The building was intended for the 15th Congress of the Francophone Community, which was recently held in Dakar, bringing together 75 heads of state at once. The main attraction of the local natural landscape is mysterious, striking the imagination with their power and, at the same time, picturesque baobabs. Some, almost a thousand-year-old trees were even recognized by the Ministry of Culture of Senegal as historical monuments. It is not surprising that their huge trunks, reaching 25 m in height, and bizarre branches were chosen by the architects as the main sources of inspiration. And they borrowed the color scheme from the savannah scorched by the sun.
The building with a usable area of 16 270 m2 is made up of several rectangular volumes surrounded by an artificial reservoir and connected by various passages. Each of the blocks has its own function: a conference hall itself, an auditorium for 1500 people, a museum, two restaurants (one for VIPs), administrative premises and a press room, personal apartments of the President of Senegal, VIP guest rooms, etc. There was even a place for a small fair. All this rather complex composition is "covered" by a flat openwork canopy, which really resembles an interweaving of baobab branches. It protects the premises from the sun and strong winds.
The walls of these regular geometric volumes are made of glass, so the interiors offer views of the surrounding natural landscape. According to the architects, these volumes represent powerful tree trunks. The metal "blades" covering the glass protect the interior from direct sunlight and overheating, creating a comfortable partial shade, like under the branches of a tree. Their slightly curled shape allowed the architects not only to play with the light and volume of the facades, but also to further enhance the given allusion. The evening illumination breaking through the cracks of this "bark" and numerous reflections in the water surface create a solemn and festive mood.
But there is another semantic layer laid down by Turkish architects in their work: in medieval Europe, noticeable, most often - large and old trees sometimes became places of meetings, negotiations and even solemn ceremonies (the so-called trysting trees). You can recall, for example, how the free shooters of Robin Hood gathered and made important decisions under the Big Collected Oak. Why shouldn't the majestic baobabs become the same symbol of unity and political wisdom?
