FALOMO UNDER BRIDGE

At the bottom of Lagos Island lays a small area recognized as Falomo. A major bridge runs through Falomo and underneath it dwells a small community of people passing by and people there to rest for a while or simply wait for the city and the day to pass by. The Falomo under-bridge project aimed to regenerate a once dilapidated and discarded central part of the city and reopen an interactive communal space whilst providing architectural social infrastructure.

The new space, was informed by the natural existing program and the intersection between art in the public realm. The project was developed in collaboration with the artists Polly Alakija, who created the murals on the columns in homage to the Bring Back our Girls (276 Schoolgirls were abducted on April 14, 2014 by Boko Haram) organisation campaigners, who have met at the site every Saturday since 2014.

The design parameters focused on what people have naturally come there to do for years. Falomo is a transitional space, a point of arrival, departure but mostly a place to hide from the sun or wait for the day to pass. Our interventions looked to simply allow these activities to exists within a more considered context and to allow for new social interactions. In addition to providing new spaces for art, leisure and performance. We introduced pockets of greenery, seating and semi formalised spaces for newspaper, food and other vendors. The under-bridge aims sustain its culture as well as attract newcomers.
The architecture, uses concrete modules on waves of gabion mesh, punctuated by greenery and is beautifully lit every night.

‘..Lagos, this is your space to play in: sit, lean, stretch-out or gather here for cultural events, sport, performance and pop-ups or just to watch the 24-hr city go by…’

ClientDaraga Design/Lagos StateRoleArchitectural Design and ImplementationLocationFalomo, Lagos, NigeriaYear2017