Ilesi Ceramics

At home, there are several ceramic objects: pots, busts, and figurines that have always naturally been part of my interior. What makes these items so special is that they originate from Ilesi, a village in western Kenya, a place tied to my roots. This sparked a question: how do these objects actually connect me to that place? That inquiry became the starting point of my graduation project.

The village of Ilesi serves as the location for the design of ‘Ilesi Ceramics.’ This ceramics center places craftsmanship at its core as a living heritage and acts as an anchor point for the local community. The center brings together tradition and innovation, where a collective of artisans shares (traditional) knowledge with the community and facilitates the exploration of new approaches.

The architecture reflects the ‘sense of place,’ integrating typologies from the surroundings. Local building materials are also used. This deliberate anchoring in the local context enhances the center’s recognizability and invites residents to embrace it as their own. Here, craftsmanship can continue to serve as an economic and cultural foundation for Ilesi's local community in the future.