WORLD BANK IFC INTERIORS
2016
Clients: World Bank IFC Dakar, Adjaye Associates
Responsibilities: Brand Analysis, Concept Development, Interior/Landscape Design
Collaborators: Interior Designer Tatiana Etienne
Context
IFC (International Finance Corporation) wanted Adjaye Associates to develop an interior design proposal for their new Dakar HQ.
Challenge
iFC did not want a typical corporate environment. The challenge was to create a visual interior language that sought to further root the offices in their place by establishing a powerful resonance with its local communities and culture of West Africa.
Opportunity
The focus was to create a distinctive and responsive presence that not only connects the IFC with its new urban home, but also promotes connections across African regions and which can serve as an anchor for West Africa in the global IFC community.
Inspired by weaving as a metaphor for connectivity, in the way that its practice links disparate but equally important threads into a unified whole without obscuring or degrading them, the proposal drew broadly from three weaving art forms: that of traditional woven craft, of hair styling, and from the idea of architectural weaving. These were translated into interior walls, office spaces, pavilion ceilings, furniture and landscaping. The Image below shows the application of a mali mud cloth motif as courtyard tiles.
Cristina Carbajo © 2023