Sustainable building secrets of termites biomimicry. Using an approach called biomimicry, see how architect mick pearce harnessed the ingenuity of termites to design a natural cooling system for the largest commercial building in zimbabwe. See how termites inspired a building that can cool itself. Eastgate gate 3 or how the eastgate centre, harare, is not like a termite mound january 14, 20 by daveparr 11 comments termite mounds might offer so much more opportunity for biomimicrists than we currently realise. In harares climate, the purchase, installation, and maintenance of a traditional airconditioning system for a. The insights are fascinating as the research of j scott turner and rupert c soar suggest the termite mound might not be functioning the way it does due to temperature management, but rather to encourage the flow of oxygen. Eastgate centre, biomimetic architecture, biomimicry. The eastgate centre, a midrise office complex in harare, zimbabwe, highlighted in this biomimicry institute casestudy stays cool without air conditioning and uses only 10% of the energy of a conventional building its size. The new order moves away from the international glamour of the pristine glass tower archetype towards a regionalized style that responds to the biosphere, to the ancient traditional stone architecture of. In this book, you will use six biomimicry lenses to tap into design lessons, inspirations.
How is the eastgate building not like a termite mound. To learn more, read termite climate control from the may 2018 issue of national geographic magazine. The interior of the eastgate center, a retail and office building in harare, zimbabwe, modeled after a. This naturally cooled green building, designed by architect mick pearce, models its ventilation system on the cooling system used by african termites in their giant mounds. It is a mixed office complex and shopping mall covering half a city block. Although there are many studies and approaches to designing more sustainable buildings, there is limited research on ecologically sustainable design approaches that can.
The building is pockmarked with a series of openingslike a termites moundthat allow for passive internal airflow. Already eastgate s success can be measured by comparing the annual energy consumption with other conventional buildings in harare. The eastgate centre is a shopping centre and office block in central harare, zimbabwe whose architect is mick pearce. The designers of the japanese bullet train used biomimicry. The countrys largest office and shopping complex is an architectural marvel in its use of biomimicry principles. Architects in harare, zimbabwe designed just such a structurethe eastgate centre, a shopping mall and office building. The eastgate centre in harare was built in the 1990s. We generally think of termites as destroying buildings, not helping design them. The most famous architectural example of biomimicry or bioinspiration is the eastgate centre building in harare, zimbabwe, which opened in 1996. The eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe, typifies the best of green architecture and ecologically sensitive adaptation. The passive cooling system used in this building was inspired by the selfcooling mounds of. Eastgate center harare zimbabwe africa sustainable architecture biomimicry termite mound construction natural cooling ventilation. Eastgate centre in zimbabwe the eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe, typifies the best of green architecture and ecologically sensitive adaptation. Eastgate in harare is an expression of two architectures.
This naturally cooled green building, designed by architect mick. However, termites arent affected by these wild swings. How biomimicry could change the way we build our cities. He received his diploma with distinction at the architectural association school of architecture in london in 1962. The eastgate centre is located in harare, zimbabwe and fills the role of a shopping mall and office space. Biomimicry as an alternative approach to sustainability.
The building is designed to ventilate and cool itself entirely by natural means. The eastgate centre is a shopping center and office building located in harare, zimbabwe. Biomimicry eastgate centre harare by mick pearce and. In a poorly titled paper, beyond biomimicry, researchers dive into the eastgate building case study to analyse it from a biological perspective. Find bookshops in zimbabwe and get directions and maps for local businesses in africa. The eastgate centre, harare, zimbabwe, is a very famous building to environmental construction. That year, 98% of the olympic medals were won by swimmers wearing fullcoverage swimsuits modeled after sharkskin. Eastgate mall in harare is an architectural beauty in the city and its biomimicry design makes it an exceptional building in the city no wonder why it won regional and international awards for. Biomimicry, the novel field of discipline which studies and emulates natures models to solve human challenges in a sustainable way is gradually becoming a global phenomenon. How do you cool a building without air conditioning. The eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe, is a shining example of biomimicry.
