Discover Dakar-based Worofila’s hyper-local, sustainable structure strategy

Studio Worofila was first born as a collective in 2017 – 5 architects and engineers joined forces in Dakar, united by a contest entry and aiming to construct a standard strategy and make tasks work that may assist outline a brand new structure for town, and nation. The group advanced over time and by 2019, simply two of the unique founders remained – Nzinga Mboup and Nicolas Rondet, who established the structure studio in its present kind. Named merely after the road the place their observe is positioned, within the historic neighbourhood of Fann-Hock, Worofila is now an eight-strong observe that thrives in its multidisciplinary and hyper-local strategy. ‘The purpose of our studio is to work with native supplies, local weather and expertise,’ explains Rondet. ‘Our identify, impressed by our location, displays that. It is usually a avenue in a beautiful, outdated, preserved a part of Dakar and we really feel with this identify we additionally spotlight our approval for this urbanistically stunning space.’

Worofila: prioritising locality and sustainability

The pair observe and construct, but in addition spend a whole lot of time on extracurricular actions – curating, instructing, and collaborating in analysis. Research of Dakar housing (the latest is entitled Habiter Dakar) and their metropolis generally are excessive on the agenda. It quickly turns into obvious that there’s a widespread thread that runs on the core of every thing they do. ‘It’s all about locality – we’re native and likewise wish to be eco-sensitive,’ says Mboup. ‘We at all times attempt to localise every thing we do. For us that is essentially the most sustainable approach to suppose and do issues. We’re not politicians or activists, however there is part of it that may be political, it’s about the way you develop your personal sovereignty and your personal nation. It’s about working with what and who and the information that’s already there in a sure place. On the identical time it’s not in regards to the previous and sticking to it, now we have an understanding of what was executed and the way it’s executed, and we wish to take it to the long run. The creativity is within the adaptation.’ 

Previous and present works embody single household villas (they’re significantly excited a few four-storey residence that’s at the moment in development in Dakar), to public facilities and infrastructure (‘We’re engaged on a prototype that we hope will assist unfold the phrase that thoughtful, eco-focused structure isn’t just for the rich – it’s for everybody, and it’s achievable and inside attain for all’). There’s additionally the renovation of the courtyard and artwork gallery for the French Institute in Dakar within the works. 

Sustainable structure is one other key factor on the coronary heart of the studio’s design strategy, intrinsically linked to their tackle localisation. ‘We at all times attempt to discover an curiosity in each venture and discover the sting between testing and feasibility,’ Rondet says. They work lots with CSEB (Compressed and Stabilised Earth Blocks), pure cooling and air flow, vegetation, seasonal winds and the course of the solar all through the day for his or her options. ‘But it surely’s essential to do not forget that with our strategy there isn’t any one formulation that matches all, it must be knowledgeable by the context,’ Mboup stresses.

As to what they really feel is likely to be lacking from right now’s structure? ‘Vital regionalism,’ says Mboup. ‘The power to develop cities, buildings, areas, which might be actually actually contextual and replicate the historical past, the useful resource, the cultural heritage, the folks, the fabric, the know-how and the craftsmanship that now we have to our disposal in every place. There’s nonetheless a giant opening to have a neighborhood, contextual Senegalese structure that may enable us to be sustainable and empower the native financial system.’   

West African studios: the collection