BOTSWANA ARCHITECTURE

Traditional architecture in Botswana is distinguished from modern architecture in three domains: the use of materials (mud/dung, wooden poles, thatch) that may be manufactured by members of a household; the round house form and/or thatched roofing; and/or the presence of a courtyard known as a lolwapa where much activity takes place. By contrast, modern architecture uses purchased materials (cement and bricks and roofing products) and involves the labor of specialized and commercial craftsmen, is square, and features rooms for specialized activities (bedrooms, kitchens). The traditional Tswana residential area is a compound, often housing

several closely related family groups.

From the traditional thatched houses through out the decades, Botswana has as a developing country developed and assimilated western architecture as shown by the picture on the left of the construction of the highly anticipated central business district(CBD)