Growing a City for 1,000,000 : Master Plan for the City between the Forest and the Ocean, Senegal

Much of the world is currently witnessing urbanization of a hitherto unprecedented pace and  scale.  While  the  phenomenon  of  urbanization  in  the  African  context  is  much discussed,  less  attention  has  been  paid  to  what  kind  of  built  environments  are  being produced.  In  many  cases,  the  pressure  to  build  entire  cities  very  rapidly  from  scratch has resulted in unethical developments, often by foreign contractors, resulting in places without proper provisions for basic infrastructure such as water, sanitation, or electricity, and  built  without  involving  the  local  communities  or  proper  consideration  of  the  local context. Greater  Dakar,  the  capital  of  Senegal  in  West  Africa,  is  facing  a  boom  in  its  urban population.  This  project  investigates  strategies  to  “grow”  a  new  city  for  up  to  1  million inhabitants,  based  on  five  design  principles:  the  City  for  Everyone;  the  City  of Sustainable Mobility; the 5-Minute City; the Blue, Green and Healthy City; and the City of Distinct Identity.  The  central  research  question  that  is  being  addressed  by  design  is  how  a  very  large city can function in a highly sustainable manner, from ecological, social and economic perspectives.  This  includes  the  question  of  how  such  new  settlements  can  grow  and mature  in  a  controlled  way,  while  also  maintaining  and  developing  its  own  distinct identity,  and  how  a  new  settlement  for  a  population  of  1  million  can  be  provided with water.