Government district

Urban Planning

The new Government district for the state of Libya is placed in a garden. It distinguishes itself in its form and arrangement from the surrounding urban pattern. On one hand it creates a green island in the outskirts of Tripoli. On the other hand the new neighbourhood connects with its surrounding by means of pedestrian and bicycle paths that pick up existing street patterns and form a continues pattern on the site and beyond. The national forest on the south end of the site will merge into the garden landscape and will become an integral part of the new administration complex. The new government headquarter consists of mainly low buildings with a maximum height of four stories.  Except the government palace distinguishes itself in height from the surrounding structures. Its shape is visible and recognisable from far away. Be it during the day or in the night.

The Centre of the Administration Complex

The centre piece of the new Administration Complex is the Conference Palace. Its positioning at the highest point of the site in combination with the height makes the Palace the most prominent structure in the Administration Complex. Importance is also given to the visibility from the Airport Highway and the appearance at night. The large roof overhangs provide for sufficient shading and minimize the use of air conditioning in the summer months. The main conference hall generates the centre of the building. Subsidiary Meeting facilities are grouped around the centre. Landscaped courts connect the major uses of the conference palace.

The Administration Buildings

The scheme for the different buildings is based on courtyard typologies. In contrast to the “rough”, natural garden landscape, the courtyards within the buildings will have a more manicured and artificial character. Each of the courtyards can be landscaped in a different scheme. Water elements and groves of trees can be introduced. The Urban Plazas are a “string of pearls” that connects the different committee buildings. The clear geometric patterns distinguish the urban plazas from the garden landscape and give further identity and diversity to the urban fabric.