In 1969 and 1970 Bourgeois worked at
Artforum before becoming interested in the production and history of mud brick architecture. He was the author of the volume
Spectacular Vernacular: the Adobe Tradition (with photographs taken by Carollee Pelos) which established him as an expert on the subject. He owned a home in
Djenne,
Mali and was actively involved in architectural conservation efforts there including the preservation of the world's largest adobe building the
Great Mosque of Djenne, and wrote on the subject. While living in Djennê, Bourgeois opposed the Talo Dam project, and became a fixture in the city's cultural life. Bourgeois owned an adobe house in
Taos, New Mexico, and also wrote on the
Southwestern Native American Adobe tradition. In December 2016 Bourgeois announced he was giving his $4 million historic house in New York City to the
Ramapough Lenape Native American nation; they intend to use it as a meeting house. The building, located at 6 Weehawken Street in the West Village (also known as 392–393 West Street) was formerly a historic public market. However, he reneged on his plan. == Death ==