Red brick houses with wooden doors make the architecture of the Madagascar’s central highlands unique. The know-how of the Malagasy people for the production of bricks dates back from the 19th century. The techniques were introduced by European.
The brick making season runs from April to October (dry season) during which the dikes around the rice fields are converted to brick factories. The process is entirely handmade using wooden mould and a stove. The clay and the laterite soils are collected from the rice field; mixed with river water, compressed in the mould. The bricks are then spread out, lined-up and dried in the sun for a few days.
When the bricks are dried, they are put in a stove with firewood or peat moss. The process can take one week to two weeks depending on the weather and the quantity of the bricks. It is this whole process that attracts the curiosity of tourists to stop at the sight of these brick stoves.