Skilled Craftmanship: Variety of the Board Houses
Know the different models and designs of this distinct architecture
ReadA nicely painted board house (2018)Original Source: Isatu Smith, West Africa Heritage Consultants Ltd
Tall Old Designs
These tall old board dwellings are made of timber, iron scraps and broken windows covered by bits of cardboard. The timber was locally sawn into planks of wood, posts and beams. They can be made into one storey, two or three storeys.
Strong Foundations
Foundations were made of local stone. Some had raised plinth to reduce groundwater penetration during the rains. At times, brick and stones are made to construct basement for two storeys.
Sizes and More
The board houses come with different sizes. The smaller size has single-storey, modest structures with small bedrooms and a small living room bar a dining room. This is a single-storey board house.
Medium-Sized
Medium size board houses are two storeys high with two or more bedrooms. These feature living area, a small pantry and an attic, all in the first floor.
A breathtaking Outlook
Two or more storeys, with four or more bedrooms on the second floor and third floors, constitute the large size of the board houses. They have bigger living rooms on the first floor with a pantry, dining rooms and an attic.
A Three-Storey Board House
Several types of the board houses are visible in Freetown, purposely chosen to suit family size and future use. One such type is the three-storey board house.
Board House by African CuratorOriginal Source: African Curator
Priceless Architecture
The board houses in Sierra Leone's capital carry a lamp on the country's treasured history, culture and celebrated ingenuity.
