Benin National Assembly in Porto-Novo
Kéré Architecture- Typologies Town Hall / City Hall / Government Administration building Institutional
- City Porto Novo
- Country Benin
The scheme drawn up by the Berlin firm of Francis Kéré for Porto-Novo, the capital of Benin, takes inspiration from the ‘word tree,’ the western African tradition by which the community gathers under a tree to make collective decisions.
Facing the old National Assembly, where Benin declared itself independent from France in 1960, the new construction harbors its central piece, the parliamentary chamber, on the ground floor, with beams left exposed and evoking the branches of the venerated tree. Surrounded by a staircase, the central courtyard represents the hollow ‘trunk,’ which lets natural light and air in while connecting with the higher levels containing private offices and auxiliary functions. The uppermost part, a reinterpretation of the treetop, gives views of the city and shades the lower part, from which stretches a public park, where further facilities for government services blend in by means of planted roofs.
Construction is to start in March 2021, for completion in 2023.

















Obra Work
Asamblea Nacional de Benín en Porto Novo (Benín)
Benin National Assembly, Porto-Novo (Benin)
Cliente Client
Republic of Benin – Minister of Living
Arquitectos Architects
Kéré Architecture / Débédo Francis Kéré
Dirección de proyecto Project Management
Jeanne Autran-Edorh, Fabiola Büchele (Kéré Architecture)
Equipo de diseño Design Team
Jeanne Autran-Edorh (jefe de proyecto project architect), Alexandra Zervudachi, Kinan Deeb, Javier Mola Cardenes (arquitecto architect)
Colaboradores Collaborators
Andrea Maretto, Leonne Vögelin, Charles André, Ismaël N’Faly Camara, Léon Bührer, Malak Nasreldin, Viana Wagokh (Kéré Architecture)
Arquitecto local Local architect
Ecoplan
Gestión local Local management
SImAU
Ingeniería Engineering
Aecom; Sahel-ingenierie