To assist reduce Dakar’s overpopulation, Senegal is constructing a $2 billion futuristic metropolis
A new development promises to alleviate some of this pressure. After securing approval in 2013, developers are set to finish construction of Diamniadio, a $2 billion futuristic city less than 20 miles outside Dakar, by 2035. At the end of last year, the minister in charge of the project, Cheikh Kanté, said it was around 80% complete.
A new development promises to alleviate some of this pressure. After securing approval in 2013, developers are set to finish construction of Diamniadio, a $2 billion futuristic city less than 20 miles outside Dakar, by 2035. At the end of last year, the minister in charge of the project, Cheikh Kanté, said it was around 80% complete.
When finished, Diamniadio will span 4,000 acres and feature an industrial park, state ministries entertainment facilities, and a university for around 30,000 students. The project will also provide a mix of luxury, middle-class, and affordable housing for around 350,000 residents.
In addition to reducing congestion, the development is part of a national strategy to promote economic growth. Although Senegal’s economy is growing at around 6% annually, its public debt has risen to nearly 61% of its GDP.
Critics of the project worry that the $2 billion price tag will sink the country even further into debt. They’re also skeptical of its motivation, with many drawing connections between the project’s timing and the reelection campaign of current president Macky Sall. Others fear that the development will be unaffordable for most Senegalese residents.
Despite these concerns, the city is a masterpiece in urban planning. One of its principal projects, the Diamniadio Lake City (DLC), combines contemporary, abstract architecture with an homage to the nation’s rich history and culture. Check out the design below.
The design of DLC was inspired by the Senegalese culture and landscape.
Its sharp curves and sloping lines mimic the amorphous patterns of algae in a nearby lake, as well as the silhouettes of traditional female sculptures.
Other materials used during construction include glass, steel, and concrete panels, which coalesce to form a shimmering mosaic of buildings. Although they can live for 2,500 years, baobabs have been victims of climate change and rising global temperatures. DLC works to combat these forces by installing green roofs and implementing renewable energy technology. It’s also one of the first LEED certified projects in the country. In addition to being very accessible for pedestrians and those who have a handicap, DLC is located just 15 minutes from the new international airport in the country Blaise Dianchi. Once finished, he will house his own station.
A project designed entirely in “BIM”
The Orange Côte d’Ivoire headquarters project was developed using a new working method: the “Building Information Management” or “BIM” system. This is a method implemented to organize the information of the work, projected in the form of a digital model.
With this system of full modelling of buildings, and usable throughout their life, the project of the headquarters of Orange Côte d’Ivoire has been delivered with its digital model. This model will be used during the operating phase to simplify the maintenance of the project by the client.
Earlier this year, DLC buildings were mistakenly used in promotional material for Akon’s Crypto City, a theoretical community modeled after the Black Panther metropolis.
The new city that Senegal dreams of creating 30 km from its capital. Estimated cost of financing: more than 1100 billion CFA francs!
The project is pharaonic. And embodies excess. A smart city built at 6,000 metres above the water, 30 km from Dakar, in the new urban centre of Diamniadio. This is the challenge taken up by Senegalese businessman Diène Marcel Diagne, CEO of SEMER Holding SA and developer of the imposing “Diamniadio Lake City”. The largest luxury real estate project ever conceived in West Africa, which challenges the Burg Tower in Dubai. A futuristic project on which work has already begun on the site.
The model presented at MIPIM revealed an elaborate and futuristic design. The residential areas, hotels, business district and excursion areas are planted with trees to seduce the audience. The emergence of this project should be fully accomplished by 2035, explained Diène Marcel Diagne, the vice-CEO of Semer Investissement Group. This company, which is in charge of the construction of the DLC, aims to relieve traffic congestion in Dakar.
An intelligent city
The integration of digital technology in the city is a lever for long-term economic development. More than half of the work is being carried out by Senegalese companies. This is a way for the government to develop the local economy.
A 26-hectare digital park is to be developed here. Three business towers with state-of-the-art infrastructure will be set up on this area. Data centres, a software development centre, call platforms, research centres, e-commerce services, a business incubator, training centres, a student accommodation building, etc., are all being built to attract national and multinational companies to an ecological system that is conducive to socio-economic and political development.
By 2025, 35,000 direct jobs and 105,000 indirect jobs will be generated by the park. At the same time, 200ha will be developed for green spaces and artificial lakes: this is the reflection of the eco-district concept.
To better organise the city, applications will be designed to make the daily life of the inhabitants more practical. It is with this in mind that the firm Seti, administrator of the blog Senegal Syndic and a property management company specialising in the management of co-owned buildings, has created a revolutionary application to revitalise property management in Senegal. The application, called Sama Copro (in Wolof, my co-ownership), is a tool designed to facilitate the relationship between the firm’s property managers and the residents of the buildings.
