Nigeria is the most populous country in Africa and one of the continent’s fastest growing economies. Calabar is already hosting numerous conferences and, with the completion of the new Conference Center, the city hopes to attract even more international meetings and tourists.
The Calabar International Conference Centre consists of four adjoining, sculptural volumes. The building is situated on top of a hill and has a panoramic view from the foyer. The location on the middle of the hill creates a natural amphitheatre with a room for several thousand people on the one side and a spectacular view of the river delta on the other side.
The building is multi-functional and will offer the citizens of Calabar a new cultural centre that will provide the setting for concerts, film festivals and exhibitions.
Henning Larsen Architects has designed several cultural and conference centres and has also previously worked in Africa. In 1992, the Nation Center in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi was completed. The competition for the Conference Center in Nigeria was won over Mecanoo from the Netherlands and three other international architecture companies.