A precast concrete office complex consisting of two narrow, rectangular, ninestorey buildings linked together by a glass roof covering an atrium. Council house 2 melbourne eastgate development harare further projects conceptual design. It is a multidisciplinary approach to sustainable design that follows a set of principles rather than stylistic codes. The smart swarm by peter miller published by the penguin group 2010 new york, new york 2. Swimmers without these special speedos didnt stand. But the eastgate building, an office complex in harare, zimbabwe, has an air. This naturally cooled green building, designed by architect mick pearce, models. This naturally cooled green building, designed by architect mick pearce, models its ventilation system on the cooling. Designed with the concept of termite hills in mind, the eastgate centre does not need to be conventionally heated or cooled. They will give you unique insights into the history and culture of zimbabwe. Eastgate and ch2 building are pioneers in biomimicry. The eastgate center was built in 1996 in harare, zimbabwe, as designed by awardwinning architect mick pierce. Eastgate centre in zimbabwe the eastgate centrein harare, zimbabwe, typifies the best of green architecture and ecologically sensitive adaptation.
Passive cooling systems have proven to be very efficient and reliable. Termites by judith korb, current biology, volume 17 23. The following is a contributed piece by guest writer, katie losey. Designed to be ventilated and cooled by entirely natural means, it was probably the first building in the world to use natural cooling to this level of sophistication. It may seem incredible that a termite nest could inspire the design of a shopping and office. On any given day, temperatures in zimbabwe range from 35 to 104 degrees. Using an approach called biomimicry, see how architect mick pearce harnessed the ingenuity of termites to. Nature has spent billions of years solving and refining many of the problems we as humans are facing today and so it is only logical for us to learn from natures existing solutions to solve our issues of sustainable design. In this inspiring talk about recent developments in biomimicry, janine benyus provides heartening examples of ways in which nature is already influencing the products and systems we build. Eastgate center harare zimbabwe africa sustainable architecture.
This allows the building to use only 10% of the energy that a conventional building of its size would typically consume. Located in harare, zimbabwe, this midrise office building uses a form of passive cooling without having to rely upon air conditioning. When you book with us, you are guaranteed an experience of a lifetime. It manages to create comfortable conditions for the people inside without airconditioning in a. Thebuildingiscomposedoftwomassivebutnarrowofficeblocksninestoriestall,runningfromeasttowest. It is part of a larger movement known as biomimicry, which is. These selfcooled buildings were inspired by termites and frogs grist. Rather than using a traditional fuelbased airconditioning system to regulate temperature within the building, the eastgate centre is designed to exploit more passive and energyefficient mechanisms of.
The eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe, is a shining. Eastgate centre, harare the eastgate centre is a shopping centre and office block in central harare, zimbabwe whose architect is mick pearce. He has undertaken projects in the uk, zambia, zimbabwe, australia and china as well as south africa. Biomimicry eastgate centre harare by mick pearce and arup associates 26 jul when i first started reading about biomimicry principles and heard of an example of this method mimicking nature by regulating temperature control in a zimbabwean shopping centre, using termites, i was excited. Designed by mick pearce in conjunction with arup, the mixed office complex and shopping mall utilises thermal mass and a specific air change schedule, using high rates of mechanical night cooling, supplemented by smaller rates of passive ventilation during the day to. Biomimetic architecture is a contemporary philosophy of architecture that seeks solutions for sustainability in nature, not by replicating the natural forms, but by understanding the rules governing those forms. The eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe by mick pearce, is based on termite mounds. Owl feathers helped solve the problem of how to combine.
This is the same principle that regulates temperature in termite mounds. What are the best biomimicry solutions to apply to. One of the most wellknown examples of biomimicry in building design is eastgate center in zimbabwe. It has no conventional air conditioning or heating, but is entirely dependent on passive cooling. Architect mick pearce and the firm arup were supposedly partly inspired to build a building suitable for a tropical climate by considering the locally present termite mounds, and build their vision. The eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe, is a shining example of. The eastgate centre designed by mick pearce opened in 1996 is a midrise shopping center and office block. Using an approach called biomimicry, see how architect mick pearce harnessed the ingenuity of termites to design a natural cooling system for. In this first installation of the decoder series, see how the eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe utilizes a termiteinspired climate control system. In fact, the insects thrive on a steady diet of fungus that requires a stable temperature around 87 degrees and humidity for. See the eastgate centre in harare, zimbabwe and the portcullis house in london, uk this system mimics the selfcooling mounds of african termites. The bar chart shows that eastgate consumes less than 50% of the energy used in conventionally air conditioned buildings while achieving very satisfactory comfort conditions for all but 2 weeks in 52 weeks of the year.
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