I was eight, liked to draw and had a lot of energy. Architecture seemed like a field where I could sketch, and not be stuck in a room, in front of a computer all day. When I told my father, he introduced me to his friend, Senegalese architect Atepa Goudiaby. His office was near our house in Dakar, where we spent the summer holidays. My dad asked if I could come for a month during the summer and learn about the world of architecture. That was it. I kept going every summer, and my interest kept growing.
My father passed away three months before my graduation, so it felt like a homage to him. The fact that he always supported my dream, and here I am today, makes me really proud. I think he must be proud too.
Tall is known amongst her friends to be “obsessed” with rediscovering traditional ways of building. She likes the recently built Artists’ Residency and Cultural Center in Sinthian (south-east of Senegeal), for which Japanese architect Toshiko Mori used only local materials, like bamboo and compressed earth blocks that absorb heat. Perforated wall sections provide natural air flow and ventilation.