mapungubwe interpretation centre case study

2013 On Site Review Report by Jean-Charles Tall

Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre Limpopo, South Africa

Architect Peter Rich Architects Client South African National Parks Design 2006 - 2007 Completed 2009

3953.SAF

Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre Limpopo, South Africa

I.

Introduction The Limpopo Valley may be one of the most remote and isolated places in South Africa. The huge Mapungubwe National Park is located at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers. Thispark is a property of the South African National Parks authority (SANParks) who commissioned the Interpretation Centre which celebrates the ancient civilisation of Mapungubwe, linked to the Great Zimbabwe. The rocky landscape is a result of geological events that reshaped the area. At that time the course of the Limpopo River was also changed; from going towards the Atlantic Ocean it now headed towards the Indian Ocean. The vegetation is that of a dry area with mopane and baobab trees, and could easily be likened to a “hilly” savannah. Understanding the landscape is essential to the Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre as the whole design and architecture of this building is focused on its integration into the natural landscape of the park. The Interpretation Centre is located past a pond, on the side of a mesa that sisters the main mesa of the Heritage Site, the ceremonial centre of the Mapungubwe civilisation, one kilometre away, close to the entrance to the park. Peter Rich, head of Peter Rich Architects, has taught architectural theory and design for three decades at the University of the Witwatersrand’s Department of Architecture in Johannesburg. He partnered with Michael Ramage and John Ochsendorf for the Mapungubwe Heritage Centre.

II.

Contextual Information

A.

Brief historical background The Limpopo Valley is located in the north of South Africa at the confluence of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Botswana. The Mapungubwe civilisation is a kingdom dated between 1075 and the 14th century. We have very little information about this kingdom since there is no written documentation about it and the oral traditions of the region do not mention it. The site was discovered in 1933; it was declared a World Heritage Site in 2003, as a Cultural Landscape. The landscape is characteristic of a savannah with mopane trees, huge baobabs and thorny trees forming the vegetal cover that is intricately tied to the rocky sandstone formations all around. The Mapungubwe civilisation produced historical artefacts that show the brilliance of this civilisation and its commercial links to Egypt and Asia. The famous Golden Rhino was discovered on the historical ceremonial mesa of Mapungubwe National Park. 1

B.

Local architectural character, including prevalent forms and materials It is very difficult and tricky to relate Mapungubwe to any existing form of architecture nearby. There are no inhabitants close to this area; this huge reserve is totally free of any human presence. After flourishing for centuries, the area has been long abandoned. However, different ethnic groups of the region claim traditional ownership of the land. This became a serious issue for the project which the architects had to confront by ensuring that their building did not refer to any one particular group, as this would have raised controversy.

C.

Climatic conditions It is located at 29°23’E and 22°19’S; the site is in a semi-arid climate. Maximum temperatures average between 25°C (June) and 32°C (January). Peaks occur in summer (45°C). Minimum temperatures average between 9°C (June) and 21°C (January). Annual rainfall is around 400 millimetres and there are approximately 10 rainy days a year. At the time of the visit, there had been flooding after heavy rainfalls, occurring after a two-year period of draught.

D.

Immediate surroundings of the site The project site is empty of human presence. The nearest inhabitants are those from game farms, several kilometres away.

E

Topography Mapungubwe sits between 300 to 780 metres above sea level. The site is very rocky and hilly, the result of important seismic movements that even changed the direction of the flow of the Limpopo River from towards the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean. The sandstone rocks are everywhere in the environment and form the specific nature of the area, together with the baobab and mopane trees.

III.

Programme

A.

History of the inception of the project The pre-existence of traditional African states and kingdoms has always been a very controversial issue in South Africa during the time of Apartheid. However, when this regime ended, the South African government decided to emphasise the legacy of those kingdoms. Research that had been halted – or simply not taught – resumed, and the government decided to revive these studies. When the area was granted World Heritage status in 2003, this boosted the policy to develop Mapungubwe and the Interpretation Centre followed as a result.

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Construction took place between October 2007 and June 2009, while the official opening was celebrated in December 2009. B.

How were the architects and specialists chosen? SANParks launched a national design competition in 2005. Peter Rich won this architecture competition and was commissioned in December 2005. The design started in March 2006 and was completed by August 2007. Peter Rich partnered with Michael Ramage of the University of Cambridge (UK) and John Ochsendorf of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Boston (USA) to develop the conceptual vault design.

