“An innovative construction technique using a light-weight vaulted-system for roofs and walls fabricated using stabilized earth-tiles” – Holcim Awards Jury
This project deals with two kinds of relationships: the one between people and the environment and the one amongst people. The project to house the Mapungubwe National Park Interpretive Center reflects the natural landscape in its materials and the cultural landscape in its form. The project is conceptualized as a place for commemorating the historical relevance of the site in relation to a past civilization.
Last updated: June 19, 2008 Johannesburg, South Africa
The overall design relies on a spatial concept aligned to a narrative and coupled to building shapes which respond to the natural landscape. The buildings are inspired by an innovative construction technique of a light-weight vaulted-system for roofs and walls fabricated using stabilized earth-tiles. The adaptation of the vault-system with the objective of using local materials combined with a smart construction technology and thus enhancing skills development and employment opportunities are the key merits of this project.