Cite de la Democratie Masterplan

The Cité de la Démocratie is a 200-hectare, former security zone located in Libreville, Gabon. The site is being redeveloped to include an urban park anchored by a large convention center designed by Dan Wood, a banquet hall, the Presidential Palace designed by Jeffrey Smith, dedicated VIP housing, a three-part animal park (primates, cats, and antelopes), and a Gary Player signature golf course.

The terrain ranges in elevation from approximately 5 to 115 meters and is defined by a curving ridge along higher ground, as well as seven distinct watershed areas.

The project addresses two primary objectives: first, to organize these diverse program elements within a coherent landscape framework; and second, to reflect and reinforce Gabon’s native ecological systems, including wetland, grassland, and forest environments.

Each sector incorporates access roads and pedestrian pathways, with landscape strategies responding to programmatic needs—such as visual screening for the Presidential Palace and open view corridors for the Convention Center.

The overall plan establishes a network of greenways across the site, with an emphasis on landscape integration and long-term environmental performance within the broader context of Libreville.