Senegal is taking a big step towards further establishing itself as an architectural capital thanks to Francis Kéré’s design for the Goethe Institute that has officially broken ground in Dakar.

The 56-year-old architect was on hand Wednesday for a ceremony which included German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier and the Goethe Institute’s Carola Lentz.

Speaking at the ceremony, the architect mentioned the shared values that both he and the Institute share, stating that his climate-oriented approach to the project was met with an “open and sympathetic” response that encouraged him to “take things further” in a collaborative effort later outlined by Steinmeier. 

“I am optimistic that Africa and Europe can together face the great challenges of today,” the politician said. “I am convinced that we can learn a lot from each other. We need ideas and experiences from our two continents. The new Goethe Institute will be a shining example of exactly that.”

Construction will last until the end of next year, with the final product taking form as a compact two-story space education and public programming composed of local laterite brick and held up underneath an accessible rooftop by pillars that are meant to mimic the surrounding area’s canopy of trees. 

The project is likely to be an instant contender for several of the industry’s leading awards considering Kéré’s recent output of recent superlative designs that have provided similar examples of innovations in the use of select materials and cultural typologies. Lentz called a milestone on this difficult but necessary path to a more sustainable world.” Archinect will share additional project updates as they become available.