier Mola Cárdenes
contributors: Cloé Collet, Orsola Carraro, Maysha Mussonghora, Valentin Billhardt, Linda Heiß, Vincenzo Salierno, Nina Tescari

client: CIM-TS (Comité International du Mémorial Thomas Sankara)