CULTURAL AND TOURISTIC COMPLEX ON THE BANKS OF NIGER RIVER, NIAMEY

Project idea

A vast country in West Africa, Niger is the link that connects North Africa to Sub-Saharan Africa. This strategic position makes it a melting pot of extraordinary ethnic and cultural diversity. Niger's cultural heritage is universally recognized throughout the world as evidenced by the inscription of several of them on the UNESCO World Heritage List. This important cultural potential could be a factor of development in tourism, because it and tourism have a mutually beneficial relationship that is likely to strengthen the attractiveness and competitiveness of places, regions and even the country. Tourism is a powerful vector for enhancing the value of culture and bringing in foreign currency that contributes to maintaining and developing cultural heritage, cultural production and creativity. Unfortunately, a worrying fact is that over the last few decades we have witnessed a progressive disinterest of the population in general and of the youth in particular in the national cultural life. By distancing itself from these values, it exposes itself to the risk of losing its way because it mortgages what distinguishes it from others and what allows it to exist and assert itself as a people. All of these problems, which are partly justified by the lack of adequate cultural infrastructure, require special attention from an architectural point of view.

Project description

The cultural and tourist complex is a multifunctional space with components as varied as they are efficient in a search for a balance between Nigerien culture and modernity. In line with the logic of sustainability, our project perfectly embodies the inseparable relationship reflected in the trilogy nature-culturearchitecture. True reflection of the local culture both in its form and its symbolism, it constitutes an important pole of cultural animation on the scale of the city of Niamey. Also, it gives it a visibility, attraction and notoriety essential to accelerate its urban development. The objective of our project was to propose a facility capable of enhancing and promoting the city of Niamey. the Nigerien culture in order to make it attractive for tourism. This led us to formulate an innovative and audacious architectural proposal with constructive solutions inspired by the Nigerien culture. The goal was to implement a project in perfect symbiosis with its socio-cultural, economic but also environmental context.

Technical information

• A building with Positive Energy: with a total surface of installation of photovoltaic panels of 10.000m2, we estimate the production of 1.625mWh. • 53% of the site's surface area is destined for the development of green spaces, which allows us to invite nature into the functioning of the project. • A mixed structure (steel, concrete) ensures stability and lightness to the project.• A dynamic ETFE facade regulates the solar gain and contributes to maintain the temperature around 20 degrees. • The use of BTC infill walls adapted to the local Sahelian climate.