Since the late nineteenth century, when French colonization began to creep across the landlocked, West African country of Niger, the capital city of Niamey has been segregated. The colonial masterplan, dating back to the late 1890s, utilized a geologic barrier—a valley that ends at the banks of the Niger River—to separate colonizers from the indigenous population; the “haves” from the “have nots.” Today, this historically disadvantaged area, called the Gounti Yena, is in the midst of a transformation, bolstered, in part, by a constellation of cultural projects planned for the valley.
One such project is the Niamey Cultural Center, designed by Mariam Kamara, founder of the Niger-based firm Atelier Masōmī. The architect developed the idea over the last two years, while participating in the prestigious Rolex Mentor and Protégé Arts Initiative, which paired her with David Adjaye. “I knew I wanted to address some fundamental issues that we have in African cities,” she told RECORD. “David thought it would be much more beneficial for me to work on my own project, which he could guide me through, rather than the more classical route of me coming to his office and working on a project there. It was an absolute gift.”
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