inhabitat: Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds

inhabitat: Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds

The following is an extract from an article featuring Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe. Eastgate Centre is the work of architect Mick Pearce. Mick Pearce is a permanent contributor and supporter of Architects for Peace.

Due to the growing political crisis in Zimbabwe since the 2000 elections, the economy of Zimbabwe has been in sharp decline and the building industry was the first to suffer. Mick left his home country in Zimbabwe for Melbourne, Australia in 2002.

(photo source: inhabitat)
As many of you know, Mick is also the environmental designer for CH2 (Council House 2) in Melbourne.

Biomimicry’s Cool Alternative: Eastgate Centre in Zimbabwe
The Eastgate Centre in Harare, Zimbabwe, typifies the best of green architecture and ecologically sensitive adaptation. The country’s largest office and shopping complex is an architectural marvel in its use of biomimicry principles. The mid-rise building, designed by architect Mick Pearce in conjunction with engineers at Arup Associates, has no conventional air-conditioning or heating, yet stays regulated year round with dramatically less energy consumption using design methods inspired by indigenous Zimbabwean masonry and the self-cooling mounds of African termites!
(Abigail Doan, inhabitat)

Find this article: at inhabitat.com here. Y también en Español / Castellano aquí.

Watch out for Mick Pearce's future presentations at words@bldg50!