Alioune Diop University - Afrikan Heroes

Senegalese University Wins Special Award in Architecture

October 1, 2019

The Aga KHAN Architecture award has been won by Alioune Diop University in Bambey, Senegal for producing five Laureates of the 2019 awards from its teaching and research department and setting a new standard of excellence in architecture. The University had as presentation, a design of the architecture of a building with bioclimatic design, due to the unique environmental resources. A large double-roofed canopy and a mesh have been installed to prevent direct sunlight and allow air to circulate through it. The judges noted that this was highly innovative in line with what the Award hopes to achieve by getting students and faculties to think outside the box.

New lecture room block at the university comprises a 500-seat amphitheatre, classrooms for 50 or 100 students, laboratories and technology rooms, and offices for lecturers in the faculty of applied sciences and ICT. The building is a simple construction of concrete blocks cast on site, covered with mortar and steel latticework. It has a large double roof and a great lattice covering the south facade, which avoids direct solar radiation but remains permeable to air. To solve the lack of sewers and water supply issues, the architects incorporated infiltration rafts with vegetation that collect rainwater, and waste water is purified through an ecologically-sound system that uses activated sludge.

Speaking on the Award, the Director of Environment and Security at Alione Diop University Sidy Camara said that they looked at an intelligent building that allows them to be self-sufficient in energy, which is a good thing in the countries due to the high cost of energy. Continuing, he said that water and acidity management was very important in the design that was why the building was designed such that the water from the building is recovered in the filtered basins, which makes it possible to water the plants, while even the water from the air conditioning is recovered in the basins, which is a major innovation.

The university which was founded in 2007, was part of the Senegalese government’s efforts to decentralize education and encourage young people to stay in rural areas, the university opened its doors in 2012 growing in staff and adapting to the climate change in Bambey. In addition to its unprecedented structural aspect, its research helps to slow migration to urban areas. The Director of the University Alione Diop speaking about the innovations the university adopted in constructing its buildings said that “most students often complete their studies in Dakar, but now they have the opportunity to do so locally, as you said, in a building that has temperature control”.

According to the Chief of Cabinet at the Senegalese Ministry of Education, Ibrahim Wone “this victory can have a great impact in Senegal and Africa because the building was created by the environment – by taking the temperature of certain local realities, etc. – it is a great one that can have a great impact on Senegal and Africa and can be replicated everywhere”, adding that this victory can have a great impact in Senegal.

The prestigious Agha Khan Award for Architecture award is given once every three years and it comes with a prize of one million US dollars.

Kelechi Deca

Kelechi Deca has over two decades of media experience, he has traveled to over 77 countries reporting on multilateral development institutions, international business, trade, travels, culture, and diplomacy. He is also a petrol head with in-depth knowledge of automobiles and the auto industry.