AIN African Cities Magazine

African Cities Magazine by Africa Innovation Network
1st edition
AFRICAN CITIES MAGAZINE

RESILIENT AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES
THROUGH INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS
URBAN PLANNING INNOVATION
ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION
AFRICA’S ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN HERITAGE
CITIES PIXELS AND COLORS

1
African Cities Magazine by Africa Innovation Network African Cities Magazine by Africa Innovation Network
FOREWORD
SUMMURY African cities are home to almost half the continent’s
population, which is expected to double to 2.5 billion people
P.3 FOREWORD over the next 30 years. It is also projected that 950 million
more people will be living in African cities over the same
course of time. For example, Lagos the capital city of Nigeria
and also one of the fastest-growing cities in the world, will
reach more than 32 million inhabitants by 2050. Whilst, cities
and urban areas across the continent face major challenges
P.4 AFRICA INNOVATION (poverty, unemployment, poor housing, lack of basic
NETWORK services), African cities are also land of beauty, diversity, and
opportunity exemplified through resilient and sustainable
innovations. Indeed, more sustainable and resilient African
cities will multiply change due to the concentration
P.7 COVID-19 AND AFRICAN of economic activities, innovation, job creation, and
empowerment in urban areas; This will allow city dwellers to
CITIES enjoy the potential of cities through social transformation,
Leandry JIEUTSA
inclusion and integration.
Founder of Africa Innovation Network
At Africa Innovation Network, we bring together experts in
diverse and varied fields to offer sustainable and innovative
P.13
NEW GENERATION solutions to complex problems linked to the continent’s
OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT urbanization in order to improve the quality of life of all.
Through human-centered approaches based on frugal
PROJECTS IN AFRICA
innovations, we aim to cover all fields enabling sustainable
and resilient societal development.
P.31 URBAN PLANNING Each 31st October on World Cities Day, we will publish a
magazine dedicated to African cities. This year, the AFRICAN
INNOVATIONS IN AFRICA CITIES Magazine on resilient and sustainable development
through innovative solutions, is the first edition of this
annual magazine. With a series of innovations, initiatives,
and projects on urban planning, architecture or design, this
P.37 INNOVATIVE first edition will showcase how innovative ideas and solutions
ARCHITECTURE PROJECTS shape urban systems into more resilient, inclusive and
sustainable human settlements in Africa. Through different
IN AFRICA portraits and interviews of practitionners, innovators, and
change makers in architecture and urban development, we
hope to share experiences, examples, best practices and tools
P.45 ARCHITECTURE for a more sustainable future. We also hope to showcase the
INNOVATIONS IN AFRICA beauty, diversity, challenges, and opportunities in African
cities of today, as well as paint a picture of what the cities of
tomorrow will look like.
We hope you enjoy this first edition of our magazine and
P.53 AFRICA’S that it encourages you to be more actively involved in the
ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN establishment of more inclusive, resilient, and sustainable
cities in Africa.
HERITAGE
P.63 CITIES PIXELS AND

COLORS
2 3
AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK
A
Leandry JIEUTSA frica Innovation Network
Urban planner brings together experts in
Founder diverse and varied fields
to offer sustainable and
innovative solutions to complex
problems linked to the continent’s
urbanization in order to improve the
Bouchra IDRISSI.T quality of life of all.
Urban planner
A veritable laboratory for thinking
Principal manager
about and implementing solutions
adapted to the context of the
continent, the target themes of the
Africa Innovation Network cover all
fields enabling sustainable and resilient
Corianne RICE societal development throughout
City Innovation Africa. These themes are grouped
Program Specialist around the main axes : Inclusive cities;
Member
Innovation & Technology; Environment
& Climate action.
Our approach is human-centered and
based on frugal innovations. We are
KHAOULA BRIOUEL
developing simple, participative ideas
Urban planner
and solutions to make our cities and
Member
our rural areas a better place for all.
Our work is based on creativity and
innovation to propose solutions that
help to build a better future in our cities
for all. Initiatives of Africa Innovation
Hind REZOUK Network are made to analyze,
Architect
understand and develop solutions
Member
in order to promote sustainable
development in our cities.
Joel Mukalay
KINE MUKENA
Architect
Member
Stephen SARFO
Urban planning
student
Member
Rond-point Vogt Yaounde - Cameroon Photo by Leandry JIEUTSA

4 5
URBAN PLANNING INNOVATION COVID-19 AND AFRICAN CITIES
Yaounde bastos neighborhood- Cameroon Photo by Leandry JIEUTSA People leaving Antananarivo Photo by the World bank
6 7
A decrease of with the delivery of essential provisions
" 3.2% of the GDP

According to the United Nations
Economic Commission for Africa "
in West and Central Africa by the WHO,
WFP and AU or solidarity between
countries on various aspects.
This pandemic has also enabled the
emergence of NICTs: this to continue to
(UNECA), GDP growth in Africa will function and ensure ongoing services
decline from 3.2% to 1.8% in 2020 such as education via e-learning. In
with multisectoral economic impacts addition, in terms of urban mobility,
such as job losses in a context where there has been an increase in urban
71% of urban residents work in the and interurban travel costs: following
informal sector (UN-Habitat, 2020) measures to restrict travel and reduce
and therefore do not benefit from any the number of places in transport.
social protections. There has also been The health crisis has also favored the
a sharp decline in the tourism industry, emergence of a local covid-19 industry
particularly in cities such as Marrakech, with the production of masks, gels, etc.
Tunis, Dakar, etc. coupled with the This allows the informal sector, which
reduction in the volume of trade due establishes nearly 71% of city dwellers,
to travel restrictions and the drop in to meet a clear demand for these
demand: for example, Africa’s exports protection tools while carrying out an
to the EU alone are almost 35% (OECD income-generating activity.
(Organization for Cooperation and This crisis has nevertheless highlighted
Development Economic), May 2020). the importance of ICTs in the
Positive impacts are also to be noted, functioning of urban systems in Africa
notably with the sharp increase in with, for example, e-learning, mobile
demand for sanitary and protective banking and the dematerialization of
equipment; the increase in agriculture services.
practices due to the slowdown of
activities in the tertiary and secondary
sectors. This has contributed to n
increase in yields and the fall in prices
for certain local agro-pastoral crops
A health worker takes the temperature of a person in the Kibera , Kenya Photo by REUTERSBaz Ratner
such as: tomatoes, peanuts and poultry,
due to the surplus caused by the export
COVID-19 AND AFRICAN CITIES limit.
S
ince the end of February 2020, gateways to countries, followed by other
Africa has been going through cities. However, these urban areas, being the
a difficult period marked by the most vulnerable to COVID-19, concentrate
"
Coronavirus pandemic which nearly 44% of Africans (UN population Diverse and resilient
affects the whole world. Indeed, Africa has projections, 2020) with nearly 47% of urban
economic measures
"
recorded more than 1,437,297 cases with dwellers living in precarious habitats in 2019
34,696 deaths according to the COVID-19 (UN-Habitat, 2020). Thus, AIN questions
Faced with all this, adaptation measures
Daily Situation Update, WHO Regional the resilience of these African cities in
have been varied and diverse, such as
Office for Africa, as of 25 September, 2020. the face of COVID-19 on the economic,
financial aid or in kind. The city of Dori,
The ten most affected countries are the environmental, social and cultural levels.
for example, has set up a communal
South Africa, Morocco, Egypt, Ethiopia, How did the clash between African cities
solidarity fund to help its population. As
Nigeria, Algeria, Ghana, Kenya, Libya and and covid-19 go? What control measures
well as some African countries which
Cameroon. have been developed? And which of these
have initiated emergency plans with
measures tend to have a lasting impact on People take precautions against
This distressing record of Covid-19 is more billions of dollars: Ethiopia, Cameroon,
the daily life of Africans? Temperature measurement in Kampala COVID-19. Photo by Ousmane Traore
pronounced in metropolitan areas; main Sao Tome and Principe, etc. coupled
photo by AFP/S Sadumi (MAKAVELI)
8 9
" "
Increase in masks, applied in practically all
COVID-19: an ally of
African countries with difficulties of
fractures and social implementation in some locations. environmental protection
Curfews and total lockdown in several
disparities in African cities?
" "
African countries, have led to family
separation and the breaking of certain From an environmental standpoint,
Although relatively spared, African cities social ties. Nearly 23 African countries this crisis has led to a decrease in GHG
experienced a rapid spread of the virus have imposed a curfew. Some, more emissions due to the reduction in urban
at the start of the pandemic, according flexible countries have also opted for transport. It has allowed for an increase
to the COVID-19 in African Cities Report. a partial lockdown (high-risk areas): 15 in plant cover due to the time allocated
As the virus traveled from airport hubs cities in Benin, Libreville in Gabon, etc. to agricultural practices. In addition,
to large urban centers, the number of There has also been an increase in the there has been an increase in special
confirmed cases increased by 2.04% number of sanitation facilities and waste relating to barrier measures such
from durinf the first months. facilities to accomodate contaminated as masks and plastic boxes for gels.
The social impacts of this spread were people and/or materials. This is This crisis has also shed light on the
evident in several different ways. First, evident in the case of Uganda (where place of soft travel in African cities and
many families were evicted from their the Namboole stadium became an the preferred modes of travel in this
homes for missing rent payments. In infirmary with nearly 1,500 beds), context.
Kenya, for example, 30.5% of households Cameroon (where social housing of de
"
were unable to pay their rent due to the Bafoussam was transformed into an Emergence of
loss of their employment. isolation center).
Second the insufficiency of basic In terms of education, we note the
traditional African
services is also notable with 53% of closure of educational establishments
medicine
urbanites not having had access to
services allowing hand cleaning in
Africa.
In addition, under-equipment in care
services also had a significant impact
and the suspension of classes.
However, this measure has created
inequalities in education because the
most underprivileged could not afford
internet access.
"
COVID-19 is also shaping the cultural
fabric of African cities. First of all, the
local African pharmacopoeia caused
much ink to flow during this crisis.
in the management of the crisis, with We have also noted a liberation of From one medicinal plant alone,
only an average of 1.8 beds available prisoners to limit the spread in these we have seen several homegrown
per 1,000 Africans; and 23 health areas: Several African countries , like responses to the disease. For instance,
professionals per 10,000 inhabitants. Ethiopia, Morocco, Cameroon, Tunisia, Artemisia has been used to develop
Fourth, there was an increase in Nigeria, have liberated prisoners in COVID-Organic in Madagascar and a
gender-based violence within families an attempt to limit the spread of the potion by Monsignor Samuel Klhéda in
during the period of confinement. In disease. Cameroon. This reveals the importance
Mali there was a 35% increase in this of local products and the need for
rate of violence in 2020 compared COVID test on a women Photo by OMS African cities to preserve forests and
to that of 2019 according to a study natural areas that are the heart of
conducted by the representative of biodiversity.
UNFPA (Regional Office of the United Second, we have seen a decline in
Nations Population Fund for the ‘Africa). cultural activities in accordance with
African customs and traditions. For one,
many burial rituals have had to change,
Effective measures
"
impacting the way many African
families memorialize their loved ones.
or factor increasing The cultural industry is also a victim
of the crisis with the cancellation of
inequalities?
Faced with this, measures have been

