I am interested in working on a mixed use space that incorporates programming for retail, leisure, and light manufacturing. The site will be located in downtown Enugu, Nigeria, and should be easily accessible, both by people approaching on foot, and delivery vehicles. This will be an interesting challenge as road networks there are designed primarily for vehicles.
The focus for this project was inspired by my visit to the Enugu Shoprite Mall over the winter break. In addition to being a mall, it is also the main hangout spot for people of all ages. My interest in pedestrian access comes from observing the difficulty cars had in getting into the lot and finding places to park. Combined with knowledge that most people in the city are actually not car owners, this becomes a very important consideration. Currently I have in mind a dual strategy of adding small parking lots separated from the site and walkways that exhibit the state of the art for pedestrian thermal outdoor comfort. These could be used to inspire design of pedestrian streets in other parts of the city where they are sorely lacking.
Additionally, I want to focus on making a space that is climate conscious and uses natural materials where possible. There should be a sense of luxury that reflects the local landscape. My inspiration for this comes from a mall I visited in Hawaii. It had indoor and outdoor elements, but also offered protection from the rain. There was ample greenery within the mall, creating a truly unique shopping experience. The greenery also helped to regulate the temperature within the mall so it never felt too hot. The project will therefore showcase the beauty that can be achieved with natural materials, local talent, and speak to the biodiversity of the region.
I would also like to build the site as affordably as possible. Often, one finds that malls like Shoprite have rents that are too expensive for everyday retailers to afford, and only multinational companies can enter. The result is very expensive products that consumers in turn cannot afford. The mall then becomes a place to window shop, and real shopping is relegated to marketplaces. Therefore, a focus on affordability will be key. Inspiration then comes from prototypical West African markets. Below are a few pictures of said markets.
An example of a low cost plan with this typology using local materials comes from Mariam Kamara’s Regional Market in Dandaji, Niger. It features compressed earth blocks and concrete. There are also metal “umbrellas” that provide more permanent shade.
