Saturday, October 10, 2009

Lekki Foreshore. Regeneration of Lekki waterfront












New design proposal for the regeneration of Lekki waterfront

The proposal, currently with the Lagos Council, is an energy and resource efficient 'mini eco-city', covering 59.61 hectares. 270 houses, some 1800 apartments, all supporting facilities and a marina are laid in accordance with a site specific urban and environmental code, with Central Park as its backbone.

The proposal takes an already reclaimed patch of land on the Lagoon and expands it in the direction of the prevailing winds, in the process creating elongated shorelines. For the first time it puts to use the most significant natural asset of Lagos; the Lagoon, as both its physical attraction as well as water based transport opportunity. The Lagoon will also be used for cooling through the use of reversible heat pumps.

The project’s key drivers were to model a development that is sustainable socially, environmentally and economically, that would incorporate mixed uses with active frontages, landmarks, vistas and focal points. The brief specified that the design should exhibit an alignment with the forces of nature, which was responded to by the inclusion of extensive planting and creation of bioactive land as part of infrastructure works.

Benefits of the proposal include the creation of recognisable places and legible connections, as well as coherent neighbourhoods with a local character of distinction. The architects have also incorporated fail-proof delivery strategies and mechanisms, with a view to the long term maintenance and protection of these principals and management of investment.

Studio Bednarski's larger infrastructure project also includes a 10.5 km long bridge with eight road lanes, two cycle lanes and a monorail, potentially connecting up to the new airport planned in Lekki. The bridge has been conceived as a symbolic structure; a green avenue snaking along the Lagoon with a row of palm tress along its whole length.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Money wey dem suppose use to invest heavily in Education, Power and healthcare na wetin they wan use do Waterfront.

What is wrong with we Africans, always putting the horse before the carriage, HAVEN'T WE LEARNT FROM DUBAI?

Invest in people (human capital) and not edifices. That's how a society can be sucessful: it has to get the best of its citizen's potential and not building skyscrapers and hoping that foreigners would become drivers of your economy.

What a useless country.

Anonymous said...

@ Anonymous
And why can't we do BOTH?

This is a PRIVATE venture, and frankly it should not be mutually-exclusive for the private sector to invest in projects like these while the govt invests (or leads the investment) in education, power and healthcare.

happy lagosian said...

1st Anonymous-

I see where you're coming from and I appreciate your concern.

Like 2nd Anonymous said, these projects are privately funded.

It's the Governors job so seek and encourage local and foreign investments and I honestly think he's doing a great job. These investments creates badly needed jobs, stimulate the state's economy, develop and modernize the state's physical environment.

We do need foreigners to assist and contribute, we can't do it alone.

In terms of the state's main fiduciaries like infrastructural development, we can not close our eyes and ignore the state's efforts across the board and this blog highlights the state's pains and positive transformation.

Just 2 years ago, Lagos state was at the edge of abyss and total breakdown, thankfully, it was pulled back.

Anonymous said...

All i am saying is that basic things like constant electricity should be priority, NOT BUILDING WATERFRONTS.

Anonymous said...

This first and the last comments are crap...how come people always complain about Fashola's developmental projects which are not even funded by his govt? Why must we always talk about electricity as if Fashola alone can generate it? For God sake, electricity is a Federal Govt stuff and no State Govt can provide it...please leave Fashola alone and let him provide what he can to improve Lagos as well as the people. Period!

Seun said...

As everyone has said concerning Anonymous 1, this is a private project and is not state funded. Fashola can't tell a company who want's to put their money in real estate to go and invest in power or education instead. On the bright side, this will create jobs and improve the quality of living of the emerging Middle Class in Lagos State. I think we should laun Fashola's government for attracting this kind of investment. And thanks to the Blogger for this blog. It has sure opened my eyes to see things I can't from far away here in the US.