Tramway station – TAILOR MADE

The Ouargla Tramway in Algeria, inaugurated in 2018, was the first desert tram line in North Africa. With 9.6 km and 16 stations, it had to withstand extreme temperatures, abrasive sand and the constant strain of desert conditions. At the same time, it was conceived as an iconic, high-value project, combining modernity with cultural identity.

Long before the creation of Agora Makers, three companies unknowingly joined forces on this project. Metalco developed 32 tailor-made shelters, together with barriers, benches, litter bins and totems. A defining feature was the use of mashrabiya motifs, a traditional North African pattern. Reinterpreted in stainless steel and laser-cut with precision, these decorative elements were used across shelters, fences and totems, showing how modern design could preserve cultural identity while ensuring resilience. Benches were crafted in Canadian red cedar, imported specifically to meet the client’s request. GHM contributed the robust cast-iron poles for the overhead line, and Eclatec delivered the LED lighting systems for the stations and the line.

Ouargla was not a standard project but an emblematic example of bespoke excellence, where design had to address climatic, technical and cultural challenges at the same time.

It proved how these companies could combine industrial know-how, creativity and cultural sensitivity to create long-term added value. In many ways, it anticipated what Agora Makers would later become: a one-stop shop capable of delivering both catalogue solutions and bespoke, high-end projects for the most demanding contexts.