The most beautiful building in Gando

The elegant structure (above) is a village school in Gando, Burkina Faso.

Measuring 5,661 square feet, it is designed to serve 120 young children.

It was built by hand of blocks of compressed earth and a few metal struts.

The roof is made of curved sheets of corrugated tin; its innovative design eliminated the need for a crane to lift it into place.

No cranes come to Gando – population 3,000.

The building, designed by Diebedo Francis Kere, an architect born in Gando and educated in Germany, is one of seven winners of this year's Aga Khan Award for Architecture.

The school is located in one of the world's poorest countries; annual per capita income is $300.

Nearly half the population of 13 million is under 14.

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot: the school cost less than $30,000 to build.

Linda Hales wrote about it in last Saturday's Washington Post.