West African Development Bank is an international Multilateral Development Bank which is established in 1973, with the purpose of serving the French speaking Francophone and Portuguese speaking Lusophone nations of West Africa. The Bank was created to develop the economies of the member countries which are: Benin, Burkina-Faso, Côte d’Ivoire, Guinea Bissau, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
The headquarters of the Bank are in the capital city of Togo, Lomé. Built in 1980 by the design from the French architects Durand, Menard, and Thiebault, it is centrally located on an irregular site near the town center. The structure of the building resembles an assembly of rectangular and cylindrical volumes organized around an interior court that is square in plan. The floors, and the height are different due to the complex structure the building has, however, the largest is seven-floors.
Functions such as reception areas, offices, library, and conference room are contained in the cylindrical volumes. Aluminum grilles are used on windows to filter the harsh light. Truly amazing architectural work that has been done in the small nation of Togo.
