Hikma religious and secular complex is a community node in Dandaji, Niger, juxtaposing a new mosque next to its predecessor, now retrofitted into a library. The two are linked by inclusive public spaces..
Hikma means ‘house of wisdom.’ The project – a 5,238m² cluster of programmes and spaces – seeks to promote literacy and social interaction.
The villagers had initially considered demolishing the old mosque and replacing it with a modern concrete structure. However, the architects, Mariam Kamara of Atelier Masōmī in collaboration with Yasaman Esmaili’s Studio Chahar, advocated for its restoration and reuse as a library.
Next to the repurposed building is the new mosque, accommodating 1,000 people. It has two prayer halls and two ablution spaces and is separated from the library by a landscaped plaza that is used as a playground and for community events.
To restore the old building, Kamara invited the original masons to join the project’s team, calling on their skills and know-how to complement some of the contemporary techniques being used.
That approach allowed local craftsmen to get familiar with adobe-enhancing additives and erosion protection. Reinforced concrete, cast in-situ, was favoured for walls to be rebuilt or repaired.
In place of wood – a traditional but scarce resource – metal was used to create partitions, stairs and a new mezzanine floor in the library.
The new mosque and its ancillary structures are made of compressed earth blocks (CEB), which consist of soil and a strengthening agent to form a composite that lessens maintenance and construction costs. For the main structure, raw clay is manually packed and moulded around wood dowels.
The exterior was plastered with a mix of clay, shea butter, sand and non-traditional laterite. Re-plastering, which otherwise would be required annually, is now limited to once every decade.
Most of the project materials were sourced within a 5 km radius of the site.
Natural ventilation, combined with the thermal mass of the CEBs, keeps indoor temperatures within the human comfort range passively, eliminating the need for mechanical cooling.
Extensive planting throughout the site further reduces the risk of overheating.
An underground tank captures the season downpours and a drip irrigation system limits the landscaping’s water requirements.
Hikma serves as a compelling model for arid climates, merging old and new methods to deliver cost-effective and low-impact solutions.
The project is also noteworthy for its spatial programming, creating opportunities for women and young people to engage in public life. This is an important takeaway for communities elsewhere who are similarly bound by conservative social norms.
The project won Holcim Awards Gold Middle East Africa in 2017 and the Global Holcim Award Silver the year after for its humanitarian design for an underdeveloped region with harsh climatic conditions.
Read more about the project on Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction website.
Post sponsored by the Holcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction
A Novel project is innovative in one or two ways, say, material use, passive design, community engagement, etc. Performance, here, might be discussed in quantitative or qualitative ways.
There is no performance metrics for this project.
Architects:
Mariam Kamara, Atelier Masomi, Niger
Yasaman Esmaili, Studio Chahar, Iran
Building Contractor:
Entreprise Salou Alpha et Fils
Engineering:
URBATEC
Metal Fabrication:
Atelier de Technologie Métallique
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