The EcoLodge project aims not only to be an accommodation facility but also part of a true social sharing center within the broader project initiated for many years.
The project is by Architects Edoardo Pusterla and Giacomo Reguzzi, the result of their architectural thesis at the Polytechnic University of Milan.
The main challenge was to use traditional materials and local construction techniques to create a modern and iconic architecture. For example, following the example of existing structures on the ranch, the roof will be made of “tifa,” an invasive plant causing eutrophication processes in the Senegal River. Its use achieves the dual goal of freeing the river and ensuring a cooler climate inside the dwellings.
The structure is designed to adapt to the context both compositionally and climatically, reinterpreting various spatial and constructive typologies inherent in local traditional architecture. The construction of the structure is currently in the initial phase.
“”Culture is the very possibility of creating, renewing, and sharing values, the breath that enhances the vitality of Humanity.” African Proverb
In a comprehensive development project like AFRIKA MANDELA RANCH (economic, educational, healthcare, and cultural), culture is an essential element.
After centuries of colonization, it is crucial for Africa to reclaim its history, with figures such as Cheikh Anta Diop, Aura Abla Pokou, Joseph Ki Zerbo, or Wole Soyinka (Nobel Prize in Literature 1986), among many others, being known.
Culture must be accessible to everyone, especially in rural areas and villages where more than half of the population resides.
The Universal Culture Center is a venue for permanent exhibitions that can host displays on specific themes, artistic expression workshops, literary and digital labs, concerts, and performances. Open to diverse world cultures, the center aims to house a library, a cinema, and a theater.
It comprises 8 houses of different shapes and sizes, collectively representing a cross of Agadez, a symbol of the southern star that guides every being on its path. The construction project of the Universal Culture Center is accompanied by the realization of an EcoLodge and a Case Impluvium for refreshment.
