Tag: dakar | ArchDaily

Goethe-Institut Sénégal / Kéré Architecture

Miwa Negoro — Tue, 21 Apr 2026 03:00:00 +0000

Active worldwide for more than 75 years, the Goethe-Institut commissioned a purpose-built space from concept to construction for the first time in its history. As one of its main hubs in West Africa, the choice of Kéré Architecture reflects Goethe-Institut Dakar's ambition to define what cultural exchange looks like in the 21st century.

Milan Design Week 2026 and Níall McLaughlin Architects’ Cathedral Precinct in Sydney: This Week’s Review

Reyyan Dogan — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 06:30:00 +0000

As major cultural events, institutional transformations, and new architectural commissions unfold across different geographies, this week's discourse highlights how architecture operates at the intersection of public life, creativity, and long-term adaptation. With Milan Design Week 2026 foregrounding process, experimentation, and citywide participation, the projects and initiatives emerging this week point to a broader shift toward openness, accessibility, and experiential engagement across disciplines and urban contexts. Ongoing investments in cultural infrastructure, from new museums to large-scale renovations and competition-winning proposals, further underscore how institutions continue to recalibrate their spatial and social roles in response to evolving environmental, technological, and cultural demands.

Kéré Architecture’s Goethe-Institut in Senegal Opens as a Landmark for Cultural Exchange in West Africa

Antonia Piñeiro — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 05:30:00 +0000

In February 2022, construction began on the Goethe-Institut in Dakar, designed by Kéré Architecture. Present in Senegal since 1978, the Goethe-Institut is reaching a milestone in strengthening cultural ties between Germany, Senegal, and West Africa with this new building. As the first purpose-built Goethe-Institut on the African continent, it embodies a long-term commitment to supporting the creative industries and fostering intellectual exchange. From April 16 to 18, 2026, the Goethe-Institut will host a series of events to mark the inauguration of its new headquarters.

Reclaiming the Narrative: A New Generation of Museums in West Africa

Mohieldin Gamal — Sun, 05 Oct 2025 07:30:00 +0000

As countries in Africa emerged from colonialism in the mid-twentieth century, many expressed their independent identities through architecture. This process continues several decades later, exemplified by several new museums in West Africa, recently completed or in planning. Although varying in purpose and form, they have some common goals: addressing the need for restitution of many artifacts taken during colonialism and mostly kept in European museums; and defining a museum with local identity as opposed to a non-contextual import.

Constructed Democracy: How African Countries Embraced Modernism with their National Assemblies

Mohieldin Gamal — Tue, 10 Dec 2024 05:00:00 +0000

As, one by one, the African nations gained their independence in the middle of the twentieth century, building programs were central to the process of nation-building. In several of those countries, this included the construction of the state's institutions such as their respective national assembly. These buildings not only facilitate the legislative process but also symbolize the new nation's governance, identity, and aspirations. The period of independence movements also coincided with the introduction of the Modern Movement across the continent, which was associated with progress and a break from the colonial past. Across Africa, some national assemblies were constructed early and were part of the nationalization process that preceded independence, while some were constructed long after.

Venice Art Biennale Appoints Koyo Kouoh as Director of the 61st International Art Exhibition

Nour Fakharany — Thu, 05 Dec 2024 05:30:00 +0000

The Board of La Biennale di Venezia has just announced the appointment of Koyo Kouoh as the Director of the Visual Arts Department. Kouoh will lead the curation of the 61st International Art Exhibition, scheduled for 2026. This announcement follows a recommendation by Pietrangelo Buttafuoco, President of La Biennale, who emphasized Kouoh's extensive experience in the global art world and her ability to engage with contemporary artistic and cultural discourse. Born in Cameroon, Koyo Kouoh will become the first African woman to curate the Venice Art Biennale.

Welcoming the World: Modernist Hotels in West Africa

Mohieldin Gamal — Sun, 20 Oct 2024 07:30:00 +0000

The middle of the Twentieth Century saw the independence of most countries on the African continent. Those euphoric times brought forward-looking sentiments and a wish to break with the past. Modernism, as an architectural movement, was ideal for the day, and newly independent countries had extensive building programs to assert themselves as fully functioning nations.

World Tourism Day 2024: 30 Architecture City Guides to Celebrate Urban Fabrics from Around the World

Nour Fakharany — Fri, 27 Sep 2024 05:30:00 +0000

Tourism, as an urban and architectural phenomenon, has grown to encompass more than just sightseeing; it engages visitors with the social, cultural, and economic narratives that cities tell through their built environments. In celebration of World Tourism Day 2024, this collection of city guides highlights the role of architecture in shaping the urban tourism experience. Today, cities around the world stand as testaments to human ingenuity, historical preservation, and modern innovation. In fact, each city's versatile architecture offers a window into a city's identity, drawing millions of visitors each year who seek to understand how these spaces shape everyday life and collective memory.

What Architectural Opportunities Will the Trans-West African Coastal Highway Provide?

Paul Yakubu — Wed, 25 Sep 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Traveling on land through vast regional areas of African countries has been an inefficient ordeal, particularly in West Africa. Google Maps optimistically estimates it would take 53 hours to drive nonstop from Lagos, Nigeria's largest city, to Dakar, Senegal's capital. However, this estimate doesn't account for the poor road infrastructure, complex border crossings, and socio-economic challenges that realistically extend the journey to about a week.