adopted, such as social distancing
of one meter and the wearing of
" Social workers helping population A health worker teaches children how to wash their hands
cultural events and activities. Many
cultural actors have mobilized to
raise awareness about COVID-19 both
through graphic or musical arts and on
social and media platforms.
in Umlazi township South Africa, 2020 Photo by (Reuters)
10 11
NEW GENERATION OF URBAN

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS IN
AFRICA
People take precautions in Mali against COVID-19 Photo by World Bank Ousmane Traore (MAKAVELI)
12 13
Aware of this state of affairs, the

Senegalese political authorities have set
up steering and guidance instruments;
in particular, Act 3 of Decentralization,
and the emerging Senegal Plan (PSE)
which are now the frameworks for
action and intervention. On the basis
of these frameworks for action, and
faced with the challenges and issues
of the country’s development, the
Senegalese public authorities launched
the "New City" project in 2014. This
city aims, firstly, to relieve congestion
in the capital Dakar, with a transfer
of the headquarters of several public
institutions and, secondly, to be the
new Senegalese showcase in all areas
(knowledge economy, tourism, industry,
and international sports competitions).
"
A new city but
not only
Diamniado is located in Dakar’s
"
hinterlands, roughly thirty kilometers
from its center. Built on a site of 1,644
ha, it plans to house nearly 300,000
inhabitants who will be distributed
in four zones or districts. The first
district, is intended to the international
Diamniadio Lake City Main Site Photo by environnement-afrique.com attractiveness of the country with
high-standing hotels, the omnisport
T
stadium and an exhibition park.
THE NEW CITY he conclusion is clear!

With more than half of the
population living in urban
Oriented towards the knowledge
economy, the second district
OF DIAMNIADIO- areas, Senegal has one of the

highest urbanization rates observed
should, according to the plans of the
Senegalese authorities, become a
Mecca for research and scientific and
SENEGAL in sub-Saharan Africa (40%). In this

country, the proportion of urban
technological innovation. Specializing in
STEM (science, technology, engineering
dwellers has almost doubled in recent and mathematics), the future Amadou
decades - from 23% in the 1960s to 43% Mahtar Mbow University will be its
"
Help, Diamniadio in 2013 - and is expected to reach 60% epicenter. The activities of the third
by 2030. However, this growth and district are especially focused on
Dakar suffocating
" urban pressure is mainly experienced in

Dakar, the capital. This is the economic
lung of the country and its showcase.
Following the example of some
African capitals, Dakar is experiencing
manufacturing industry and logistics,
are structured around an integrated
industrial park with a surface area of
52 ha, which has already hosted its first
factories. According to the authorities,
problems in all directions, which has a this park will be able to accommodate
negative impact on the quality of life, its about sixty companies, allowing the
competitiveness and its attractiveness. Diamniadio office buildings creation of more than 20,000 jobs.
14 15
"
The challenges
of Diamniadio:
diversity and
inclusion
Social mix and inclusion remains one of
the major challenges of this city. Indeed,
"
while institutional mix can be ensured,
social mix seems to be a difficult
equation to solve for the promoters
of this project. Indeed, for a project
financed by mainly foreign funds, it
becomes difficult to allow a complete
social mix in view of the high standard
of the housing and buildings. Moreover,
the economic development model
carried by this new city risks excluding
the small local economy in favor of large
foreign industrial groups.
BLAISE DIAGNE Airport of Diamniadio Photo by lechotouristique
"
Public-private that the land is made available to
investors through emphyteutic lease
partnership for a at a symbolic price. In return, every
investor is required to make a minimum
sustainable project
"
investment of one (1) billion XOF for
one (01) hectare of land acquired in the
The implementation strategy essentially area. In order to be able to recover and
comprises three phases from 2014 to reinvest the land capital gain (revolving)
2035. The emergence or attractiveness and to avoid it being injected into the
phase (2014-2019), during which Public Investment Budget (PIB) circuit,
certain strategic facilities have been a set of buffer companies has been
built mainly by the State to boost the created in order to build and manage
attractiveness of the site to private some of the cluster’s infrastructure.
developers (DAKAR-ARENA Stadium, In addition to vast urban forests,
the Ministerial spheres, etc.). The particular emphasis in this project
development phase (2019-2025), during is placed on the choice of building Industrial platform Diamnadio Photo by skyscrapercity.com
this phase, the State supports the materials and the power supply
installation of developers and invests system. For example, there are
very little. The phase of continuous solar power plants to supply several
development (2025-2035), during which facilities. To allow for better social
the area develops by ripple effect. integration, the industries located in
The financial package for the new city the industrial zone are obliged to give
was provided by a revolving system priority to employing local Senegalese
mobilizing all the structures of the State labour, and the effectiveness of this
in order to allow the State to keep a measure is monitored by the Agence
permanent eye on the activities. To this d’Aménagement et de Promotion
end, incentives and special regulatory des Zones Industrielles (Agency for
provisions have been introduced to the Development and Promotion of
attract investors. It is in this sense Industrial Zones). Dakar Arena stadium in Diamniadio, 2018 Photo by SEYLLOU Diamniadio, TER
16 17
Green City of Benguerir Photo by SADV OCP Group Data center in the green city of Bengerir Photo by behance.net
T
the future of the urban planning, with
he green city of Benguerir is one
THE GREEN CITY of the most important sectorial
development projects in Morocco
a new model which places nature and
local knowledge at the heart of the city,
OF BENGUERIR IN which takes part in a long-term

environmental strategy of the country.
and tests new architectural designs
based on bioclimatic materials and
modes of governance of urban services
MOROCCO It holds the big ambition of becoming

the first green city in Africa.
The city is planned to cover an area of
based on renewable energies.
In terms of urban planning, the project
sets up a polycentric green flow that
1,000 ha for a population of 100,000
"
forms the structure of the general
A new city whose inhabitants. It is located next to the
organization of the city that develops
town of Benguerir, with an ideal
identity revolves location close to two main cities of
from North to South over nearly 4 Km.
While taking into account the presence
Morocco: Marrakech and Casablanca.
around knowledge, of talwegs and oueds, with a string
The Green City aims to establish itself
of 5 inserted oases that constitute
research, and as a world-class academic hub with
microclimates, housing cultural, and
the vocation of offering an appealing
leisure programs. One of the biggest
sustainable eco-friendly living standard centered
ambitions of this project is to show that
around knowledge and learning.
development
"
there are different ways of making a
The project was conceived as a national
city, what the urban planning of the
laboratory where the OCP wants to
future should be, and where a city is a
experiment all the innovative aspects of
The green city of Bengerir Photo by httpssadbenkirane.com space of knowledge and innovation.
18 19
" UM6P: applied A mechanism that enables it to

consolidate Morocco’s frontline position
research and in these fields, in a unique partnership-
based approach and boosting skills
innovation with a training relevant for the future of Africa.
Located in the heart of the Mohammed
focus on Africa
One of the main components of this
project is Mohammed VI Polytechnic
University, an institution oriented
towards applied research and
" VI Green City, Mohammed VI
Polytechnic University intends to
shine on a national, continental and
international scale. More than just
a traditional academic institution,
innovation with a focus on Africa. Mohammed VI Polytechnic
The University is engaged in economic University (UM6P) is a platform for
and human development and puts experimentation, a breeding ground for
research and innovation at the forefront opportunities, which students refer to
of African development. as a "School of Life."
UM6P Benguerir Photo by marocnews.fr 2020 UM6P Bengerir Photo by marocnews.fr 2020
Mohammed VI Polytechnic University Photo by Ricardo Bofill

