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"Suddo Neuve" Rethinking Habitat Kedougou, Senegal

PROJECT OVERVIEW: "Suddo Neuve - Rethinking Habitat” investigates the architectural form of habitat in the urbanisation process in West Africa. The project seeks to develop a building typology adapted to the urban environment; the idea of the project is thereby not to substitute the traditional round clay hut, but to improve and adjust the cinder block houses that ubiquitously replace traditional dwellings in the urbanisation process. We therefore focus on the preservation of a regional building culture, ecological sustainability, the reduction of construction costs, and the integration of the local community into the planning and building process. Although plans were finalised with the local community on site, students from all around the world have been involved in the planning and drafting process of the project. The project team is currently constructing an exemplary building in Mako, an urbanising community in Eastern Senegal. The building will be used as a training site for local craftsman during the construction phase and will become a reference for future building projects upon its finalisation.

CATEGORY: Civil Society SETTING: Town STATUS: On-going

BY: Project Mako

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: Discussions about the future built environment in light of increasing urbanization and the role architecture can play in the urbanization process have led to the creation of a local task force in Mako, a community in West Africa. Accompanied by an international team of university students and in cooperation with our local partner organization, AEERN, the local task force completed a detailed analysis of local building materials and techniques (traditional and recent) over the past two years and clarified wishes and demands the community has for an urban building typology. The task force was then involved in developing detailed plans for an exemplary building that combines traditional and modern ways of building. Upon securing funding, local craftsmen have started the realization of the proposed design and our organization has offered different trainings to familiarize community members with the innovations of the construction project to ensure long-term and independent replication of the building typology in future construction projects.

PARTNERS: l'Association des Élèves et Étudiants Ressortissants de Niokolo (AEERN ), Alanus Hochschule, Bonn, Germany and Columbia University, New York, USA, Various Foundations and Private Donors

FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT

info@project-mako.com

WEBSITE

https://www.project-mako.com/suddo-neuve

REPRESENTED IN THIS PROJECT