Second place in the Competition for the Reconstruction of the Conference Center for the 23rd African Union States Summit.
Given that Gabon is now an emerging nation, positioned as a key player in Africa’s economic and political restructuring, we envisioned the need to create an architectural identity that reflects the country’s current moment.
We propose to envelop the existing building with a translucent circular skin made of ultra-high-strength concrete panels, a material capable of thermally protecting the structure from the region’s dominant heat. The new building can perfectly accommodate the desired program while also providing a new image for the Center: a perfect cylinder, lifted from the ground, and almost diaphanous due to its irregular perforations. While the hexagonal shape of the building is almost imperceptible in its current state, this form will be revealed in contrast to the new circular perimeter, in the interior spaces of the future Center. It is a simple operation that unveils the hidden virtues of the existing structure, adding lightness to it. In this way, the Conference Center will truly gain the dignity of a “palace”—a term that has defined it from its original French name.
However, this new envelope does not imply greater obstruction to the surroundings. The skin will be perforated, and the new roofing will merely shade the environment while allowing the entry of air and rain, thus creating a desired permeability between the building’s interior and exterior spaces. A second glass roof, internal and curved, is proposed to protect the central hall of the complex, without obstructing the visual perception of the rest of the structure or the atmospheric events occurring within it.
By cutting and removing a segment of the existing hexagon, we were able to accommodate an excellent auditorium with 1,000 seats, capable of being divided by an insulating curtain into two independent auditoriums with 500 seats each, without compromising the spatial solution. With this, the core of the building is entirely dedicated to reception, welcoming, and distribution functions (lobby), covered by the glass dome and connected to the foyers of the auditorium and coffee areas. On the lower floor, it is used as an exhibition space and ballroom, connecting to the main access level. The lobby floor slab, which also serves as the roof of the ballroom, is made with a triangular wooden framework, featuring glass openings that allow light to pass through to the lower floor.
The entire circulation system is set up from the expansion area of the building, creating three clearly identifiable towers at the ends of the interspersed hexagons, connected to the old building by bridges. Technical, public, and VIP access are conveniently separated, functioning independently.
Cylindrical and ethereal, the new Conference Palace will symbolize the gathering of African peoples around the principles of freedom, tolerance, and democratic-sustainable development.
By cutting and removing a segment of the existing hexagon, we were able to accommodate an excellent auditorium with 1,000 seats, which can be divided by an insulating curtain into two independent auditoriums with 500 seats each, without compromising the spatial solution. As a result, the core of the building is entirely dedicated to reception, welcoming, and distribution functions (lobby), covered by a glass dome and connected to the auditorium foyers and coffee areas. On the lower floor, it is used as an exhibition space and ballroom, connecting to the main access level. The lobby floor slab, which also serves as the ballroom roof, is made with a triangular wooden framework, featuring glass slits that allow light to pass through to the lower floor.
The entire circulation system is designed from the building’s expansion area, creating three clearly identifiable towers at the ends of the interspersed hexagons, connected to the old building via bridges. Technical, public, and VIP access are conveniently separated, operating independently.
Cylindrical and ethereal, the new Conference Palace will symbolize the gathering of African peoples around the principles of freedom, tolerance, and democratic-sustainable development.
Technical Information
Client: African Union
Project date: June 2012
Total built area: 18,971.00 m²
Architecture project: Metro Arquitetos Associados: Gustavo Cedroni, Martin Corullon; PPMS Arquitetos Associados: Pedro Paulo de Melo Saraiva, Pedro de Melo Saraiva, Fernando de Magalhães Mendonça; SIAA Arquitetos Associados: Cesar Shundi Iwamizu
Collaborators:
Metro: Marina Ioshii, Filipe Barrocas, Marcelo E. M. Macedo, Luis Tavares, Francisca Lopes, Rafael de Sousa Silva, Bruno Jin Young Kim, Felipe Fuchs
PPMS: Paula Hori
SIAA: Alex Lima de Holanda, Andrei Barbosa, Bruno Salvador, Dulci Cipriano, Marcio Tanaka, Rafael Goffinet, Rafael Carvalho
EKF: Evani Kuperman Franco, Mauricio Soares Alito, Robson Rodrigues de Camargo
Zoo concept: Liliane Milanelo
Golf concept: Roberto Ferrari
Structure: Kurkdjian & Fruchtengarten Engenheiros Associados: Eng. Jorge Zaven Kurkdjian
Foundation: MG&A – Eng. Mauri Gotlieb
MEP – HVAC: LMSA Engenharia de Edifícios S.A.
Project coordination: Luís Elvas / João Brás
Electrical: Marcelino Lopes
Communications: Paulo Teixeira
Security design: Catarina Neves
Plumbing: Márcio Pereira
Lighting: Luis Elvas
Construction system coordination: Valter Campos
Acoustics: Odete Domingos
Sustainability: João Pedro Santos / Miguel Coutinho
Architectural descriptive report: Guilherme Wisnik
Photographer: Alessandro Kusuki
Cost estimate: Eng. Decio Fleury Silveira