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La Pyramide Architecture Competition imagines a future for Côte d’Ivoire’s brutalist landmark
An ideas competition to reimagine the iconic La Pyramide tower in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire, has revealed three winning design proposals, offering fresh ideas for bringing the long-vacant landmark back to life.
Designed by architect Rinaldo Olivieri and engineer Riccardo Morandi between 1968 and 1973, the 15-story brutalist concrete structure was once a defining symbol of Côte d’Ivoire’s post-independence optimism. Nicknamed “The Lady of the Plateau,” its distinctive hollow-core design and exposed geometry made it a symbol of African Modernism.
After decades of neglect, the competition challenged architects to look beyond restoration and consider how adaptive reuse could make La Pyramide habitable again. Proposals were asked to respect the existing structure while introducing new uses and strengthening connections between the formal business district of Le Plateau and the wider social life of Abidjan.
1st Prize: Vertical Harvest: Cultivating La Pyramide by Aleksandra Stasica (Poland/Italy)
