Stabilized earth visitors’ center

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    Project update 2011 - "Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Mapungubwe draws visitors along a path that moves through the museum and into the landscape to better explain a culture and its context.

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    Project update 2011 - "Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Mapungubwe Interpretive Center reflects the natural landscape in its materials and the cultural landscape in its form.

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    Project update 2011 - "Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": High thermal mass passively cools the space during the day and radiates accumulated heat at night.

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    Project update 2011 - "Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": The introduction of stabilized earth manufacturing using a manual press is suitable for establishing entrepreneurs with start-up costs in the micro-credit bracket.

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    (l-r): Jury members Rachid Benmokhtar Benabdellah and Nina Maritz present a Holcim Awards Acknowledgement prize 2008 for "Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa" to Peter Rich.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Mapungubwe Interpretive Center reflects the natural landscape in its materials and the cultural landscape in its form.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Pools reflect sun and cool air.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": People gather in the theater.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": The park headquarters is striking.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Materials draw from the land.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Visitors enter through trees.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Workmen make earthen tiles.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Tile vault has little formwork.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Masonry vaults temper heat.

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    Project entry 2008 Africa Middle East - " Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa": Mapungubwe draws visitors along a path that moves through the museum and into the landscape to better explain a culture and its context.

  • Awards Acknowledgement prize 2008–2009 Middle East Africa

This project for Mapungubwe National Park was completed in 2009 and builds relationships amongst people as well as between people and the environment. The building’s form uses materials and techniques which reflect the landscape and cultural traditions of the place. The innovative construction uses stabilized earth tiles in a system of lightweight vaulted spaces.

By Peter Rich - Peter Rich Architects, Johannesburg, South Africa and

Ideas: Embodied Carbon , Economic & Social Empowerment, Responsibly Sourced Materials

The Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park was completed in 2009 and builds relationships amongst people as well as between people and the environment.

The building’s form uses materials and techniques which reflect the landscape and cultural traditions of the place. The innovative construction uses stabilized earth tiles in a system of lightweight vaulted spaces.

Stabilized earth visitors’ center

Project authors

Project updates

May 12, 2020 | LafargeHolcim | Zug, Switzerland

“Global knowledge must meet local building materials”

6th LafargeHolcim Forum for Sustainable Construction – Cairo, April 2019.

In his capacity as member of the Academic Committee of the LafargeHolcim Foundation for Sustainable Construction since 2014, Philippe Block has been instrumental in realising exemplary projects and in leading debates to promote and enhance sustainability in how and with which materials we build. Philippe Block is Professor of Architecture and Structure at the ETH Zurich in Switzerland and was elected as a member of the Board of Directors of LafargeHolcim Ltd at its Annual General Meeting 2020.

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December 15, 2011 | Project Update | Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa

Mapungubwe Interpretation Center completed

The Mapungubwe Interpretation Center was completed in 2009 using latest developments in structural geometry along with an ancient construction technique, in order to implement a contemporary design, meant to house centuries-old artifacts. The stabilized earth visitors’ center is constructed with stabilized earth tiles that were made near the site, rather than fired-clay bricks. The traditional timbrel vaulting, using locally-made pressed soil cement tiles, allows the design to be materialized with minimal formwork and no steel reinforcement.

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June 11, 2009 | World Building of the Year Award | Barcelona, Spain

Peter Rich wins World Building of the Year award

In 2009, architect Peter Rich won the World Building of the Year award for his Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre, a building on the site of an ancient civilization which is also designed to highlight the fragility of the environment. 

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November 13, 2008 | Holcim Awards | Marrakech, Morocco

Sustainable construction projects applauded across Africa Middle East

The winners of the second Holcim Awards for Sustainable Construction from across region Africa Middle East were announced at a ceremony in Marrakech. Total prize money of USD 270,000 was presented to eleven projects that illustrated the broad scope for applying sustainable construction approaches to the built environment across public and private architecture, urban planning, and environmental remediation.

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June 19, 2008 | Regional Jury Report – Africa Middle East | Johannesburg, South Africa

“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.

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February 29, 2008 | Project Entry & Details | Musina, South Africa

Project Entry 2008 for Africa Middle East

The Stabilized earth visitors’ center, Mapungubwe National Park, builds relationships amongst people as well as between people and the environment. The building’s form uses materials and techniques which reflect the landscape and cultural traditions of place. The innovative construction uses stabilized earth tiles in a system of lightweight vaulted spaces.

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pin Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa

Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa