The Goethe-Institut's new building in Dakar champions sustainable architecture, made from the earth. Star architect Francis Kere has blended local materials with contemporary design.
The Goethe-Institut has had a home in the Senegalese capital since the mid-1970s. Their new, sustainable building complex received backing from the United Nations.
Architect Francis Kere: Sustainability as a mindset Seven years ago, standing on a sandy plot of land, Francis Kere drew the first sketches in his notebook.
In 2022, the internationally renowned architect from Burkina Faso became the first Black person to win the Pritzker Prize . He's also been awarded Japan's Praemium Imperiale.
Airy design made from clay Clay was a very conscious choice of material, Francis Kere told DW: "I modified the properties of the clay to produce uniform bricks, creating a building with a modern look." It was a material he knew people would be familiar with. "That's so important: People really feel honored and taken seriously," says Kere.
Bioclimatic architecture in the heart of Dakar Construction has been managed by Dakar-based architecture firm Worofila, founded by Nzinga Mboup and Nicolas Rondet. They've specialized in bioclimatic architecture, an approach which relies on passive cooling, cross ventilation and the use of local materials.
Dakar is one of Africa's fastest-growing metropolitan areas. With that growth come challenges: housing shortages, rising temperatures and rising CO₂ emissions from concrete buildings, often combined with energy-intensive air conditioning systems.
Following years of construction, the cultural institute is set to open in Dakar on April 18, 2026. The Goethe-Institut Senegal also oversees activities in The Gambia, Cape Verde and Guinnea-Bissau.
This article was originally written in German.
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