
Coco Beach Cultural Pavilion
Location
Coco Beach, Msasani, Dar es Salaam
Year
2024
Category
Cultural Institution
Client
City of Dar es Salaam
Overview
An open-air cultural pavilion along Coco Beach designed to host exhibitions, evening markets, and public performances beneath a single sweeping shade canopy.
Design Philosophy
Coco Beach already belonged to the public before we arrived. The brief was to shelter that life, not redirect it — the canopy exists to extend the hours the beach can be used.
Gallery





Drawings & Floor Plans

Materials
- Perforated steel lattice canopy
- Board-formed concrete plinths
- Local coral limestone paving
- Reclaimed dhow timber accents
Construction Process
The canopy's cantilevered steel lattice was fabricated off-site in sections and assembled over the beach at night to avoid disrupting daytime public use.
Final Results
The pavilion now hosts weekly evening markets and has become one of the most-photographed public spaces on the Msasani peninsula.


