African Cities Magazine 6
31 octobre 2025
Our cities are areas of high human, social, and cultural intensity. They are hubs of complex urban dynamics, marked by a diversity of uses, a plurality of actors, and a wealth of spatial forms. Rather than being mere abstractions or static entities, they are dynamic, living spaces that are integral to the daily experiences of their inhabitants. The application of so-called modern, uniform urban planning approaches often overlooks the unique local logic, expertise, and customs that deeply influence these urban environments.
Reconciling forms, functions, and uses. This, according to our philosophy, is the true battleground of today’s cities in Africa. Indeed, turning cities into engines of sustainable growth begins first and foremost with reconciling with ourselves, with our ways of living, moving, and using space.
This reconciliation requires rethinking city making through endogenous approaches, rooted in lived experiences, daily practices, and local imaginaries. It calls for the design of tools, methods, and policies that reflect realities on the ground rather than imposing disconnected models.
In this mindset, the sixth edition of African Cities Magazine is devoted to examining public spaces. Through reflections, analyses, testimonies, and case studies from various cities across the continent, the special feature of this issue explores how public spaces can become engines of urban transformation, social cohesion, and collective identity.
As always, African Cities Magazine aims to disseminate and inspire, but above all, it stands as a call to build our cities through endogenous approaches.
A big thank you to all our authors and the editorial team consisting of Franck Heudjeu, Alice Jaouen, Franklin Yemeli, and Joel Mukalay.
Enjoy reading, and see you next year for a new edition.
Leandry Jieutsa, Founder and managing director of Africa Innovation Network
Special feature: Public spaces in Africa
The special feature of this edition captures the vibrant diversity and everyday life of African public spaces, where movement, culture, and community converge. It symbolizes the living fabric of the continent’s cities: from the busy streets of Douala and the green corridors of Bukavu, to the inclusive design experiments of Antananarivo and the waterfront spaces of Kribi. Through this image, the issue celebrates public spaces as laboratories of innovation, resilience, and social connection as well as arenas where citizens reshape their cities from the ground up, blending tradition, creativity, and collective imagination to define Africa’s urban future.
Urban Planning Innovation
The Urban Planning Innovation section highlights forward-thinking initiatives reshaping African cities through technology, collaboration, and inclusive governance. From Douala’s efforts to rethink social engineering in the age of artificial intelligence and climate change to the Africapolis 2050 projections guiding the continent’s urban expansion, these articles explore how innovation can address complex urban challenges. Featuring insights on mobility along Douala’s Wouri Riverbank, digital transformation in Rundu’s water management, and participatory governance in Cameroon, this section also revisits Zaria’s post-colonial urban trajectory, revealing how planning legacies and new tools intersect to build more equitable, sustainable, and adaptive cities.
Interview with Omar Degan the curator of this inaugural edition and the founder of the Pan African Biennale as organization
Africa has always been the center of life, of resources, of knowledge. This Biennale is about reclaiming that center. It’s about shifting the architectural discourse from one imposed on Africa to one authored by Africa.
Architecture Innovation
This section celebrates the creative and cultural resurgence shaping contemporary African design. Through reflections on the Symposium of African Architects, this section explores visions for sustainable and context-driven urban futures. It also presents practical innovations, from semi-durable shelters for displaced populations and multi-use infrastructures in Yaoundé’s markets, to the revival of traditional gathering spaces. Closing with a focus on African architecture and urban heritage, it showcases initiatives like Amu Fakhri Yangu – Kawanda la Ustawi, where heritage conservation becomes a catalyst for community engagement and inclusive urban renewal.
