These shop modules can be brought together in different variations, according to
the site location, its relation with the road and the population it will serve. There
are two main systems made up of these shop modules: courtyard system and
alley-system. These two systems can be brought together in different variations
and with different square meters. They can also be used together with an open-air
market with textile sunscreens. The social life evolves in streets and outdoor areas
in Senegal; therefore the courtyards are also a gathering place for people for their
festivities and social lives.
The main design principle for these market settlements is to create an introverted
space since the market sites are indefinite which makes it hard to control the
boundaries, neighbouring sites and external factors both in terms of creating a
planned outdoor space and also to sustain security at night time. Settling around
a courtyard is also advantageous in terms of climate control; creating shadowy
outdoor areas and directed natural ventilation.
The design of the City market is quite modest based on economic and locally
used materials that can easily be manufactured all over the country. Moreover, if
preferred, the design can easily be enriched via different cladding materials and
grow in size to include supermarkets to be used in the urban regions of Dakar, the
capital of Senegal.
52 africandesignmagazine.com