African Modernism Revisited examines the way 'monumental' buildings of quality from the 1970s can survive and become meaningful again for the tropical city of Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, which is changing at a furious pace with a fragile collective memory on board. Tanzania's occupation by German and English colonists left Dar es Salaam with three ethnic zones. The African, South Asian and European areas were strictly separate until Tanzania attained independence in 1961. The first president, the socialist Julius Nyerere, called for buildings that stimulate self-sufficiency such as new schools, churches and social housing blocks. A small group of architects worked intensively with Nyerere to give shape to his idealistic plans, spawning an assortment of modernist buildings scattered across the city centre. Three such buildings stand at places where the racial segregation is felt the strongest. Our design focuses on improving the relationship between these high-quality socialist buildings and their immediate surroundings. It uses individual interventions to make a start on tearing down barriers and enhancing the quality of life in the streets. The Nyerere buildings are to become the vital part of the city they were originally meant to be.

The First (1961 & 1999)
The first high rise, a unique renovation project and the paradoxical symbol of Tanzania's colonial, post-colonial and capitalist past and present. In 2007, our design adds new public space to the central business axis, bringing new facilities and a richer nightlife to this relatively well-off part of town. This strengthens the ambience of the area and improves conditions for international investments.

The National Library (1967 & 1998)
The inspiration for the proposed changes to the turbulent, dynamic context round the National Library stems from the original library design. Key themes are climate control and interaction, both contextually and in the proposal to enlarge the building. This is the next step in developing the National Library as an important information provider for the city, a step taken with great respect for the original design. The new library square opens up the area and makes visiting the library a more inviting prospect.

The Cooperative Building (1966)
This building housing the Tanzanian Federation of Cooperatives stands in the Open Space or Mnazi Mmoja. This is a border zone but it has the makings of an oasis of calm in the hectic Kariakoo area. The scheme breaks open the hermetic zone, transforming it into a park and a gateway to Kariakoo. We have added a large plaza running beneath the building, in the spirit of the original design by architect Beda Amuli. The plaza enhances the building and has its own visual identity in the auditorium which engages in dialogue with the memorials in the border zone. An air of comfort prevails. The design gives physical form to a cooperative community in the 21st century.

Place of education: TU Eindhoven | Specialization: architecture | Tutors: Jos Bosman, Bruno De Meulder, Sjef van Hoof