Artisans Valley is a new public space for Niamey set within the Gounti Yenna valley. It is a whimsical  promenade that incorporates spaces for local artisans to show off their traditional fabrication processes, while increasing their economic prospects. Rather than being tucked away in areas where only tourists go, the project is an opportunity for artisans to have more visibility in a space where all people in the city can celebrate their work. 

The project is conceptualized as a large-scale permanent installation in the middle of the city. It consists of a series of seemingly fragile shells inspired by Niger’s rural cylindrical clay granary clusters. The promenade is peppered with semi-circular perforated shells made of local Compressed Earth Bricks (CEBs) that house artisan boutiques and workshops, shelter play-spaces for children, or envelop an outdoor amphitheater that brings additional life to the site especially at night. The site is thus activated by day through the artisans, play and rest spaces and illuminated at night to welcome food vendors and city dwellers looking for some casual entertainment and socializing. The area, which is currently abandoned, unlit and considered dangerous, will become one of the safest public spaces in the city, allowing one to casually drop in on a movie screening or hang out with friends for nocturnal picnics - which are a staple of the local culture due to the desert heat during the day.