La Pyramide, Abidjan - Concrete Brutalism, Brutalist Architecture Model: Mini 054

Model 054_La Pyramide – Miniature Concrete Model
Hand-cast in fine concrete. Shaped by memory.

Some buildings capture a whole city’s optimism in their form. La Pyramide in Abidjan, designed by Italian architect Rinaldo Olivieri and completed in 1973, was a visionary experiment in tropical modernism. Rising in a stepped concrete form that blends a pyramid and a ziggurat, it was conceived as a vertical marketplace, a place where shops, offices, and homes could coexist in the heart of the city. Over time it became one of West Africa’s most recognisable modernist landmarks, admired for its ambition and sculptural power.

This model focuses on its tiered geometry. Each stepped level, open terrace, and structural rhythm was carefully refined at a smaller scale. I wanted the cast to preserve both the building’s monumental balance and the sense of energy that once filled its corridors.

A small cast of one of Africa’s great architectural icons.

Features
• Solid cast concrete, individually hand-poured
• 7.5cm high, 6.5cm wide, 5cm deep (approx)
• Laser-etched cork base with building name
• Comes gift-boxed for the perfect concrete gift
• Designed, modelled, and finished in the UK

Made for those who know it as part of Abidjan’s skyline, studied its design, or admire the creative reach of African modernism. This model is a keepsake of a building that stands as both a relic and a symbol of post-independence ambition.

*****15% off when you order two or more models*****

Building Information

Location: Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire
Architect: Rinaldo Olivieri
Completed: 1973
Status: Under restoration
Brief Overview:
La Pyramide was commissioned during a period of rapid growth in Côte d’Ivoire and was intended as a new kind of mixed-use urban space. Its stepped form, designed to encourage airflow and shade in Abidjan’s tropical climate, reflected both modernist ideals and local environmental awareness. Though it later fell into disrepair, its ongoing restoration reflects its renewed cultural and architectural significance as a symbol of Ivorian modernity.



Please note:
My concrete sculptures are individually hand cast in solid concrete. This means that each piece will have distinctive markings and minor blemishes due to air bubbles in the concrete. This is a natural part of the material and will mean that no two pieces are ever exactly the same.

Shipping:
I aim to make and ship your artwork within 30 days. If you require your order by a specific date before this please let me know.