Firstbank of Nigeria Keʻena Poʻo Nui o ka ʻOihana by Marwan Zgheib is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2026 A' Design Award Kala in Hoʻolālā Hale, Kūkulu a me Hōʻuluʻulu Competition Category.
KalaHoʻolālā Hale· 2026
Firstbank of Nigeria Keʻena Poʻo Nui o ka ʻOihana
Client: MZ Architects
A' Design Award Kala Winner in Hoʻolālā Hale Category
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- Verified Award Winner
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The Design
About Firstbank of Nigeria Keʻena Poʻo Nui o ka ʻOihana
ʻO Firstbank o Naikilia he hale kiaʻi keʻena poʻo nui e kū ana ma Eko Atlantic City, Lagos. Piʻi ke kiʻekiʻe o ka hale i uhi ʻia i ke aniani i nā mika 252, a hāʻawi ʻo ia i 115,000 mika huinahā o ka ʻāpana i kūkulu ʻia ma kahi kahakai i hoʻihoʻi ʻia mai ke kai. Ua hoʻolālā ʻia ke kino lohi ma o nā haʻawina makani a me ka nānā ʻana i ka lā i mea e kaupalena ai i ka piʻi ʻana o ka wela. Hana ka aniani hana kiʻekiʻe a me nā mea malu o waho i pale kūpono i ke aniau no ka ʻāina kahakai wela. Hoʻoponopono nā ʻōnaehana hale akamai i ke kukui, ka wela, a me ka hoʻohana ʻana i ka ikehu. Kākoʻo nā hoʻolālā keʻena maʻalahi a me nā pono kaʻana like i nā pono ʻoihana e loli mau ana.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award Kala
Ua lanakila ka hoʻolālā Firstbank of Nigeria Keʻena Poʻo Nui o ka ʻOihana i ka A' Design Award Kala, he ʻike hoʻohanohano nui loa i hāʻawi ʻia i nā hoʻolālā kiʻekiʻe loa, nani a kupaianaha. He mau hana ʻālohilohi loa a hana noʻeau nui nā lanakila Kala e hōʻike ana i ka loea, ka makakoho a me ka ʻoi aku o ka noʻonoʻo o kā lākou poʻe hoʻolālā. Manaʻo ʻia ʻo ka hoʻolālā Firstbank of Nigeria Keʻena Poʻo Nui o ka ʻOihana he hana kupaianaha, kūlana ʻoi aku, ʻoihana kiʻekiʻe a hou loa. ʻO kēia hoʻolālā i lanakila i ka A' Design Award Kala he mea hoʻokumu kūpono loa, mahalo ʻia e hāʻawi i ka pōmaikaʻi a hoʻoneʻe i nā palena o ka hana noʻeau, ka ʻepekema, ka hoʻolālā a me ka ʻenehana. He mea i ʻeleu ʻia e nā mea he nui ka hoʻolālā Firstbank of Nigeria Keʻena Poʻo Nui o ka ʻOihana e hoʻāla i ka makemake, lawe mai i nā manaʻo maikaʻi a hoʻāla i ka kamahaʻo a me ka mahalo.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- A sculpted, glass-clad tower rising from Eko Atlantic’s reclaimed shoreline, the FBN Headquarters merges environmental intelligence with corporate identity. Its slender form, high-performance facade, and green-certified systems create a climate-responsive landmark that symbolizes institutional evolution while redefining Lagos’s vertical and coastal urban future.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- Total height: 252 meters.
Total built-up area: 115,000 square meters. - Tags
- High-rise architecture, Sustainable design, Climate-responsive façade, Mixed-use tower, Corporate headquarters, Eko Atlantic City, Parametric design, Green-certified building, Urban landmark, Innovative office design
- Production Technology
- The design was developed through an integrated process combining environmental analysis, wind studies, and solar optimization to inform the tower’s massing and façade strategy. Multidisciplinary coordination guided the integration of structural and building systems. High-performance glazing, external shading, and energy-efficient solutions shaped a climate-responsive envelope tailored to Lagos’s coastal conditions and sustainability objectives.
- Design Challenge
- The greatest creative challenge was designing a landmark tower that balances Lagos’ rapid urban growth with coastal environmental conditions. Internally, the design had to reflect cultural identity, corporate prestige, and user well-being. Externally, constraints included coastal wind loads, tropical climate, local building regulations, limited high-performance material options, and integrating advanced sustainable technologies. Iterative simulations and collaborative workshops overcame these obstacles to achieve an elegant, resilient, and functional design.
- Research
- Applied architectural research. Objective: to design a resilient, future-focused headquarters suited to Lagos’ coastal context. Methodology combined site analysis, climate studies, and iterative design development. Data were gathered through environmental assessments, performance simulations, and stakeholder consultations using digital modeling tools. Participants included architects, engineers, and client representatives. Results informed massing, façade, and sustainability strategies. Insights strengthened environmental performance, business identity, and long-term urban impact.
- Inspiration
- Inspired by the meeting of land, ocean, and sky at Eko Atlantic, the tower draws from the fluidity of the shoreline and the clarity of modern finance. Its vertical form reflects resilience, transparency, and renewal, translating First Bank’s legacy into an architecture shaped by light, horizon, and aspiration.
- Project Duration
- The project was launched in March 2025 and is located in Eko Atlantic City, Lagos, Nigeria.
- Operation Flow
- The tower is designed to operate intuitively, guiding visitors through clear, welcoming entrances into light-filled public and corporate spaces. Smart building systems automatically regulate light, temperature, and energy use, adapting to daily and seasonal changes. Flexible office layouts allow spaces to evolve with business needs, while shared amenities encourage interaction, productivity, and well-being. The result is a comfortable, efficient environment that performs seamlessly for employees and visitors alike.
- Team Members
- Architect: Marwan Zgheib
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