20 21
"
An original, offbeat language of contemporary urban
manufacturing. Indeed, this project
and controversial poses an original and offbeat approach
to meet the challenges of African
approach
"
cities by turning to technological
development and innovation as the
keystone. Thus, it is now obvious that
Considered as one of the avatars
the future of manufacturing processes
of modernity in a context where
and urban production in Senegal and
Senegalese cities and sub-Saharan
in Africa in general, will rely heavily on
cities in general are facing basic
smart urban development tools.
difficulties, this project is at the heart of
many debates and controversies, both
within the world of city actors including
"
local populations and within that of Which smart city
social science researchers.
model in Africa?
Nevertheless, African countries have
entered into a new urban revolution
and the dynamics of a new innovative
and sustainable urban development
has been launched in several countries
The digitalization of African society,
on the one hand, and the imperatives
of sustainable urban development, on
the other hand, now seems to impose
"
of the continent. Planned to house the smart city as an imperial based
approximately 300,000 people, Akon on two intelligences; human and
Akon City Photo by akoncity.com City is leveraging technology and artificial. However, a certain distance
T
sustainable solutions to build a resilient needs to be kept from intelligent urban
and inclusive urban environment.
akon city- he laying of the foundation
stone in August 2020
marked the concretization
Through Akon Lighting Africa, a
company whose objective is to electrify
development in the African context,
because beyond the saving approach it
seems to carry, the smart city in Africa
senegal and materialization of this

ambitious urban smart city project.
Africa with solar energy, Akon City
will place particular emphasis on the
could be part of a "glamorous" and
"ceremonial" urbanism that seems to
With a futuristic architecture combining ecological aspect by making maximum hide certain illusory aspects that such
modernity and tradition inspired by use of renewable materials, primarily of a model carries within itself. Indeed, if
African sculptures, Akon city will be African origin. the smart city does not rely on a holistic
located on the site of the small village The challenges facing African and approach to development, drawing on
of Mbodiène, on the Atlantic coast, a Senegalese cities are diverse and are the socio-cultural context to produce
A smart city
"
hundred kilometers south of Dakar at a becoming more pronounced with people-centered cities, the smart city
total cost of $06 billion. The new city will galloping urbanization. It is with this in in Africa will remain nothing more than
with its own be home to a technological and cultural mind that the singer Akon, in an effort a façade disconnected from the real
center, film studios, hotels, a university, to boost the development of Africa needs and well-being of the population.
cryptocurrency
" hospitals, business and leisure centers, in general and Senegal in particular, Hence the absolute necessity to see
sports facilities and more. This city has taken the initiative to build an the smart city in Africa as a tool for
focuses on technology through its intelligent city that is part of the new achieving sustainable development and
design in advanced materials and its not as an end in itself.
operation turned to digital. Indeed, its
operation will revolve around a new
cryptomoney called AKOIN. The vision
of this currency is to implement is a
cryptomony powered by a market of
tools and services that feed the dreams
of entrepreneurs, business owners
and social activists who connect and
engage in emerging economies in
Africa and elsewhere. Akon City Photo by akoncity.com
22 23
On one hand, this benefits the • Create over 100,000 jobs by 2030, 1/3
continent by providing an able, willing of which will be self-employed and
workforce. On the other hand, there 40% of which will be held by women
is a disparity in the skills of these
• Become the partner of choice
young people and those in demand by
for projects in strategic areas of
Africa’s rapidly changing economies.
innovation
Meanwhile, the continent recognizes its
economic transformation hinges upon • Realise regional sustainable
the promise of young entrepreneurs. development goals
This is where Sèmè City comes
"
along. This one-of-a-kind campus
African solutions
looks to foster collaboration between
students, entrepreneurs, academia by Africans in
and researchers to address Africa’s
economic challenges. Its mission is to a stimulating
give young people the opportunity to
environment
create solutions that generate value
and create employment around three
key areas: research, training and high-
growth entrepreneurship. Through this
alliance, the project hopes to create
The site is not only designed to
foster economic growth and the
experimentation of city-wide
"
sustainable, strategic, and affordable innovations, it also seeks to provide
innovations for inclusive African unique living and working conditions.
development. One new workspace is Sèmè One, a
multifunctional building located in
Cotonou. This 4,250-square-metre
"
Foster partnerships (45,750-square-foot) building includes
an information and orientation centre,
and youth flexible classrooms, co-working spaces,
empowerment for a research laboratories, an auditorium,
a language and computer centre, a
Sèmè City master plan Photo by DR
brighter Africa
"
library, offices, meeting rooms and
I
restaurant space. Among the fully
seme n the Republic of Benin, strategically

nestled between its economic capital
(Cotonou), the administrative capital
Construction of the project began in
2017 and will continue in successive
phases until completion targeted for
equipped facilities, students can access:
• Programs and courses from leading
city-benin (Porto-Novo), and the economic

capital of neighbouring Nigeria (Lagos),
the end of 2021.
The site aims to attract students

•
institutions and experts
Seed funding for start-up projects

is the country’s first smart city and • Mentoring support
and private partners from a wide
innovation campus: Sèmè City.
range of sectors including, but not • Networking opportunities
Planned over 200 ha in the peri-urban
limited to agriculture, design, energy,
area Sèmè-Kpodji, Sèmè City is defined The underlying belief behind Sèmè
nanotechnology, programming,
City of
"
by its director Claude Borna as "a City is that Africans must confront
sustainable tourism and robotics.
unique place that supports and trains their challenges with African solutions
Support is offered from best-in-class
innovation and the talent of tomorrow, and which
academic institutions, research and
in order to provide the continent’s
promotes innovation made in Africa." youth with transformative, socially
knowledge development centres and incubators
"
Investing in knowledge and innovation impactful and inclusive opportunities
all within a a major West African
are two essential strategies for the for the future. This is what it means to
economic and communication axis. In
growth of a continent with the synchronize the distinctive assets of an
addition, Sèmè City offers incentives
youngest population in the world. African city’s ecosystem with the latest
for investment and the creation of
Indeed, of Africa’s 1.2 billion people, 60% technological innovations, and this is
innovative companies. Together, these
are under the age of 25. what it means to have ‘Innovation Made
enticements aim to help this eco-city:
in Africa.’
24 25
INTERVIEW housing, etc. Our cities should meet

the needs of populations before talking
about these concepts of sustainability,
model in order to opt for local solutions.
Sèmè City aims to be an inclusive
project that combines both urban and
ROMARICK ATOKE resilience and smart, which can be tools

in achieving urban functionality.
rural by promoting local materials and
integrating the know-how of the locals
rather than ousting them from the
Think smart. First of all, the African city
"
Architect HMONP must think smart, because the smart
project.
must not only refer to technology.

Head of Architecture Thinking smart refers to the optimized
What are the main innovations of
management of natural resources,
& Urban Design, particularly water by collecting and
Sèmè City in terms of resilience,
sustainability, or smartness in the
at Sèmè City reusing rainwater, treating wastewater
African context?
by phyto-purification for reuse. The
Development Agency
"
first aspect is therefore a holistic The project is an innovation and
approach aiming to think smart to knowledge campus that will house
achieve sustainability and resilience 60% buildings and 40% green space.
Dear Romarick It’s a pleasure
without necessarily using technology. It incorporates fairly precise principles
to have you for this interview.
The second aspect of the smart city in in particular: taking into account
Could you please tell us what’s
Africa relates to Data. It is about setting the rugged terrain in order to take
your background, personally and
up cities that use data to optimize the advantage of the constraints, the use of
professionally?
quality of provision of urban services in the site’s morphology in the installation
Thank you, the pleasure is shared and education, health and public service. of the sewage network, the recycling
I am happy to speak with you as part For example, our cities can optimize the of waste water, the use of solar energy
of this first edition of the magazine quality of public transport by digitizing for lighting public spaces, designing
African Cities by Africa Innovation the service to better understand user buildings that do not consume a lot
Network. I am Romarick ATOKE a behavior and adapt the transport of energy, etc. In addition, one of the
Beninese HMONP Architect, Designer system to uses. originalities will be the use of local
and Director of the Global Archiconsult materials (earth, straw, wood, bamboo)
Building materials. When it comes to
Architecture firm, which operates with modern technology adapted to
sustainability, I think it mostly refers in
throughout Africa and mainly in the ensure the durability of the work.
our context to building materials. We
West Africa sub-region. I am also in
must advocate the use of materials
charge of Architecture & Urban Design,
adapted to our climatic context and Building upon the entrepreneurial
at the Sèmè City / Cité Internationale
offering better thermal comfort, while nature of Sèmè City, what
de l’Innovation & du Savoir (CIIS)
reducing the carbon footprint of our innovations do you wish you could
Development Agency. Founding
cities. Energy is also an important bring to either the architecture,
President of AFRIKArchi, I also have as a
aspect; we have excellent capacities engineering or construction space
passion for photography that I practice
in terms of renewable energy and we and why ?
as an Architecture, Urbanism and
must develop them especially through
Landscape Photographer.
the use of photovoltaic panels. In terms of general innovation, several
approaches have been developed. We
have already developed the concept
As an African Architect with
Sèmè City is an ambitious smart city of the “Human urban lab” which is
international background and a
project in Benin that you are working a think tank open to all researchers,
huge commitment for the promotion
on, what is the vision of this project ? doctoral students, and experts to test
of architecture in Africa what is the
initiatives and develop local solutions.
meaning of resilient, sustainable, and Sèmè City is indeed a very ambitious
It will therefore be after validation of
smart in Africa’s cities for you? project. The State of Benin plans to
innovative ideas to produce prototypes
build a fully functional, intelligent and
Functionality. For this is the starting which, once successful, can be
environmentally friendly city over
point, above all, the African city must implemented on a real scale. It is an
around 200 ha. To carry out this project,
be functional by meeting the needs approach to allow various actors to
it was a question of avoiding the "copy
of city dwellers in several areas such propose innovative solutions adapted to
and paste» of the Western smart city"
as mobility, urban service provision, the African context.
26 27
spirit of sharing. Because with the

