Henri Chomette et l’architecture des lieux de pouvoir en Afrique subsaharienne

Abstract

Henri Chomette (1921-1995) was one of the major architects of the Postwar Boom in sub-Saharan Africa. His architectural firm, called Bureaux d’Études Henri Chomette (BEHC), was active in twenty-three African countries and proposed a committed and multidisciplinary practice of architecture. The architect, who wanted to "live Africa," rejected pastiches and standardized models and gave a prominent place to the site – its geographical, climatic, and cultural specificities. His work can be related to the Critical Regionalism movement as defined by Kenneth Frampton. Made of transfers, assimilations, and reinterpretations, his buildings often embodied public power and became symbols and icons. Ten monographic sketches of emblematic places of power designed by the architect illustrate his unique style: three national palaces – Imperial Palace project in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, National Palace in Cotonou, Republic of Dahomey (now Benin), National Palace in Bata in Equatorial Guinea; the Abidjan City Hall in Ivory Coast; three buildings linked to the financial administration – the Commercial Bank of Ethiopia in Addis Ababa, the State Bank in Bata and the Financial city in Abidjan; and three residences of France in Ouagadougou, Republic of Upper Volta (now Burkina Faso), in Cotonou and in Abidjan.

Keywords

• bank
• administrative architecture
• Ivory Coast
• presidential palace
• Sub-saharan Africa
• Sénégal