SEME-BIOSE: Beyond resilience
Climate change and population explosion are two major problems of our beautiful planet today. However, Africa will account for much of the exponential population growth to come and will host about a quarter of the world’s population in 2050.
Global Design & Architecture Design Awards 2019 First Award | Category: Landscape Design (Concept)
Architect: Maktub
Team: Franklin Hermann Sokning Yemeli, Mesmer Ndienang Dapabko Country: Cameroon
In addition, with 46% of its population living in extreme poverty, a fraction of 38 coastal states out of 54 countries, and the sea swallowing in some areas more than 10 meters per year, the situation is all the more intriguing. It is even more so, given the situation of the populations of these areas, who derive their income mainly from the sea. In recent years, this has become such an emergency that crossing the Mediterranean by canoe becomes an option. Faced with this situation, we see the need for action.
SEME-BIOSE is a pilot project where we propose an alternative based on a “land-sea” approach. It is a question of being part of a protection framework that integrates coastal development through a set of strategies both on land (dunes, …) and in water (reefs, …) that will reduce wave action, prevent erosion, generally rebuild the coast and promote the blue economy. The project aims to build the economic, social and ecological resilience of the populations of the Senegalese coast. The different interventions are organized in five strata: The demolition of the ruins and dangerous buildings near the waterfront will free up the beach and reduce the pressure on it. Eco-domains made of local materials make it possible to resettle displaced populations inland on hollow teeth.
The use of windbreaks makes it possible to naturally restore the dune cordon on the backshore and create a resilient park. The creation of coral reefs and the restoration of mangroves promote biodiversitydevelopment, wave attenuation and optimize sediment deposition in deltas. The creation of artificial islands makes it possible to break swells and prevent sand from leaving the coastal system while developing economic and social activities. An extension offshore, through a floating architecture aims to optimize activities related to the blue economy while respecting the environment. So, as the sea advances, we emerge. Life with the sea ceases to be a battle, and becomes a symbiosis.
The origin of the title comes from a deep desire to launch an appeal! Not just a call to action, but above all a call to conscience because sowing is an investment for ourselves and for others. We want to sow values in the hearts of men that will make them responsible and virtuous citizens. This title also evokes the symbiosis that we put forward in our project, between blue and green, between land and sea, but above all between man and nature.
Briefly, the project can be summarized as follows : SEME to designate awareness, investment, action to anticipate the future and BIOSE for Biodiversity, Integrity, Order, Synthesis, Emergence are the qualifiers that best define the project; hence the title “SEME-BIOSE“.
