Mande

West African architecture with mud mosques.

Overview

Mande architecture, using mud and wood, features iconic mud mosques with wooden supports, prominent in Mali.

Core Characteristics

• Mud-walled mosques, towers.
• Wooden supports, organic forms.
• Vernacular prevalence.

Notable Examples

• Great Mosque of Djenné (Mali, 13th century, Mande).
• Timbuktu Mosques (Mali, traditional, mud).

Architectural Connections

• Vernacular: Regional focus.
• Religious: Mosques.
• African Architecture: Core movement.

Influence and Legacy

Led by Mande craftsmen, it defines Sahelian design.

Related Concepts & Techniques

Adobe Construction (technique), Functionalism (theory), Tower (element), Islamic Architecture (movement)