ABIDJAN'S EXHIBITION CENTER: COTE D'IVOIRE'S NEW VENUE

A BUSINESS & CULTURE HUB FOR THE REGION

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Inaugurated with great fanfare in July 2023 with a show, an art exhibition, and three-day activities, the brand new Exhibition Center of Abidjan aims to be the business events hub of the Ivorian Capital and beyond. This new building adds to the list of modern constructions shaping the landscape of the city, from stadiums to offices, bridges to accommodations. Located in the municipality of Port-Bouët, the complex led by Pierre Fakhoury is one of the highlights of the architect with more than three decades of career.

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THE WORK OF A GRAND BUILDER

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The building is the latest project of Pierre Fakhoury, the grand builder of Côte d'Ivoire. Ambitious and visionary, he collaborated with successive Presidents of all political stripes, from Houphouët to Henri Konan Bédié, Laurent Gbagbo, and Alassane Ouattara, with his creation marking Côte d'Ivoire's history.

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Born in Dabou, the Lebanese-Ivorian architect deployed his talent to develop some of the most prominent buildings in the country: the Cathedral of Khorogo in 1974, the African Arts and Traditions Museum, the renovation of the iconic skyscraper in the Plateau district, tower Postel, the rehabilitation of the Sofitel Hotel Ivoire. But his most relevant projects are located in Yamoussoukro, with the Parliamentary building and the neo-classic Basilica of Our Lady of Peace in 1986, a desire of the late Félix-Houphouët-Boigny and the most extensive religious building in the African continent, a symbol and a vital site Ivorian tourism.

Developed with Samuel Nageotte Architecture and the National Engineering and Development Office.

Architect, sculptor, he continues to be active through his powerful company, the PFO (Pierre Fakhoury Operator) Africa group- a construction firm and architecture studio leader in Côte d'Ivoire— The firm obtained the most important contracts of the past years, with its latest project being the new Cocody bridge.

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With realizations in Gabon or Tunisia, Fakhoury's style stands out with its excess and gigantism, the straight lines. Working primarily on official and religious buildings and infrastructures, he created places thousands of Ivorians use daily. Pierre Fakhoury's significant influence and impact are notably marked by a street named after him in the Ivorian capital of Yammoussokro, the city for which he developed the urbanism plan.

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THE BIGGEST EXHIBITION CENTER IN WEST AFRICA

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The first version of the complex's 16 hectares  includes a Convention Center whose shape recalls a large central Nef, an exposition hall, and an 11 000 m² Piazza.

The Convention Center can host 5 000 seated guests thanks to retractable seating and up to 10 000 standing guests. Made of a metallic structure, the 37-meter-high building roof is covered with different layers of metallic panels, ensuring a thermal and acoustic function. The top layer is blue lacquered aluminum, giving it a futuristic allure. The roof, which overhangs widely, projects a square 120 meters on each side. The 12.000 m² space is equipped with modern technical material elements, including a 30 m long screen, for the different events it will host to create exceptional scenographies for concerts, shows, or presentations.

The Exposition Hall 1 can host 6000 guests and numerous stands for various events. This venue consists of three 7 500 m² pavilions, which can be shared in two or three exhibition halls. The space will house a conference center that can accommodate trade fairs, sporting events, and congresses.

In addition to the main hosting buildings, an administrative space, a logistics area, and a semi-covered car park have also been delivered. The builders will also add shops, offices, and a 5-star and a 3-star hotel to create a whole complex.

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