Diébédo Francis Kéré believes beauty is for everyone.

Everyone? What if you come from a village without electricity, schools, and clean drinking water? Yes, says Mr. Kéré. He knows. He grew up in just such a place—a tiny spot in Burkina Faso, West Africa. He is an architect. He uses everyday materials to make beautiful buildings for everyone. And now he is taking home the Pritzker Prize for architecture.

The prize comes with a shiny bronze medallion and $100,000. But it has far more value than that alone. It shows: Mr. Kéré’s work is changing the world.

Mr. Kéré is the first native African to win the famous prize. He specializes in schools, health facilities, civic buildings, and housing. What makes his creations so extraordinary?

Let’s look at an example. After he became an architect, Mr. Kéré decided to return to his village to build a school. He didn’t bring in expensive materials from far away. He gathered something the village already had a lot of: clay. The villagers weren’t sure. Wouldn’t rain damage a clay building? Mr. Kéré convinced them to give it a try. They helped him compact and polish the clay. They combined some clay with cement to form bricks. These trap cooler air inside the building. Heat escapes through a ceiling with an elevated roof. The school has ventilation—no air conditioning required. Cheery round holes dot the roof to allow light in. The holes are made from clay pots.

 Now 700 kids in Mr. Kéré’s old village to go to school—to a beautiful school. Years and years have passed. And the clay? Rain still hasn’t washed it away.

Why? There are many ways to love our neighbors. Creating beautiful, functional spaces for them to live, work, learn, and heal is an act of love we might sometimes overlook.