Dakar Architecture City Guide: 10 Modern and Contemporary Works that Reflect the City's Evolving Identity

Hana Abdel — Mon, 23 Sep 2024 05:00:00 +0000

A city that defies expectations, this is what many visitors often express about the Senegalese capital, Dakar. As Africa's most western port city, which gained independence from the French in 1960, Dakar is a regional hub for diversity and culture. While it's often described as an unexpectedly sleek and "modern" city, with its characteristic and sometimes colorful monolithic buildings, Dakar is in fact in constant development and each of its districts tends to reflect a different style and focus, depending on its inhabitants and the dominating functions.

Dakar, A City in Constant Reinvention

Hana Abdel — Sun, 22 Sep 2024 02:30:00 +0000

Dakar is a city of constant development. From colonial times, and on, the capital of Senegal has seen a lot of shifts in its societal definition which has, in turn, affected its architectural and urban fabric. Ever since the French mandate which somewhat forced a shift of local living traditions into a more 'European' lifestyle, the wheels of change have been set in motion. Afterward, a notable post-colonial attempt at re-defining Dakar was inevitable. It came about in many ways, still seen today, and it built a city of mixed architectural languages that defies most visitors' expectations.

Dakar Train Station / GA2D

Hana Abdel — Sat, 14 Sep 2024 19:00:00 +0000

As part of the new train line construction between Dakar and Diamniadio, GA2D was chosen to lead the renovation and extension of Dakar train station. This building is a historical monument dating back to 1914.

Dakar International Congress Center / Tabanlioglu Architects

Hana Abdel — Fri, 13 Sep 2024 00:00:00 +0000

On the west coast of Middle Africa, Senegal is by the Atlantic Ocean to the west and the Senegal River borders the country to the east and north. The capital city of Senegal, Dakar is located at the westernmost tip of the country on the Cap-Vert peninsula. The congress center first opened in November 2014, for the 15th Francophone Assembly where 75 world presidents met. Typical geography and natural values have been the inspiration for the project. Extraordinary, characteristic Baobab trees of Senegal are distinctive with their enormous girth. Their massive trunks can grow to circumferences of 25 meters or more. Their second distinctive feature is great longevity. Baobabs have lived well over a thousand years, so they have been important landmarks in Senegal's dry savanna plain; in oral histories, baobabs are cited as loci of battles, or as marking borders between states. Many of these historic trees have been classified as historic monuments by the Ministry of Culture.

Exploring the International Trade Fair Centre in Dakar, Senegal: Blending Modern Architecture with Local Cultural Elements

Paul Yakubu — Wed, 21 Aug 2024 05:00:00 +0000

Located north of Dakar, near the city's airport, is an architectural composition of triangular volumes known as the International Trade Fair Centre, Dakar, Senegal. Also known as the Foire Internationale de Dakar or FIDAK, this structure is an iconic example of 60s modernism in West Africa. It synthesizes the complexity of simple forms within vernacular spatial patterns. Completed in 1974, it reflects the post-colonial ambition of the country and has grown as an adaptive spatial framework for major cultural events and exhibitions.

“Abandoned Buildings Provide the Potential for a Regenerative Future”: In Conversation With Limbo Accra

Paul Yakubu — Sun, 30 Jun 2024 07:30:00 +0000

There is an increasing character of abandoned buildings in many African cities and Limbo Accra; a spatial design practice, roots itself in the experimentation of their repair, reuse, and transformation. The practice views these buildings as a unique architectural typology that includes key city landmarks, from the abandoned Independence house in Lagos to the incomplete airport tower in Accra, amongst others. They see them as major opportunities for modern public space and as symbolic sites for spatial justice. Through techniques such as photogrammetry, Limbo Accra has been creating a digital archive of these buildings and collaborating with artists and designers to propose new prospects for them. ArchDaily had the opportunity to speak with Dominique Petit-Frère, the co-founder of Limbo Accra, about the collective character of these buildings, Limbo Accra’s approach to their transformation, and navigating challenges in the adaptive reuse of these structures.

Maximizing Dilapidated Infrastructure: The Potential of Repurposing Abandoned Buildings into Social Housing

Paul Yakubu — Wed, 22 May 2024 07:30:00 +0000

As the demand for affordable housing grows and the availability of low-cost properties diminishes, stakeholders in housing must become more innovative in their approach to social housing development. One opportunity lies in restoring and repurposing abandoned buildings. While building new houses remains the primary strategy for Housing Authorities and Associations, rehabilitating derelict buildings can be a more economical option. This approach not only maximizes the use of dilapidating infrastructure but also provides an economic opportunity to increase affordable housing within the city. Although rehabilitating derelict residential buildings may seem like an obvious solution, it becomes even more crucial when considering abandoned commercial, institutional, or historical buildings for social housing.

Discovering the Island of Saint-Louis: A Journey Through Architectural History and Conservation Challenges

Paul Yakubu — Fri, 24 Nov 2023 07:30:00 +0000

Located 270km north of Dakar, the capital of Senegal, and near the border with Mauritania, is the Island of Saint-Louis. It is a prominent colonial city in West Africa, known for its blend of Mediterranean architecture with a tropical climate. Saint-Louis was founded by the French Colony in 1659 as its first trading post on the Atlantic coast of Africa. It later became the capital of French West Africa (AOF) and Senegal. However, it lost this status in 1902, which led to its economic decline.

Cite Scolaire Internationale – Campus Ngor / Atelier Kalm

Pilar Caballero — Wed, 30 Aug 2023 20:00:00 +0000

The school construction project for the Ngor campus of the Cité Scolaire Internationale is in the new urban area of Ngor-Ouakam in Senegal. The complex combines primary and secondary establishments and is built on a total area of 6,000 m2.