henning larsen: calabar international conference center in nigeria

copenhagen-based practice henning larsen architects has won the international design competition for the ‘calabar international conference center’, a new 16,000 m2 facility in southeastern nigeria. located across the cross river state bordering cameroun, the multi-functional building will host the rapidly growing region’s international conferences as well as offer the citizens a new cultural centre for concerts, festivals and exhibitions.

all images courtesy henning larsen architects

consisting of four sculptural volumes, a natural amphitheater is generated on one side, while offering panoramic views of the nearby river delta on the other. the design, which rests on a hill, includes a crisscrossing promenade through the site, encouraging a direct relationship between the building, the visitors, and the landscape. the meandering route also enriches the approach, shifting the form of the concrete volumes with the changing vantage point. built of local materials to minimize the carbon footprint, the building uses passive means to achieve a low energy consumption.