butterfly effect, sharing knowledge URBAN PLANNING INNOVATION
What is your vision for the future of
with two other people is at the end of
African cities?
I keep a fairly optimistic vision of

the African city by 2050. Through
the chain several other people who will
benefit and it is Africa that wins. And
finally, don’t always wait to get paid for
URBAN PLANNING
the ambition and commitment
of our leaders combined with the
everything you do for Africa, but see
further. I think with all of this we will
INNOVATIONS IN AFRICA
determination, the expertise and the have a radiant Africa by 2050.
know-how of the actors of the city that
we are, this African city will be a resilient
and sustainable city. But above all, it Thank you for your availability and
will be a city built by ourselves, which for answering our questions for this
looks like us, and reflects our identity, magazine
notably through its architecture and
It’s me who thanks you, it’s always
its mode of operation. To achieve this,
a pleasure to share and good luck
of course, there are many challenges
to African Cities magazine by Africa
to be taken up, in particular education
Innovation Network.
and awareness of the population
about the new lifestyles and uses that
this sustainable city will involve. The
development of digital technology
offers many opportunities for our
cities and we must fill the gap that
there is at this level to be a major
player in the digital transition in our
cities. Population growth and urban
sprawl are also major challenges that
must be addressed in order to ensure
the establishment of inclusive and
sustainable cities. But I have no doubt
that we will meet all these challenges
and succeed in building inclusive,
sustainable and resilient cities that use
technology and innovation to ensure
the well-being of citizens.
What would your advice be for the

next generation of African architects?
The main advice I can give to this

generation that I also think I belong to
is to be creative. Avoid copy and paste
because our challenge in African cities
is greater, so we must always remain in
a dynamic of creativity and innovation,
in order to offer solutions adapted to
our local realities. The positive point
is that there are more and more very
ambitious and talented young people
on the continent, I think we have to
keep this momentum and stay in a
28 29
FREE AND
"
the rural exodus and more often the
GeoCameroon: Furthermore, some project concepts
activating agent that cause these
exoduses is extreme climatic conditions. An existing will be listed to better understand
OPEN SPATIAL These populations increase the the challenges of resilience in our
"
effectives of cities and exerts an platform cities. For each project, an analysis
of the necessary data and digital
INFRASTRUCTURE additional pressure on it. This leads
to anarchic constructions in non-
constructible areas exposed to flooding
GeoCameroon (www.geocameroun.cm)
is the first Spatial Data Infrastructure
solution will be realized. Once the
items are dentified, the learning
FOR RESILIENT and landslides. This additional pressure

also leads to the degradation of rare
(SDI) of Cameroon base on Copernicus
and OpenStreetMap. It brings together
activities will be organized in several
meetings for different actors in the
green peri-urban spaces and in long on a single platform all geographic use of OpenStreetMap open source
DEVELOPMENT IN term may influence negatively the
urban microclimate.
georeferenced data of the country.
GeoCameroon was developed. We have
application and the use of Copernicus
data. The aim is to grant free access to
CAMEROON Another consequence of this rural

exodus and urban poverty is the
for example developed GeoCommunal
(http://ngong.geocameroun.cm/profil)
geographical data but mostly to give
peoples the opportunity to understand
and acquire knowledge in order to
increase in informal transport systems at the scale of cities, which at the end
among which we have, moto cycles, taxi will help municipalities build their implement services to challenge
cars which increase congestion and the resilience profiles. climate change effects.
"
GeoCameroon
Cameroon like many other African

countries is undergoing a fast urban
" CO2 emission. Added to these all, there
is also the rise of waste management
problems.
The potential effects of climate change
have to be well understood and taken
population increase due to rural exodus into consideration in other to reduce
mostly caused by poverty. This leads vulnerability in urban areas. In this
to an increase in urban pressure that context, spatial analysis of geographic
causes traffic congestion, pollution, information constitutes a major tool in
waste management problems, anarchic assisting decision taking.
constructions in risk areas and many Good and accessible geospatial data
other issues. These problems are is hard to come by in Africa and the
compounded by a lack of data to help
"
have a better insight of the situation
How do we
in order to make better decisions
regarding sustainable development. proceed in a
Faced with this situation, GeoCameroon
was developed (http://geocameroun. context of lack of
cm/), a free and opensource Spatial
Data Infrastructure (SDI) for a resilient
basic geographical
"
development of Cameroon. data?
Despite Cameroon’s ratification
of international climate change
capital investment costs generally form

an obstacle for large-scale mapping. An
" Anarchic urban

development
"
conventions, the country still lacks tools
agreement has been signed between
EU and Africa (trough AEO) to provide
Copernicus data for free to the whole of
Africa. This agreement will simplify the
data access for African people. Added to
necessary for the evaluation of their that, models based on crowdsourcing
impacts in our cities. like OpenStreetMap greatly reduce
The rapid increase of these negative production costs while facilitating the
impacts in our towns is linked to update.
30 31
"
Collaborations for digital
Positive impacts
transformation
and multiplicative This infrastructure based on
the Copernicus program and
effects
"
crowdsourcing technology of
OpenStreetMap creates a database in
Cameroon, like many countries in which every city can build its resilience
Africa, has many crucial challenges (risk profiles. It also serves as a base for the
management, environment and climate actors of digital transformation sectors
change). In general, this project will who highly depend on geospatial
allow Cameroon to provide a complete data (NGOs, Universities, public sector,
cartography and to develop solutions private sector), and use cases will be
based on geospatial technologies required for these sectors.
specially IA to achieve the Sustainable These same actors will in turn feed
Development Goals. the infrastructure with data produced LINKS:
Economic development from their various studies or projects.
This assures sustainability of the GeoCameroun:
"
Local development infrastructure, or "GeoDjangui," a http://geocameroun.cm/ (link to the
concept where everybody contributes National Geospatial infrastructure)
and resilience
"
for everybody to use.
GeoCommunal:
The space industry currently represents Digital ecosystem, an assurance for http://ngong.geocameroun.cm/profil
a business development opportunity. financial sustainability. (link to one example of GeoCommunal
In 2015, the world’s space economy was The financial sustainability of this at the scale of the town of Ngong)
estimated to be between €217 and infrastructure come from the fact that
250 billion, with growth of about 5% it is open to the digital ecosystem, GitHub:
per year. In Cameroon, the use of space making each and everyone a major https://github.com/GeoOSM (Here is the
technologies will promote startup actor for the long term. link to the code on GitHub)
creation and new services that will offer
opportunities in many domains.
Strategic contribution of GeoCommunal in urban development and fight against climatic changes Yaoundé city center Photo by Stephane SONKIN
32 33
ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE

