L’Assemblee Radieuse
A major assembly hall for the African Union’s biannual meeting of heads-of-state, situated in Libreville, Gabon, the Assemblée Radieuse makes use of Gabon’s vibrant ecology to represent the country. The vast program of conference, assembly, and dining facilities is organized around three carved courtyards, each representing one of Gabon’s rich and diverse ecosystems. Connecting all three, a semi-enclosed, shaded “philosopher’s path” provides flexible and informal spaces for walking, thinking, and discussing the urgent matters of the day.
WORKac’s competition-winning design integrates numerous active and passive sustainable strategies in order to target the LEED Gold standard. Louvers made of African limestone wrap the structure and shade the entire building. The courtyards allow for natural ventilation, cooling, and smoke exhaust. The canted roof is designed to collect rainwater into a graceful courtyard waterfall, which feeds into a building-wide water recycling system.
