Niamey Nyala Masterplan
Concept
2017 -
Niamey, Niger
~250,000 sqm
City of Niamey
Jeanne Autran-Edorh
Cloé Collet, Orsola Carraro, Andrea Maretto, Kinan Deeb
Niamey’s strategic position on the banks of the Niger River is responsible for its remarkably rich vegetation despite its location along the Sahelian belt. However, due to the unpredictable risk of flooding during the rainy season, the city has mainly developed by turning its back on the water.
The Niamey Nyala Masterplan puts forward a new vision, based on the premise of transforming the city by harnessing the hugely untapped potential of its riverbanks. The plan intends to create a network of public spaces along the Gounti Yéna (a tributary of the Niger River flowing through the city from south to north) and the Yantala Corniche on the left of the river, promoting Niamey’s biodiversity.
Along the Yantala Corniche, the existing tree nurseries and market gardens are reorganised to integrate recreational areas. Appropriate housing is planned along the riverside to slow the city’s expansion into the desert, as well as water transport to improve the connection between various points along the banks.
The promenade planned along the Gounti Yéna waterway is combined with a series of waste stabilisation ponds that filter the water through plants and sand. These ultimately flow into a large clear-water pond at the point where the tributary flows into the river.
At the heart of the masterplan, a pedestrian bridge connects the two main promenades and spans the ring road, offering Niamey’s citizens a new vantage point over their city and its river.
Niamey’s strategic position on the banks of the Niger River is responsible for its remarkably rich vegetation despite its location along the Sahelian belt. However, due to the unpredictable risk of flooding during the rainy season, the city has mainly developed by turning its back on the water.
The Niamey Nyala Masterplan puts forward a new vision, based on the premise of transforming the city by harnessing the hugely untapped potential of its riverbanks. The plan intends to create a network of public spaces along the Gounti Yéna (a tributary of the Niger River flowing through the city from south to north) and the Yantala Corniche on the left of the river, promoting Niamey’s biodiversity.
Along the Yantala Corniche, the existing tree nurseries and market gardens are reorganised to integrate recreational areas. Appropriate housing is planned along the riverside to slow the city’s expansion into the desert, as well as water transport to improve the connection between various points along the banks.
The promenade planned along the Gounti Yéna waterway is combined with a series of waste stabilisation ponds that filter the water through plants and sand. These ultimately flow into a large clear-water pond at the point where the tributary flows into the river.
At the heart of the masterplan, a pedestrian bridge connects the two main promenades and spans the ring road, offering Niamey’s citizens a new vantage point over their city and its river.