C.

General programme objectives The objective was to provide the National Park with an Interpretation Centre that could give the visitor a very clear understanding of the importance of Mapungubwe in this region.

D.

Functional requirements The general programme was very precise, and the architect also had to devote much attention to the social and political environment. The Interpretation Centre is composed of a museum, including an introduction hall where the general history of Mapungubwe is told with information on the context, different rooms hosting exhibits of the artefacts found in Mapungubwe, the history and social organisation of the kingdom and a sacred place dedicated to remains found in the area. Facilities were developed for the visitor (coffee bar, restaurant, shop, etc.). Offices for SANParks are included within the complex. The building, of course, had to take into account the climate of the region and the arid conditions. An outdoor amphitheatre and facilities for researchers are included in the programme. Different tribal claims on the land also made it difficult to relate to one particular group in the region. The architect had to be very careful to avoid any potential controversy in his proposals.

IV.

Description

A.

Building data The ground floor is 1,130 square metres, while the total area is 2,750 square metres. The Centre sits on the side of a mesa. It is formed of a series of vaulted forms linked by outside areas in a combination of “ins and outs”. Access to the Centre is via a small bridge, which also gives the first indication about the ideas behind the massing of this project: to keep the ground untouched in respect for the sacred nature of the site. 3

The project itself is a series of vaulted forms of different sizes and structures built in light earth bricks and covered with sandstone. All the vaults are just laid on the hillside with complete respect for the natural environment. No big earth-moving works or embankment projects were carried out. The different parts of the programme were just laid on the hillside as though it might have resulted from a natural geological event. B.

Evolution of design concepts

1.

Response to physical constraints The design started with an equilateral triangle that defines a route climbing through the buildings to the top of the hill. The vault system was made of several layers of thin earth tiles assembled with mortar gypsum. Stones were used as a covering layer of that structure. The global conductivity of this layer is very low and very efficient in terms of controlling heat transfer towards the interior. But more important is the general thermal slowness resulting from such a massive structure. This creates a phase shift in temperature that allows self-regulation. Basically, the heat accumulated in the walls during the day will be transmitted at night and the low outside temperature during the night will result in cooler temperatures inside the building during the day.

2.

Response to user requirements Spatial organisation is very simple. The SANParks administration offices are located at the beginning of the scheme. Then a first bridge leads the visitor to the Interpretation Centre itself. A series of outdoor spaces is the first impression he gets, while these spaces connect different vaults to create a combination of patios. The entrance to the interpretation rooms is unique because of the indoor/outdoor feeling created by the second bridge towards the first hall. The different rooms are then organised as a series, letting the visitor circulate smoothly from one area to another and experience different degrees of the sacred environments while moving further into the Centre.

3.

Purely formal aspects The formal aspects constitute an important feature of the project. At no point does the Interpretation Centre look like a “building” in this context. It is basically designed like “another stone hill” within a context of stone hills. The building is integrated in such a way that, at first sight, it is not very easy to spot when arriving from Johannesburg. The lighting on the vaults also provides a very unique experience of the project. There is no prevalent facade for this project. Each point of view around the building gives the impression of integration into the site while offering a distinct experience of the architecture.

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No traditional decorative motifs were used, due to the necessity of avoiding any local tribal reference and the choice of completely integrating the building into the natural environment. However, it is important to mention the two huge decorative openings. The one on the west side of the building bears recycled copper bars that glow a dramatic golden colour at sundown. The one on the southern side of the main exhibition hall is decorated like a stained-glass window with simple techniques. 4.

Landscaping There has been no special landscaping. The natural environment is the landscape. Therefore, the architect decided to respect it and to integrate the building into the dramatic existing landscape of stones and hills.

C.

Structure, materials, technology

1.

Structural systems The structural system of the vaults is impressive. This is a revival of a 700-year-old vaulting system of the Mediterranean area. These vaults are footed on thick sandstone walls stressed in compression. The largest vault spans 14.5 metres with a thickness of 30 centimetres. The vaults are made of thin, non-fired stabilised-earth tiles. They form a double curved structure that was constructed with minimum formwork. Barrel vaults are used as formwork for the horizontal slabs. The whole design was based on static graphics, allowing a continuous review of the shapes of the vaults while resolving the structural problems. The stress in compression is very low. The parabolic forms allow this stress to be transferred vertically to the walls. Horizontal thrust is, of course, much higher and is resolved on the largest vaults with steel tension ties embedded into buttresses. Computer calculations have been very helpful in finalising the structural system of vaults.