PROJECTS IN AFRICA
Interior teaching building Wall of Knowledge Photo by Doublespace Covered outdoor ramp Greater Accra Regional Hospital Photo by Perkins+Will
34 35
"
Sustainable the cultural aspect. In this respect, the
design of the façades was inspired by
architecture adapted the Kente fabric, an icon of African
heritage around the world. Concrete,
to the context
"
wood and steel, the major materials
used in the project are traditional
The design team understood very well Ghanaian building materials.
that this was a different context, with The project significantly improves the
limited resources and technologies quality of life of both patients and their
and high constraints. Lacking state- families, as well as that of medical,
of-the-art technology, they exploited administrative and support staff
other means to give the project optimal through the way it meets their needs
resilience. The facility is designed to and expectations. Referring to the local
operate independently of technology, architecture where circulation and
electricity and water supplied by the gathering spaces have a cultural value,
municipality. the designers attach great importance
In order to achieve maximum efficiency to these spaces. In addition, the
and autonomy, the facility is designed facilities create links between Ghana
to make the most of the resources and the global medical community.
offered by the site and its environment. A radiologist at the Johns Hopkins
Numerous ingenious systems have Medical Center, for instance, can consult
thus been implemented. Some of the information from Ghana. As a result, the
most basic are the recovery, storage facility offers comfortable and pleasant
and use of rainwater, as well as the spaces that enhance the experience for
passive cooling of the various spaces. patients and caregivers.
All areas that do not present high risk The Greater Accra Regional Hospital
thus benefit from natural ventilation. has become the largest hospital in
Natural gas-powered generators the country to date. But beyond its
provide backup energy in the event of a monumental appearance, the project
power failure. Water is also reused and is above all very sustainable, which has
solar heating is used to meet hot water earned it LEED Silver certification. In
needs. In addition, the choice of locally fact, it is the first healthcare institution
sourced, light-colored exterior materials to receive this certification on the
reduces solar gain while enhancing African continent.
Beauty and cultural heritage Photo by Perkins+Will
THE GREATER
D
esigned by the international
firm Perkins+Will, this project
is a major component of the
ACCRA REGIONAL urban fabric of North Ridge

in Accra, Ghana.
HOSPITAL-GHANA It is the result of the transformation of a

small, simple hospital dating from the
1920s into a modern, expandable facility.
It was a wood-frame building with 191
Architectural
"
beds.
As a result, the facility now stands on
regeneration five levels with nearly 600 beds and
project
"
more than 12 operating theaters to
meet the country’s growing need for
quality health care. Outdoor spaces creating a link with nature Photo by Perkins+Will Beauty and cultural heritage Photo by Perkins+Will
36 37
"
Innovation and perimeter for children. This esplanade is
an extension of the monumental façade
modernity for a covered with local stones that pays
homage to the architecture of the old
project adapted to Portuguese city of El Jadida. In addition
to the calcareous stone and metal used,
its environment
With a surface area of 8,960 m2, the
"
project includes an entrance hall, an
auditorium, 18 classrooms, as well as a
prayer room and various sports facilities.
the project’s material palette includes
reinforced concrete for the structure,
wooden acoustic panels for insulation,
a resin floor, flexible PBC, wood and
plaster.
Architects integrated a number of
Most of the classrooms are dedicated to
bioclimatic architectural solutions
science and technology education.
into the project. The classrooms,
One of the major constraints was
oriented north-south, benefit from
the irregular shape of the plot. To
efficiently shaded southern façades.
overcome it, the designers created a
This orientation also makes it possible
spatial division of the project into three
to create a cross-ventilation system
regular areas. The central area hosts
inside the classrooms. The use of
a building dedicated to teaching. This
moucharabiehs on the main façade
strategic position allows it to serve as
protects the interior from the western
a landmark for the neighbourhood. All
sun and thermal solar panels supply hot
sports facilities are concentrated in the
water to the gym showers and sanitary
northern area, while the south-eastern
facilities. All the lights in the school
area is left free for a future extension of
use light-emitting diodes (LED), which
the school. The project is fairly compact,
contributes to the project’s economy.
which reduces the walking distances for
Measures are taken to collect and use
users.
rainwater.
Esplanade and monumental façade Photo by Doublespace Photography The project stands out in its
The project was highly appreciated
W
environment thanks to its scale,
for its adaptation to the site and its
WALL OF all of Knowledge is

a college designed
and built by the firms
materials and monumental character.
It thus becomes an urban landmark
in the area. Its retreat from the
intelligent management of the plot
surface. Sustainability is also about
KNOWLEDGE EL Mounir Benchekroun

Architect and Tarik Zoubdi Architect
roadway has allowed the creation of
a public square, serving as a space
knowing how to integrate into the
design the reflections related to the
evolution of needs over time.
JADIDA-MOROCCO in the city of El Jadida located 100

km south of Casablanca in Morocco.
Architects won the competition
for socialization as well as a safety
organized by the Office cherifien des

phosphates with a project judiciously
combining cultural identity, adaptation
Architecture at
"
to the climate context and efficient
management of the plot. This school
the service of was built for the children of OCP
employees. As the difficulties of
education
"
education are a major obstacle to the
development of the country and the
well-being of the population, architects
consider working on a project of this
type as an act of commitment. Indeed,
the institution welcomes more than
570 students each year in favourable
conditions for their development. Interior teaching building Photo by Doublespace Teaching building Photo by Doublespace Photography
38 39
"
Local materials for use in the toilets and for watering
the vegetable garden where food is
to support the produced for patients and staff.
Greywater is recycled for toilet flushing
economy
"
and irrigation, while wastewater
is treated on-site by a septic tank.
The building has three main parts: Medical waste is disposed of on-site by
a reception pavilion and a courtyard incineration.
for patients’ families, an intermediate The installation of a network of some 32
pavilion hosts pre- and post-operative km of underground cables has provided
activities, and a sterile pavilion with two the facility with a reliable Internet
operating rooms and related support connection.
spaces. This was essential to enable local
The walls that structure the various doctors to receive support from
spaces are made of bricks and cladding their counterparts on Mount Sinai
tiles made from red clay dug directly in New York City through live
into the ground near the construction surgical consultations and real-time
site and fired in a local kiln. The choice videoconferencing.
of this affordable and locally available The project demonstrates very well
material supports the local economy. how vernacular skills and modern
In addition, the ingeniously perforated techniques and technologies can help
walls allow for natural ventilation and and complement each other to improve
lighting in almost any space. Only the life.
operating rooms use air conditioning.
"
Innovative solutions
Building on site Photo by Kliment Halsband Architects for a sustainable and
T
human-centered
CENTRE his project, carried out in a
project
"
rural village called Kyabirwa,
near the equator in Uganda,
CHIRURGICAL bears the signature of Kliment

Halsband Architects. The agency, which
Because the site lacked access to
some essential resources such as clean
MOUNT SINAI had never before designed a health care

facility, was contacted by Dr. Michael
Marin of Mount Sinai Medical Center in
water, reliable electricity or an Internet
connection, the designers had to use
KYABIRWA New York, who wanted a new approach

for this project. The facility is designed
common sense.
A canopy inspired by the banana
trees around the project site has a
as a prototype of an independent,
dual function. It produces energy and
self-contained ambulatory surgical
creates shade thanks to the solar panels
Self-contained
"
facility that can be replicated in other
it bears.
resource-poor and underserved areas.
and low-cost It is intended to demonstrate that
The combination of this device with
batteries for storage ensures the energy
surgery can be performed in low-cost
facility
"
autonomy of the building. The water
facilities. To do this, the designers
from the well as well as that coming
reduced and simplified requirements
from the city is stored if necessary
to the essentials by eliminating some
thanks to gravity tanks equipped with
of the complex, expensive and energy-
a filter and a sterilization system. Water
consuming systems related to high Access to the reception area Photo
from the roof is collected and stored
technology. Waiting space Photo by Kliment Halsband Architects by Kliment Halsband Architects
40 41
ARCHITECTURE INNOVATIONS
IN AFRICA
Construction of first wall in Kibera by startsomowhere Photo by Startsomowhere

42 43
Warka village in south Cameroon Photo by Arturo Vittori Warka village in south Cameroon Photo by Arturo vittori
WARKA VILLAGE-
W
arka Water is a daily standard of living and overall
nonprofit that focuses quality of life: rural infrastructure,
on innovative and agriculture, health, water, sanitation
CAMEROON sustainable solutions

to some of humanity’s most enduring
and preservation.
The project is an integrated village
issues through the fusion of local designed to host 1100 people, all local
knowledge and resources, visionary ethnic groups of Cameroon. It will
design, and ancient traditions. become a cultural center, of social
"
Innovative and The Warka Village aspires to transform aggregation with quality spaces.
the landscape of comprehensive The Warka Village is an example of how
frugal solutions for human development, utilizing low- to collaborate with rural communities,
a better life
"
cost, sustainable, community-driven, how to construct using indigenous
high-impact multisector development techniques and local natural materials
interventions that are tailored to that respect the cultural identity of the
the village’s specific needs. This will place, and it is an example of how to live
address the needs of villagers in terms in harmony with nature.
of essential services that impact their House in Warka village in south Cameroon Photo by Arturo Vittori
44 45
"
During the development of the new
Start Somewhere
Start Somewhere construction system,
various requirements for the special opens first hollow
situation in slums were taken into
account: concrete block
Flexible floor plans: In order to make
maximum use of the mostly uneven
workshop in Kibera,
Nairobi
"
slum land areas, the wall segments can
be folded steplessly;
De-constructable: Since slums are The new workshop still built in
informal settlements, residents can only the common way with bricks and
own the buildings but not the land and corrugated iron. The building is located
lose their dwellings, for example as a in the middle of Kibera and consists
result of government road construction of a workshop with an adjacent
measures. The mortarless construction warehouse and a water tank. Due to
system makes it possible to dismantle a room height of three meters and a
the buildings manually and reassemble large roof window, temperature and
them elsewhere at any time; lighting in the workshop are very
Affordable housing: Thanks to the pleasant. A solar system was installed
material-saving use of concrete, the on the roof, which covers the complete
new buildings are not only more power requirements of the workshop.
beautiful and of higher quality, but are The interior equipment includes large
also similarly inexpensive to the usual storage tanks for gravel and sand with
construction methods using mud, adjacent delivery facilities, a concrete
wood and corrugated iron; mixer and a vibratory plate as well as
Fireproof: In slums, fires often occur an area where the concrete blocks
which spread quickly due to the are stripped. The adjacent warehouse
dense population and the wooden can store up to 4,000 hollow concrete
construction. The new construction blocks (about half of the requirements
system completely replaces wood. for the new school building for 400
children).
Building on site Photo by Kliment Halsband Architects
S
tart Somewhere, a social
START business with the goal to
improve the living conditions of
SOMEWHERE- people in informal settlements

