Malawi Vernacular Architecture

Structures in Malawi have vivid colors... colors of the earth. Most of these colors are from the make up of the soil of the area, but pigments are added to provide a different and unique color.

Additives

Battery Cells

Tree Pods

Charcoal

Used battery cells are cut open and added to the mud. This gives the plaster a deep black color.

Woman plastering a kichen floor. The plaster is local mud mixed with the battery cells.

Chaima, Dowa

This tree has pods which when burned nad then crushed creates a black pigment.

Charcoal is another additive to mud which produces a black color.

Wood is completely burnt which creates a white color.

Ashes

Paint

Paint was used in a few rare examples.