First Modular Airport in Senegal

In mid-July 2022, the first modular airport was opened in Saint-Louis in the north of Senegal. The Czech Embassy in Dakar ranked the construction as the biggest Czech achievement in sub-Saharan Africa since the 1960s.

The modular system was chosen mainly for the speed of construction and cost savings. The modules were 80% constructed in a production hall and then the individual modules were moved to Saint-Louis, more than 4500 km away, where they were assembled and the buildings were completed.

The stacked modules form six rows, between which there is an iron structure that supports the roof. Thanks to this system of construction, large open spaces were created – the main airport hall, where there are check-in, security and departure lounges, a departure hall, a baggage reclaim, and passport control areas. The airport area of 2700 m² consists of 111 modules. The hangar with an area of 738 m² consists of 31 modules. The buildings meet the fire safety requirements of NFPA standards and are equipped with a ventilation system and extinguishers with water mist. The windows are equipped with anti-solar filters.

The modules were transported from Vizovice to Senegal in three stages. First, they travelled by truck to Hamburg, then by boat to Dakar, and finally by truck to Saint-Louis. The preliminary construction lasted only two months – the building was completed in half a year – that is roughly four times faster than using traditional methods of construction.

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