(slums) in developing countries, has
CHANGE FROM THE been developing a flexible, reusable,

cost-effective and fireproof construction
system for buildings in slums since 2015.
INSIDE The approach is to change from the

inside, create trade jobs in a local hollow
concrete block and provide value in the
slum. In the future, buildings in slums
"
Innovative will no longer be constructed from
wood, clay and corrugated iron, but will
construction systems
be built by the residents from locally
to improve quality of produced hollow concrete blocks in a
functional and appropriate architecture.
life for everyone Casting of blocks Photo by start Somewhere Start Somewhere blocks in Kibera workshop Photo by start Somewhere
46 47
With multiple uses, this material could potential to address the housing
also be a factor of empowerment deficit in African cities, while creating
and employability for many people in sustainable employment. Some uses
Africa. According to the United Nations are already made of this material
Environment Programme (UNEP), in Africa in the field of handicrafts,
there are 2,000 uses of this plant, while construction and design, etc. However,
in China there are more than 10,000 these channels are mostly informal and
different uses. Bamboo therefore marginal. Structuring a market around
represents an immense potential for this material through appropriate
job creation. Used in construction, it policies and regulations in the field of
would considerably reduce construction construction, art, urban design and
costs, thus allowing all social classes handicrafts, would enable to draw
to have access to affordable housing. the full potential of this resource
According to International Bamboo and and promote sustainable economic
Rattan organization (lNBAR), bamboo development. Fortunately, many
is a response to 7 of the 17 objectives of professionals on the continent are
sustainable development. increasingly interested in this material
and organizations like INBAR are
"
promoting and developing it at the
Great potential for
local level.
Africa
"
Bamboo is present in more than 1/3
of Africa; moreover, it is among the
champions in the category of bio-
sourced materials. The low cost of
this material and its local availability
make it a material with high potential
in construction in Africa. It has the
Roof made with bamboo in Fass School and Teacher’s Residence By Toshiko mori in Senegal Photo by Sofia Verzbolovskis
BAMBOO AND
B
amboo has a high capacity for
carbon sequestration. Indeed,
the absorption of greenhouse
ITS POTENTIAL IN gases by bamboo would be 5

times greater than by a standing tree
AFRICA of equivalent volume, in addition to

producing 35% more oxygen. A bamboo
plantation of one (01) hectare can
capture up to 60 tons of CO2 per year
depending on the species and type of
crop. This corresponds to a retention
"
An eco-responsible of 30 times more important than the
culture of other plants. A Life Cycle
and sustainable Assessment (LCA) study conducted at
material
"
DELFT University (Netherlands) shows
that industrial bamboo products such
as flooring, panels and beams have
negative CO2 emissions even after
being produced in China and shipped
to Europe. Locally-manufactured cob and bamboo school building, Jar Maulwi, Pakistan Bamboo structure Photo by set.sj
48 49
BIM AND ITS question the construction models

to meet the challenges. For many
players in the construction industry,
OPPORTUNITIES IN BIM is the most appropriate response.

Unfortunately, Africa is still lagging
AFRICA behind in this way of working. The

reasons for this delay are diverse,
nevertheless initiatives such as BIM
BY NANDHAA AFRICA or FASOBIM are trying to

promote this tool on the continent.
However, the opportunities offered by
this tool are numerous. This method
"
Building Information allows to have several points of view on
a project, thus guaranteeing an optimal
"
Modeling quality. Indeed, the BIM method
ensures the longevity of the works in
B
the sense that all the information of the
uilding Information Modeling building being modeled and previewed,
BIM is an acronym for Building some collisions and imperfections are
Information Modeling. It is a corrected before the beginning of the
highly collaborative process works. In other words, the model found
that allows multiple stakeholders in a digital mock-up is the same as in
and AEC (architecture, engineering, reality and the works are better. Also,
construction) professionals to the question of time is very important.
collaborate on the planning, design, The time of conception and technical
and construction of a building within studies and the time of construction are
NANDHAA Group is a multidisciplinary
one 3D model. It can also span into reduced thanks to this tool which would
construction consulting firm focused
the operation and management of allow to reduce the time of execution
on BIM tools. Through their innovative
buildings using data that owners have of the works of the projects on the
methods developed using the Building
access to. This data allows owners and continent which are known to be rather
Information Modeling methods,
stakeholders to make decisions based long. This tool would also help train a
Nandhaa offers efficient services to
on pertinent information derived from generation of architects and engineers
various customers around the world.
the model- even after the building is in line with international design and
They offer a deep expertise in the
constructed. construction practices while creating
design industry, and the building this
jobs to build a sustainable Africa by
through experience gained working on
Africans.
many projects in South Asia and Africa.
"
An opportunity for www.nandhaa.com
the challenges of
contact@nandhaa.com
urbanization on the
0283 520 8760
continent
Africa is a continent of opportunity

engaged in a dynamic development
that requires the establishment of
" +237 682834751
NANDHAA
many large-scale infrastructures. For

a rapidly urbanizing continent that nandhaa
should be home to 1.9 billion additional Think Humanity
people by 2050, it is important to
50 51
AFRICA’S ARCHITECTURE
AND URBAN HERITAGE
Bamboo structure Photo by Bernard Hermant on Unsplash Center for earth architecture in Burkina Faso Photo by Francis Kere
52 53
Bamako BCEAO Tower Photo by world-adventurer.com Kenyatta International Conference Centre Nairobi Kenya
HOW VERNACULAR
W
ith an Africa amidst Vernacular architecture is a broad
change, from the concept that encompasses areas of
post-colonial period to architectural study including aboriginal,
ARCHITECTURE IS the present day, there

has been a considerable resurgence
indigenous, ancestral, rural and ethnic
architecture and contrasts with more
intellectual architecture called polished,
INTEGRATED INTO of foreign architectural styles. African

cities that are fashioned in the image
of the colonist are, for the most part,
formal or academic architecture, just as
popular art contrasts with art.
By defining vernacular architecture,
ARCHITECTURAL losing their cultural identities. The
history of ancient African societies
one should not confuse it with so-called
"traditional" architecture, although
generally shows the exceptional
PRACTICES IN character of certain significant
elements of their tangible and
there are links between the two. Linked
to their environmental contexts and
available resources, they are usually
AFRICA intangible heritage. Within this African

tangible heritage, there is the jewel of
built by the owner or the community,
using traditional technologies. All forms
local architectural styles, which most of vernacular architecture are built to
often adapts to the different lifestyles satisfy specific needs, considering the
and climatic conditions of the natural values, economies and lifestyles of the
environment. cultures that produce them.
Center for earth architecture Photo by Francis Kere
54 55
"
Building a cultural nothing to do with the people who are
destined to use them.’’
identity through The other aspect of the subject
resides in the architecture and design
sustainable projects
In a perspective of sustainability and
ecology, the current situation on
the continent gives a gleam of hope
on the question of the valorization
" competitions organized on the
continent. These competitions are
"engines of research and development
for new constructive, programmatic,
and urban hypotheses" for typically
of vernacular architecture through African and prosperous cities. Indeed,
different realizations. Starting even if the realization of the winning
sometimes from the source of projects is not guaranteed for the
inspiration to the use of materials, as most part, most competitions in Africa
well as the factor of insertion of the require certain captivating elements
project in its environment, we are that give identity to the various
witnessing the proliferation of projects submissions. This is how the geniuses
such as: the elementary school of of African design are perceived in all
Ghando in Burkina-Faso, (Architect its possible forms. Between tradition
Francis KERE); the religious and laic and modernity, the winners carry their
center HIKMA in Niger, (Architect curiosity to new heights with project
Mariam KAMARA); the Library for the submissions that reconcile ancestral
community of Muyinga in Burundi, styles and know-how with modern
(BC Architects), etc. For most of knowledge.
these projects, although modern and Africa’s cultural richness alone is a
environmentally friendly, the practical source of reflection on another vision
elements of vernacular architecture of its own architecture. Consequently,
reside in the use of cultural symbols, there is much more to explore for
aesthetics, involvement of the local this young generation of builders in
population and the use of local this challenge that is facing them.
materials. Therefore, it is important to Emancipation of the mind is the first
note that ‘’Architecture has great power step to truly access an architecture
to affect people—it is the spaces we that engages in its current social and
inhabit. And because of that, it can be economic contexts for more resilient
dangerous to create spaces that have and sustainable African cities.
Mokorotlo building Maseru Lesotho Photo by UnsulliedBokeh
Mosque converted into a community library in Niger by Atelier Masomi Gando Primary School Photo by Francis Kere
56 57
MUDhouseView from the Street, Photo by MAMOTH SANKOFA house View from South-East Photo by MAMOTH.
REINVENTION OF
T
he Asante Traditional Buildings, The steep roof minimizes surfaces
inscribed in 1981 to the World exposed to sunlight and heat. The
Heritage List as being “rare height under the roof provides good air
THE SANKOFA surviving examples of a

significant traditional architectural style
circulation.
The heat is evacuated by a roof rack
HOUSE of the influential, powerful and wealthy

