FRANCE EMBASSY, Libreville‍

With BARTHELEMY GRINO ARCHITECTS, Paris, france
Competition, second place, 2014 - LIBREVILLE, GABON2016

Within a historic wooded site, along Libreville waterfront, The France Embassy has a brief that asked for a net-zero building that would have been able to respond to a high standard security level and an HQE international certification – an international HQE standard set up on four-level (environment management, Energy management, Health management, and comfort) – Equivalent to the US LEED gold.  

On the environmental level, the site holds rich biodiversity comprising species such as turtles, crabs, birds, and a diversity of endemic vegetation that have to be taken into account.

Energy and sunshade management with topography took a significant part in shaping a building that shields its interiors from excessive heat, allows cross-ventilation, and facilitates a double flux air conditioning system by harvesting cooler nightly air.

Other features include recycling rainwater for specific usage, producing energy through solar panels and vertically-axed wind turbines. The building implantation on the terrain minimized excavation and further soil erosion while replanting strategically to provide shade and using on-site materials such as laterite stones for retaining walls.

This project won a second-place within a roster of more than one hundred proposals.