2.

Materials Structural members x concrete structure and slabs; x sandstone walls; x stabilised-earth bricks; x diverse recycled materials (metal poles, etc.)

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Infill materials x brick walls, with aluminium window; x recycled plastic sheets; x glazing Renderings and finishes x earth tiles; x cement plastering; x recycled copper bars; x recycled plastic sheets 3.

Construction technology The vaults system used in the building is brand new to the South African context. Consequently it was necessary to train unemployed women of the villages next to the site in how to produce earth bricks Then, finally, unemployed men were trained to construct the vaults. Training was conducted by the members of Peter Rich’s team themselves. There is an extensive use of bamboo and recycled materials for other parts of the building. The recessed vaults are used as a permanent formwork for the concrete slabs. Walls are built in dry stone using the traditional techniques of the Ndebele people of South Africa.

4.

Building services, site utilities Electricity is provided on site as well as water. The sewerage system is an individual one, specifically designed for the project. It is notable that, in addition to the thermal characteristic of the building developed through the architecture and the nature of materials (thermal slowness), the architect designed a specific evaporative cooling system for the project. This system uses a specific feature of thermal exchanges in construction that is called maximal evaporative capacity of the air. The system is used in the SANParks office whereas the curators of the main exhibition halls decided that additional air conditioning was needed there for the sake of the artefacts.

D.

Origin of

1.

Technology Developed on site (testing, training and operation).

2.

Materials Local

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3.

Labour force Local

4.

Professionals Architects: Contractors: Consultants:

South Africa South Africa USA/Great Britain/New Zealand/Switzerland/South Africa/others

V.

Construction Schedule and Costs

A.

History of project design and implementation Competition: Design: Construction: Opening:

B.

December 2005 March 2006–August 2007 October 2007–June 2009 December 2009

Total costs and main sources of financing USD 1,875,000.

C.

Qualitative analysis of costs USD 681/m2 funded by SANParks.

D.

Maintenance costs Not known. From the analysis of the construction we can foresee very low costs of operation and maintenance in the context of Mapungubwe climate.

VI.

Technical Assessment

A.

Functional assessment The different spaces of the building are very well arranged and provide quick access and understanding of the spatial organisation. The hierarchy in light treatment increases the dramatic side of the procession towards the sacred. The other functions of the site are nicely disseminated and the use of interspaces as functional spaces delivers a great architectural ensemble.

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B.

Climatic performance All provisions for lighting, climatic performance, heat control, acoustics and other systems are achieved through natural control. Natural lighting is ensured through windows and oculi that give to each space a particular type of lighting in relation to its function. Heat control is essential in this area and it is performed here with great efficiency. The shape of the vaults, designed from paraboloids, creates a good balance of sound and the sandstone walls and brick vaults associated to the volumes created ensure a delicate reverberation time that towel suits the solemnity of the exhibition spaces.

C.

Response to treatment of water and rainfall A system of waste-water treatment has been installed. The annual rainfall (10 days a year) is not significant enough to justify the installation of retention systems.

D.

Environmental response This project is all about adapting to its context. It readapts the general responses of nature to the constraints of a particular human project. The vaults perfectly fit into the general hilly and undulating landscape and their covering materials have been extracted from the site. The interior space designed by this project is like a series of caverns that react to the climatic constraints exactly the way a real cavern would. The structural constraints of a cavern are reproduced in a way to serve the architecture of the Centre. The answers of nature to its constraints is generally very efficient in terms of economy (the quantity of energy developed vs. the goal to reach). The Interpretation Centre goes in that direction.

E.

Choice of materials, level of technology The main materials were extracted from the site, manufactured on site or recycled from waste. 85% of materials are local. The result is a very empowering technology that was easy for the local unemployed people to acquire. In fact, unemployed women (manufacturing bricks) and men (structural works) benefitted from the training to acquire skills and actually use them to build the project. The technology is both simple and sophisticated: simple because this is basically an application of static principles and the renewal of an ancient technique; and sophisticated, because the technique allows a degree of freedom in the design of the Centre that could only be achieved with concrete structures (30% more expensive and with the disadvantages of using concrete in such a climate).

