US Embassy Libreville

A symbol of freedom on the west coast of Central Africa, Libreville, Gabon was founded by liberated slaves of the Mpongwe tribe in 1848. Situated near tropical rainforests on the Komo River, Libreville supports a major shipping industry as well as wood, rubber and cocoa exports. Local decorative art styles express a rich oral tradition of mythologies, characterized by the use of contrasting geometric patterns of light and dark in tapestries, ceremonial masks and local vernacular architecture. Inspired by these humble forms, architect, Suman Sorg developed a subtle, modern interpretation of this local aesthetic in her design for the new United States Embassy in Libreville.

The project is located on a ten-acre site on the Atlantic Ocean, adjacent to the Estuary of Gabon. Set amid groves of canopy trees and grouped indigenous plantings, the project is one of seven buildings that form the US Embassy campus. Across the main façade, a trellised canopy mimics the height and ethereal nature of the local palms selected for the project, protecting the entrance from sun, wind and rain, and creating a contrasting pattern of shadow across the white exterior of stone and metal panel that is reminiscent of the designs of indigenous art.

Similarly, the light and airy main entrance of the new Embassy unites the existing and new buildings with a sheltered outdoor lobby that invites the outside in, while maintaining the necessary separation between the two building volumes and their respective public and restricted functions.