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Lagos based Urban and Contemporary Architects recently announced their first international project dubbed MAISON GILLES, a simple Block of 5 Flats in Abidjan, Cote d’Ivoire.
As they describe it, the building’s volumes are clearly delineated to imitate the massing concept of base, shaft and capital of ancient architectural order – the open reception on the ground floor represents the base, the 4No. Flats on first and second floor represent the shaft while the pent floor represents the capital.
Clarity, simplicity and orderliness are the key design considerations. The scale and proportion is such that the ground and pent levels are pushed back leaving a striking rectangular chunk of the building appear like it’s floating. A generous floating roof sits lightly stop the building to offer the rather simple structure an elegant and graceful outlook.