Asante kingdom,” are described as
Vernacular architecture built with a
system. It also ease discharging heavy
rainwater with two metallic gutters
placed between the roofs to collect
minimum of resources and a maximum rainwater which can be easily stocked in
of effectiveness. a tank in the courtyard.
Inspired by the recognizable silhouettes The buildings are mainly constructed
of Ashanti’s buildings, M.A.M.O.T.H. with laterite soil and termite-proof coco
reinvents the Sankofa House (1st fibers. Builders rely on the Atakpame
prize) organized by NKA in 2014. This method, a purely manual construction
particular architecture is recognizable technique, which is economic,
by its sloping roofs, its plastered walls, ecological and social.
its decorative ornaments and its large
base which highlights all. MUDhouse Internal View of the Courtyard Photo by MAMOTH.
58 59
Children in the Gurunsi village of Tiebele Photo by Davide Comelli Royal Court in Tiébélé Photo by Rita Willaert
GURUNSI
T
iébélé is a small village located element of this village, decorated
in the south of Burkina Faso, with motifs of geometric or more
known for its unique Gurunsi figurative forms. These artworks are
VERNACULAR vernacular architecture where

the walls represent magnificent works
renewed every year by the women of
the community during the dry season,
ARCHITECTURE - of art.
In this village lives an ancient ethnic
group called the Kassena people. The
using mud, white chalk, and natural
dyes, with three shades dominating:
white, black, and red. Once the paint
TIEBELE men build and the women take care
of the paintings, skills that have been
is dry, the façades are covered with a
natural varnish from the African carob
passed down from generation to tree.
generation. The constructions are made The motifs often carry meanings taken
from local materials; the old technique from everyday life, religion, and beliefs,
was based on a mixture of earth with for this reason, the most decorated
water and cow droppings moistened to buildings are the most important ones
a perfect mortar. Today, this has been such as the mausoleum.
replaced with mud bricks with stone This small village is one of the most
foundations. culturally rich and architecturally
The intricate ornamentation covering beautiful villages, that was listed as a
the walls remains the most fascinating UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2012.
Gurunsi village of Tiebele Photo by Davide Comelli
60 61
CITIES PIXELS AND COLORS
Tiébélé village Photo by Ronald Vriesena MINESUP du Cameroun, by NDIENANG Mesmer, 2020.
62 63
It is through the architectural

expression of its buildings that we
judge the beauty of a city. Indeed,
African cities are endowed with several
architectural jewels that make them
proud and identify them. We are
fascinated to see how the composition
of simple basic volumes can lead to a
masterpiece.
complex whose charge is aesthetics,
how the simplicity of a minimalist
architecture could exude elegance by
blending into a wooded landscape
typical of the continent.
As the Japanese architect Tadao
Ando says, "the real importance of
MINPT Cameroon, by NDIENANG Mesmer, 2020
architecture is its ability to deeply move
people’s hearts." These illustrations
are made not only to pay homage to
the great minds that put their genius
to good use in the design of these
buildings, but also to showcase this
architecture that only enriches the
architectural heritage of the world
in general and Africa in particular. In
reality, African architecture is rarely
promoted in the media, as it is very
often seen as political and private
property. these illustrations aim to bring
to the forefront the aesthetic charge of
the elements that make up the African
city, as these elements are of real
deposit of the culture.
BCEAO Togo by NDIENANG Mesmer, 2020
A
BEAC Congo by BIKEDI Jovin, 2020
PAYING frican Art Awake is a team of

young artists from various
horizons who are dedicated
TRIBUTE TO THE to the expression of beauty.

In view of the cultural wealth that
ARCHITECTURE OF abounds in the world, African Art

Awake is posed to bring its modest
contribution to the popularization of
AFRICAN CITIES cultural gems of Africa and the world.

To do so, she has chosen to rethink the
world of fine arts, design and fashion.
Based in Togo, she aspires to conquer
" "
African Art Awake the world in the years to come thanks
to her conceptual approach centered
on pluralism and humanism. BIDC Togo by BIKEDI Jovin, 2020 Tour NABEMBA Congo by BIKEDI Jovin
64 65
Le chemin by African by Art Awake L’ambition la base du developpement by Art Awake
Wall frescoes
R
ealized by African Art Awake,
on a part of the wall of the
fence of the Université of Lomé
as a vector in Togo. the work stages values

such as peace, kindness, benevolence,
for peace and fraternity, love, service and freedom

process. It also takes up themes related
to #ecology, waste management, and
sustainable environmental protection through
awareness-raising messages and the
development re-use of objects such as old tires. It also

aims to convey a message and values
to be embodied for the emergence
of a prosperous and peaceful nation
through individual commitment. This
" "
African Art Awake fresco is also a reminder of African
cultural identity, raising awareness
of the symbolic value of the mask in
African culture.
Les messagers vertueux by African Art Awake
66 67
twins whales by Frank and coe Window by Frank and coe
The real way

I
try to articulate my work around
the two mediums I love the most
namely photography and illustrative
to achieve arts. By adding some sketches to

preexisting photographs I’m able to
immortality is create a whole new universe that

couldn’t be seen before. Through this
mixed media technique , I’m free
by the means of to explore new ways of expressing
myself and give a new take to what
art only photography can be when it’s explored

by the lens of illustrations.
With this mini-series I tried to put the
focus on the Moroccan landscape and
" "
Frank and coe tell us more ! architecture. My intention was to tell
stories that could be understood from
the first sight; simple yet percutive. I
decided to work oin black and white
because this format allows, I believe,
to truly expose the DNA of any picture
that’s why this photography format is
so attractive to me. Fire man by Frank and coe The traveler by Frank and coe
68 69
City center of Nairobi by Loïc NANA City center of Cairo by Loïc NANA
T
world on precise problems of urban
AFRICAN CITIES he maps below are a bichromy
urban expression of the
downtown areas of 30 African
sustainability, with an artistic touch for
a more pleasant interpretation. Indeed,
MAPPING cities; Cairo, Nairobi and

Johannesburg. Realized by NANA
the map of Cairo, presents a city center
strongly densified in non-wet zone. This
TCHAGNASSI Loïc, Urbanist, they allow one presented and easily perceptible,
a scientific, playful, philosophical and allows anyone to have a more creative
more artistic awareness of the problems reflection on the problem.
or benefits of our living spaces. Notice that, this new simplified urban
" "
@nana_UrbDesign Today, the report shows urban cartographic expression is a visual art
maps full of informations, generally form for raising awareness among
incomprehensible to the uninitiated the general public. In addition, it is an
in urban planning. Consequently, alternative way of expressing urban
my cartographic work is oriented problems for a better understanding.
toward simplicity and sensitizing the City center of Johannesburg by Loïc NANA
70 71
EDITORS REFERENCES
COVID-19 AND AFRICAN CITIES
URBAN PLANNING AFRICA’S ARCHITECTURE • AfriqueRenouveau, CEA : L’impact économique de COVID-19 sur les villes
INNOVATION AND URBAN HERITAGE africaines risque d’être sévère en raison de la forte baisse de la productivité,
des emplois et des revenus, Avril 2020, https://www.un.org/africarenewal/
Keynes Pofd Kacinthe TAMO NWAFEU Abdou Latifou ALASSANE fr/derni%C3%A8re-heure/cea-l%E2%80%99impact-%C3%A9conomique-
Town planner - Developer DEIAU Architect de-covid-19-sur-les-villes-africaines-risque-d%E2%80%99%C3%AAtre-
s%C3%A9v%C3%A8re-en
Head of studies at the NTFS urban Hind Rezouk
• OCDE, les réponses de l’OCDE face au coronavirus (covid-19), l’Afrique face au
planning firmLocal Pathways Fellow à Architect
covid-19 : implications socio-économiques régionales et priorités politiques,
UN SDSN-Youth
Joel Mukalay Kine Mukena mai 2020, http://www.oecd.org/coronavirus/policy-responses/l-afrique-face-au-
Joseph Fabrice BINDZI WONO Architect covid-19-implications-socio-economiques-regionales-et-priorites-politiques-
Urban and territorial developer, expert 5b743bd8/
in decentralization, urban planning and CITIES PIXELS AND COLORS • SDSN-Youth, 2020 Local Pathways Fellows, Covid-19 rapid response solutions
territorial logics for cities, 2020, https://issuu.com/sdsnyouth/docs/covid-19_rapid_response_
African Art Awake
solutions_for_cities_by_th
Corianne RICE
Frank and coe founded by Brondon • UN-Habitat, la covid-19 dans les villes africaines, impacts, réponses et politiques,
City Innovation Program Specialist 2020
JIEUTSA
Hind REZOUK • UNFPA Afrique de l’ouest et du centre, L’impact de la COVID-19 sur les
Loïc NANA TCHAGNASSI
Architect Violences Basées sur le Genre en Afrique de l’Ouest et du centre, juillet 2020,
https://wcaro.unfpa.org/fr/news/limpact-de-la-covid-19-sur-les-violences-
Ariel Brandon AKAMBA BENGONO bas%C3%A9es-sur-le-genre-en-afrique-de-louest-et-du-centre
Architect DESIGN AND SUPERVISION • UNICEF, COVID-19 Plan global de réponse humanitaire, mars 2020, https://www.
Willy Franck SOB AIN TEAM unicef.org/wca/fr/communiqu%C3%A9s-de-presse/covid-19-plan-global-de-
CEO of SOGEFI r%C3%A9ponse-humanitaire
• WHO Africa, Covid-19 dashboard in the WHO African region, https://aho.afro.
who.int/covid/af
THE NEW CITY OF DIAMNIADIO-SENEGAL

