Dakar architect firm = essential for serious construction projects. Design + permits + site supervision = trio. Here's the 2026 guide.
TL;DR
- 100+ architects registered Senegal Order.
- Rates: 8-15% works budget for full mission.
- Top: Atelier Koffi, Studio K Mapha, Diamniadio Architects.
- Mandatory building permit >100m² or R+2.
Architect missions
- Design:
- Program + feasibility
- Sketches + plans
- 3D model
- Building permit
- Detailed design:
- Technical plans (concrete, electricity, plumbing)
- Thermal studies
- Detailed estimate
- Site supervision:
- Company coordination
- Quality control
- Certifications
- Works reception
- Specialties:
- Residential architecture
- Offices / commercial
- Hotels / tourism
- Industrial
- Heritage / restoration
2026 rates
- Full mission (% works budget):
- 8-12%: standard
- 12-18%: high-end / premium
- 6-10%: volume / building lots
One-off packages :
- Building permit only: 1-3M XOF villa
- Plans only: 800K-2M
- Feasibility study: 500K-1.5M
- Site supervision only: 5-10% works budget
- Example 200m² villa (80M XOF budget):
- 12% full mission: ~9.6M fees
Top Dakar firms
- Atelier Koffi (KOFFI Architect)
- Studio K Mapha
- Diamniadio Architects (D2A)
- Atelier 3 (Mamadou Sall)
- BUREAU CDA
- Cabinet Faye Architects
- Architect Cheikh BÉCAYE
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Building permit procedure
- Architect or design office plans
- Municipality deposit
- Environmental impact studies (if >1000m²)
- Technical services opinion
- Municipal council deliberation
- Permit issued
- Delay : 3-12 months per complexity
Documents :
- Land title
- Architectural plans
- Site + situation plan
- Quotes
- Soil study (sometimes)
Modern architect stack
- Portfolio + pro photos site : 4-10K€ Kolonell
- CAD software : Revit, ArchiCAD, AutoCAD
- 3D modeling: Lumion, V-Ray
- Project management : Procore, Buildertrend
- Virtual reality : Vision Pro / Quest
FAQ
Q: Building permit always mandatory?
A: >20m² new construction or structure modification. But Senegal formality less strict than France.
Q: Freelance architect vs firm?
A: Firm for big projects (multi-disciplines). Freelance for small.
Conclusion
2026 Dakar architect firm: 100+ pros. Full mission 8-18% budget. Top recognized firms. Mandatory structural building permit. Modern CAD + VR stack.
Mohamed Bah
Fondateur, Kolonell
Passionate about digital and entrepreneurship in Africa, Mohamed has been helping Sénégalese businesses with their digital transformation since 2020. Founder of Kolonell, he believes every SME deserves a professional and accessible online présence.
