WORKac: l’assemblee radieuse assembly hall in libreville, gabon

‘l’assemblée radieuse, assembly hall’ by WORKac, libreville, gabon image © WORKac

new york-based firm WORK architecture company has recently won the competition to design ‘l’assemblee radieuse,’ the new assembly hall for the 2014 summit of the african union in libreville, gabon. the circular footprint and dramatically sloping roof encompass the assembly, conference and dining facilities in three diverse courtyards that represent each of the country’s unique ecosystems. the canopy grows out of the hills of the ‘cité de la démocratie,’ the new diplomatic quarter that surrounds the site. a central 1000-seat auditorium can be split into two acoustically refined assembly spaces, buffered on the perimeter by a banquet hall, meeting rooms, and smaller auditoriums. a network of semi-enclosed ‘philosophers’ paths’ connect the courtyards while a promenade circulates larger numbers of visitors with informal meeting spots throughout the sequence of entry and exit. the project, like its host country, will boast an extensive and intelligent use of active and passive sustainable strategies. structural components from a previously existing conference center will be re-used to minimize the use of extra material. african limestone sun-shading louvers wrap the skin of the entire construct, also serving a distinct aestheti c purpose. each of the open-air courtyards provide points for ventilation and light catchment, while the roof collects rainwater, channeled into a waterfall before being recycled.

road leading to the entrance image © WORKac

courtyard with a unique ecosystem and waterfall from collected rainfall image © WORKac

louvers create the skin and shade the interior image © WORKac

auditorium image © WORKac

site plan image © WORKac

floor plan / level 0 image © WORKac

section image © WORKac

elevation image © WORKac

model image © WORKac

model image © WORKac