ARCHITECTURE AND
• https://www.wedemain.fr/Au-Senegal-a-qui-profite-la-ville-nouvelle-de-
INNOVATION Diamniadio_a4757.html
• Nos développements sont inspirés de Revue de l’Urbanisation « Villes
Franklin YEMELI Émergentes pour un Sénégal Émergent » www. worldbank.org -Senegal-
Architect Urbanization-Review
Lionel TSAGUÉ ZEFACK

THE GREEN CITY OF BENGUERIR IN MOROCCO
Architect
• https://sadbenkirane.com/projet/ville-verte-mohamed-vi-benguerir/
• http://mbpaysage.ma/Projets_Details/Ville/ville_verte_mohammed_vi-38
• https://www.emines-ingenieur.org/campus/un-lieu-de-vie/la-ville-verte-de-ben-
guerir
• https://www.cmimarseille.org/sites/default/files/newsite/NUD/S2_OCPgroupe-
ville%20verte%20benguerir%20vfinal.pdf
AKON CITY-SENEGAL
• Emmanuel Eveno, 2018. « La Ville intelligente : objet au cœur de nombreuses
controverses », Quaderni
• http:// www.journals.openedition.org/quaderni
• Jennifer Robinson,. 2002. « Global and world cities : A view from off the maps »
International journal of urban and regional research, Vol 23, p. 531-554.
72 73
• Voir Parnell, S. and Pieterse, E., 2014. (eds) Africa’s urban revolution. London : ambulatory-surgical-facility/
Zed Books • https://inhabitat.com/self-sustaining-ugandan-surgical-facility-provides-
• Paquot Thierry., 1990. Essai sur l’urbanisation du monde et des mœurs, Editions healthcare-to-underserved-areas/
du félin. • Start Somewhere-change from the inside
• Ela Jean Marc., 1983. La ville en Afrique noire, Paris, Karthala. • https://www.startsomewhere.eu/en
• Jean Haentjens et Stéphane Lemoine, 2015. Eco-urbanisme défis planétaires,
solutions urbaines écosociété HOW VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE IS INTEGRATED INTO ARCHITECTURAL
• Olivier Glassey, 2006. « Les villes virtuelles sont-elles durables ? Les modes de PRACTICES IN AFRICA
participation à l’épreuve de la proxycommunication Urbia n-3 - « Participation • The Beauty of Africa’s Traditional Architecture, In One Big Database by Linda
et développement urbain durable » Poon, consulté le 12 Octobre 2020
• Chenal J. 2013. La ville ouest-africaine. Modèles de planification de l’espace • The African Architectural Narrative, Zubaydah Jibrilu, consulté le 12 Octobre
urbain, Métis Presses 2020
• Consulter http://www.smartcity.fr/europe/presentation consulté le 20-10-2020 • Christophe Benichou Architectures, Portfolio KYM FIELD SCHOOL-2015
• OEN ASSOCIATES (DESIGNERS-ARCHITECTS-VISIONARIES)
SÈMÈ CITY-BENIN • Afrique : Découvrez le top 10 des plus luxueux et des plus beaux Palais
• https://www.france24.com/en/20200722-benin-tech-innovation-hub-sees- présidentiels, Source: Leral
bright-future • Architecture vernaculaire, HiSoUR, accessed October 12, 2020
• 60 SECONDS WITH...MARIAM KAMARA, Charles CURKIN, accessed October 13,
• https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brookings-now/2019/01/18/charts-of-the-week-
2020
africas-changing-demographics/
• Cite du patrimoine et de l’Architecture, accessed October 14, 2020
• https://semecity.bj/en/about/about-seme-city/ • The African Architectural Narrative, accessed October 12, 2020
• https://semecity.bj/en/visit/seme-one/
GURONSI VERNACULAR ARCHITECTURE - TIEBÉLÉ
• https://whc.unesco.org/fr/listesindicatives/5653/
THE GREATER ACCRA REGIONAL HOSPITAL-GHANA
• https://decouvrirlemonde.fr/tiebele-un-petit-village-burkinabe-a-larchitecture-
• https://perkinswill.com/project/the-greater-accra-regional-hospital-at-ridge/
hors-du-commun/
• https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/greater-accra-regional-
• https://maison-monde.com/les-maisons-decorees-de-tiebele/
hospital_o
• https://www.designboom.com/architecture/gurunsi-earth-houses-of-burkina-
• https://archello.com/project/the-ridge-hospital-accra-regional-hospital
faso/
• http://www.archidatum.com/projects/ghana-ridge-hospital-perkins-plus-will/
• https://architizer.com/projects/the-greater-accra-regional-hospital-at-ridge/
• https://healthcaresnapshots.com/projects/5527/the-greater-accra-regional-
hospital-at-ridge/
CENTRE CHIRURGICAL MOUNT SINAI KYABIRWA

• https://www.archdaily.com/900321/wall-of-knowledge-middle-school-tarik-
zoubdi-architect-plus-mounir-benchekroun-architect
• http://www.archidatum.com/projects/wall-of-knowledge-tarik-zoubdi-
architects/
• https://www.middleeastarchitect.com/40890-moroccan-architects-tarik-zoubdi-
and-mounir-benchekroun-design-a-school-for-the-port-city-of-el-jadida
• https://competition.adesignaward.com/design.php?ID=70453
WALL OF KNOWLEDGE EL JADIDA-MOROCCO

• https://www.archdaily.com/928402/mount-sinai-kyabirwa-surgical-facility-
kliment-halsband-architects
• https://www.dezeen.com/2020/01/02/mount-sinai-kyabirwa-surgical-facility-
kliment-halsband-architects-uganda/#:~:text=The%20Mount%20Sinai%20
Kyabirwa%20Surgical,that%20allow%20for%20natural%20ventilation.
• https://www.architectmagazine.com/project-gallery/mount-sinai-ambulatory-
surgical-facility_o
• https://newatlas.com/architecture/mount-sinai-kyabirwa-surgical-facility/
• https://www.aiany.org/architecture/featured-projects/view/mount-sinai-
74 75
African cities Magazine by Africa Innovation Network
africinno@gmail.com
AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK

@africinno

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African Cities Magazine by Africa Innovation Network

AFRICAN CITIES MAGAZINE

URBAN PLANNING INNOVATION

ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION

AFRICA’S ARCHITECTURE AND URBAN HERITAGE

CITIES PIXELS AND COLORS

P.63 CITIES PIXELS AND

AFRICA INNOVATION NETWORK

Rond-point Vogt Yaounde - Cameroon Photo by Leandry JIEUTSA

URBAN PLANNING INNOVATION

URBAN PLANNING INNOVATION COVID-19 AND AFRICAN CITIES

A decrease of with the delivery of essential provisions

" 3.2% of the GDP

COVID-19 AND AFRICAN CITIES limit.

Faced with this, measures have been

URBAN PLANNING INNOVATION

NEW GENERATION OF URBAN

Aware of this state of affairs, the

THE NEW CITY he conclusion is clear!

OF DIAMNIADIO- areas, Senegal has one of the

SENEGAL in sub-Saharan Africa (40%). In this

" urban pressure is mainly experienced in

BLAISE DIAGNE Airport of Diamniadio Photo by lechotouristique

OF BENGUERIR IN which takes part in a long-term

MOROCCO It holds the big ambition of becoming

" UM6P: applied A mechanism that enables it to

Mohammed VI Polytechnic University Photo by Ricardo Bofill

senegal and materialization of this

seme n the Republic of Benin, strategically

• Programs and courses from leading

city-benin (Porto-Novo), and the economic

The site aims to attract students

Seed funding for start-up projects

INTERVIEW housing, etc. Our cities should meet

ROMARICK ATOKE resilience and smart, which can be tools

must not only refer to technology.

spirit of sharing. Because with the

I keep a fairly optimistic vision of

What would your advice be for the

The main advice I can give to this

FOR RESILIENT and landslides. This additional pressure

CAMEROON Another consequence of this rural

Cameroon like many other African

capital investment costs generally form

" Anarchic urban

ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION

ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE

Beauty and cultural heritage Photo by Perkins+Will

ACCRA REGIONAL urban fabric of North Ridge

HOSPITAL-GHANA It is the result of the transformation of a

WALL OF all of Knowledge is

KNOWLEDGE EL Mounir Benchekroun

JADIDA-MOROCCO in the city of El Jadida located 100

organized by the Office cherifien des

CHIRURGICAL bears the signature of Kliment

MOUNT SINAI had never before designed a health care

KYABIRWA New York, who wanted a new approach

ARCHITECTURE AND INNOVATION

Construction of first wall in Kibera by startsomowhere Photo by Startsomowhere

CAMEROON sustainable solutions