Aménagement de la lagune

Covering a surface of 20 hectares, the park is located on the northern bank of the equalizing canal, between the eastern and western lakes of the Lomé lagoon system in Togo. It occupies a central site, in-between the city center and the recently developed residential districts to the north. The planning of the urban park was based on the principle of blending the site’s natural and man-made features with the residents’ needs for an improved quality of life.

In order to offset the primary constraint of the site, a second canal was connected to the equalizing canal to eliminate any risk of flooding. In addition, this technical structure has provided a landscaping function by determining the park’s borders and triggering the high-quality urban development of the island space created with the first canal.

Theme parks have been used to create an incremental design of the site, interspersed with architectural follies that provide a wide array of functions (local art and commercial stands, fast food, public toilets, etc.). Each of these parks is crossed by three types of paths, inviting visitors to explore the place according to three themes: an urban path, a leisure path and an active path. The cultural park comprises a large stone-paved esplanade that can host events of all types, an administrative building, a multi-purpose pavilion and an amphitheater. The educational park accommodates a “green school”, devoted to educational and creative activities related to nature, biodiversity and recycling. The centerpiece of the leisure park is a restaurant, which may be extended to include a rope gliding course or a fairground area. The sports park includes three 100-meter athletics tracks, two volleyball courts, a basketball court, two soccer fields and ancillary operational facilities. Each park is easily accessible and connected to the city by means of a complete network of footbridges and pedestrian walkways.