Some of the buildings of Le Plateau are as breathtaking up close as from a distance. La Pyramide, designed by the Italian architect Rinaldo Olivieri and built between 1970 and 1973, was the first daring structure and is considered a highlight of African modernism in architecture. A concrete pyramid striped horizontally with balconies, it rests upon a gigantic cubic pillar, lifting itself over the city's skyline.
The building housed expats and other Abidjan elite in the body of the pyramid, while the ground floor was reserved for commercial purposes. It deteriorated significantly in the 1990s, however, when it was deserted at the onset of political troubles. It is still waiting for renovation.
