html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd"Berlin-based architecture practice Kr Architecture has unveiled design for a place of worship and cultural center in the town of Nots, Togo. This project represents the studios first project in Togo.Called Centre des Cultures et Spiritualits Ews (CCSE), the 7,000-square-metre project center, commissioned by the Kothor Foundation, houses a sanctuary, temples, an open-air amphitheatre, a reception area, exhibition halls, an auditorium, restaurants, and a reconstruction of the ancient royal palace of the Ew Kingdom.The masterplan proposed by Kr Architecture is structured around the remains of the great Agbogbo wall and the Agbogbodzi Sanctuary.Aerial view rendering, looking eastThe design aims to promote the heritage of the Ew people in the town of Nots, in Togo. Red laterite brick is the main building material utilized since it is readily available locally, durable, and climate-appropriate.The program at the facility will provide new perspectives into the Ew people's history, customs, and ancestral rites. The Agbogbodzi Sanctuary, which celebrates their primary deity, and the remains of the ancient Agbogbo walla holy enclosure whose construction was crucial to the Ew people's exodusform the foundation of Kr Architecture's concept.Aerial view rendering, looking northThe Agbogbodzi Sanctuary, linked to the open-air amphitheatre, embraces the heart of traditional festival celebrations. Exhibition spaces and a recreation of the historic Ew Royal Palace make up the museum. This special area devoted to history and the preservation of Ew knowledge acts as a display for both modern work and the history of the Ew people.K.S.The wall was built as a defensive barrier against the possibility of enslavement by neighboring tribes and as a way to confine the king's subjects. Its origins are in disagreement. Caf renderingA tower with a spiral shape that represents an upward connection connects the divinity to the sky and ancestors at the location devoted to this sacred presence. On either side of the wall, the different components of the design are arranged in a series of low-rise, flowing buildings that wind through the environment, interspersed with patios that have vegetation to provide natural ventilation.Located roughly 80 kilometers north of Lom, the capital of Togo, Nots was established in the seventeenth century by the Ew people. It was the birthplace of the Ew people prior to their migration from Nots to Benin, Ghana, and other parts of Togo.Since 1956, Ew pilgrims have gathered at Nots during the first week of September to commemorate the Agbogbozan festival, which honors their ancestors' exile and fosters camaraderie.Salon d'Art rendering view from corridorIn addition to exhibiting modern artwork, the Centre des Cultures et Spiritualits Ews' exhibition rooms are devoted to preserving Ew knowledge and historical artifacts.These hallways have filtered, ambient lighting thanks to a system of natural light shafts installed in the ceiling. The site's main entry is marked by an evocative gateway that was inspired by the Ew stool, a regal chair that represents power.Salon d'Art rendering view into courtyard"I am very happy to contribute to this important project, and to be able to support this initiative of giving a space to express and preserve identity," said Francis Kr."It is a joy to see how ideas and techniques embedded within my work have now become 'salonfhig' and widely accepted by people building on the continent.""The centre will demonstrate how architecture can be a catalyst for communities to celebrate their cultures," Francis Kr added.Sanctuary rendering exterior view"If we value our traditions and reconnect to our roots for a better tomorrow for our communities, Africa will gain much and the world will be better off. We believe that to honor our traditions is to place the light of the past into the hands of the present in order to illuminate the future," said Kokou Djifanou Kothor, Kothor Foundation.Small Temple renderingStatue renderingTicket Store rendering exterior viewTicket Store rendering interior viewAxonometry of the entire complexMasterplanSection of the MuseumSection of the SanctuaryConstruction started in October of 2024, with the project completing in February of 2026.Other projects by Kr Architecture currently underway in West Africa are the Benin National Assembly, the Goethe Institute in Dakar, and a mausoleum for Thomas Sankara in Ouagadougou, Burkina Fasos capital.Project factsProject name: Centre des Cultures et Spiritualits Ews (CCSE)Location:Nots, TogoType of Project:Private Place of Worship and Cultural CenterSize:7,000m2Design:20222024Construction:2024ongoingStatus:Under constructionArchitect:Dibdo FrancisKr,KrArchitectureDesign Team:Jaime Herraiz Martnez,Andrea Maretto, La SodangbeEngineering Team:Nataniel Sawadogo, Jean Sawadogo, MoseKrArchitectureSARL (Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso)Contributors:Jeanne Autran-Edorh, Philippe Chaze, Yonas Tukuabo, Leonne Voegelin, Sika AzamatiProject Management:Jaime Herraiz, Nataniel Sawadogo, Alimadjai BoukariCollaborators:APAVE BCT(Burkina Faso), Ingenovatech (Burkina Faso)Client:Fondation Kothor / LA GMA SATop image in the article Big Temple rendering.All images & drawings Kr Architecture.> via Kr Architecture