Vernacular riches
The sites of Bigo bya Mugyenyi and Ntusi have the oldest earthen architecture in Uganda. These are alignments of ditches, embankments and platforms erected to protect local crops, particularly against the destructive passage of pachyderms! Another representative of vernacular architecture: the traditional hut. Always circular, it is made of natural materials (earth, wood, grass, mud). The frame is made of wood, while the roof is thatched. The reed is often used braided in the form of pillars or latticework to reinforce the structures. The huts consist of a single room that may have reed partitions delimiting the different living spaces. Some huts can be recognised by their conical roofs, as is the case with the Nkole and Ganda; others have roofs whose thatch is as if levelled, thus creating surprising rhythmic effects, as is the case with the Karamajong. Some huts have roofs that go down to the ground, thus protecting the dwelling. This type of structure can be found in the Nyoro and Ganda huts, whose reed facade with an arch-shaped threshold is also noteworthy. The Soga and Teso people decorate the walls of their huts with natural pigments. Made of natural materials and designed in harmony with the environment, these huts are the first bioclimatic creations in the country! The most famous of these huts is the one that can be seen in the heart of the Kasubi palace complex, which contains the tomb 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 richness of the decoration, as evidenced by the wooden posts covered with finely worked bark. The hierarchical organization of the complex is found in all the Ganda villages organized around the chief's house, which also serves as a meeting place
Colonial heritage
The ruins of Patiko Fort, also known as Baker's Fort, bear witness to a defensive stone architecture; while Namirembe Cathedral, the oldest in the country, reflects the evangelistic desires of the settlers. If the original building dates from the 19th century, the present building, with its earthen 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, their flat roofs, and their white colour which contrasts with the brightly coloured roof. The large buildings alternate between neo-Romanesque styles - such as the neo-Mary Cathedral of Kampala with its two imposing square towers, the very classical Baha'i Temple with its dome and colonnades, or theUniversity of Makerere with its square tower - and more modern styles, with Art Deco at the top. Jinja is full of buildings with curved silhouettes, exotic colours and stylish signs. Don't miss the Odeon Cinema or the Madlani Building. Another amazing witness of this period: the heritage of the Indian community. The Indian community was responsible for the construction of the railway and its infrastructure, such as the 140m steel bridge linking Jinja to Kampala. Once the work was completed, many Indians remained in Uganda. Supported by the British protectorate, they were able to create prosperous businesses. The streets of Jinja are lined with their numerous shops. The town also has one of the most beautiful Indian houses: the Madhvani building, the oldest two-storey building in the country. One can admire its balconies and verandas as well as its finely carved wooden decorations. But the most impressive witness of this Indian presence remains of course the Hindu temple of Kampala. Imagined as a replica of the famous Somnath temple in Gujarat, the temple was built using ancestral techniques and traditional materials... so you won't find any iron or steel parts. On the other hand, you will be able to admire an interior full of colors and light.
Contemporary Uganda
The simple concrete volumes of modernism and the glass curtains of the international style have been widely used to symbolize the country's newly gained independence. The Ministry of Finance in Kampala is a good example. Today, the country is witnessing a proliferation of projects that revert to traditional skills and materials, while at the same time designing environmentally friendly structures. The most obvious achievements in this regard are the ecolodges. Kyambura Lodge was one of the first to be built on the site of a former coffee cooperative and 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 on stilts and the geometry of the roofs are reminiscent of the silhouette of trees. Other key structures are the schools. The Australian foundation Cotton On has set itself the challenge of building nearly 20,000 educational facilities. Passive design, clay brick structure, orientation thought out in relation to the wind and light, these schools adapt to the environment ... just like the hospital structures, like 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 Entebe, bioclimatic adobe building designed by the famous architect Renzo Piano. Among the most beautiful recent initiatives, we should also mention the Batwa Village in Gahinga, a sustainable housing project designed to rehouse Batwa populations who were expelled from their forests and who contributed to the construction of each of the houses; as well as the SINA (Social Innovation Academy) Village in the vicinity of Kampala, which welcomes young people in difficulty who participate in the construction of traditional huts, but also huts made of... plastic bottles! What if the architecture of tomorrow was written in Uganda?