F.

Response to, and planning for, emergency situations The recent flood occurring in the region after two years of drought hit the building and caused no noticeable leaks. We are not aware of other emergency situations. We foresee that the structures will

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perform well in the case of fire. It has also suffered several seasons of wind and this did not cause any damage to the structure. G.

Ageing and maintenance problems Ageing should not be a problem provided the building is properly maintained, which seems to be the case up to now. Buildings of this type have lasted for centuries without any major damage.

H.

Design features The design of this building is a lesson in architecture. The integration of the masses to the site environment, the structural response to the construction constraints, the articulation of inner and outer spaces are all of very high quality. There are no neighbouring buildings.

I.

Impact of the project on the site The project raised a lot of interest in this area. This can be measured by the number of different websites of safari organisers who “sell” the Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre as a “must see”, exactly the way they sell the site itself. We were told by some professionals met on the site (game farmers, restaurant owners, guides, etc.) that since completion of the building they have noticed a growing interest in Mapungubwe.

J.

Durability and long-time viability of the project The building is designed and will remain as an icon for the Mapungubwe Heritage Site. I anticipate an increasing interest in the park as the Interpretation Centre becomes better known to the professionals and the public.

K.

Interior design and furnishing Interior design for the exhibition is of great quality and facilitates the presentation of collections of artefacts. The last room of the centre (sacred remains room) is designed in a dramatic way that helps heighten the tension of the visiting experience.

VII.

Users

A.

Description of those who use or benefit from the project Sixty unemployed low-skill people hired on the site worked through the government-funded poverty reduction programme received training in how to manufacture bricks. A hundred people were trained for the construction works, while the site works continuously used an average of 10 to 40 people at the same time during the eight months of construction. They were able to find a job on the site from this training. After completion of the project, six small-size companies 9

were created by the workers. The architect Peter Rich has just been commissioned for the entrance gate of the relatively nearby Kruger National Park and he is going to use these now-skilled workers for the project since they are already active in the region. B.

Response to project by clients, users, community, etc.

1.

What do architectural professionals and the cultural “intelligentsia” think about the project? The project is highly regarded by architects, not only in South Africa but in the African region and all over the world. It has gained several prizes since its completion, amongst which: x World Building of the Year, World Architectural Festival, Barcelona, October 2009 x World Building, Culture Category winner, World Architecture Festival, Barcelona, October 2009 x David Alsop Sustainability Award x British Structural Awards, 2009 x The Institute of Structural Engineers x South Africa Absolut Visi Designer of the Year, 2009 x Wienerberger Brick Award, 2012

2.

What is the popular reaction to the project? Many articles in South African and American newspapers emphasise the quality of the work of Peter Rich on the Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre.

3.

What do neighbours and those in the immediate vicinity think about the project? The people we talked to in the Limpopo Valley were mainly game-farm owners, officers of the park, some tourists. They all praised the quality of the design and construction.

VIII.

Persons Involved Architect: Designers and structural engineers, tile vaults: Architect: Structural engineer, overall project: Vault construction training and supervision: Contractor and quantity surveyor:

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Peter Rich Michael Ramage and John Ochsendorf Timothy Hall Henry Fagan James Bellamy Usna Bouer and DHR

IX.

Bibliography List of publications Amongst others: x “Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre/Peter Rich Architects”, ArchDaily, 21 Apr 2010. x “Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre by Peter Rich Architects, Mapungubwe National Park, South Africa”, The Architectural Review, 1 February 2010. x “Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre”, Designboom, 2 May 2013 and 5 November 2009.

Jean-Charles Tall April 2013

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The Mapungubwe civilization is a kingdom dated between 1075 and the 14th century. The site was discovered in 1933. It was declared a World Heritage Site in 2003, as a Cultural Landscape.

The landscape is characteristic of a savannah with Mopane trees, huge baobabs and thorny trees forming the vegetal cover that intricates with the rocky sandstone formations all around.

The Interpretation Centre is composed of a Museum including an introduction hall, different rooms and a sacred place dedicated to remains found in the area.

The project itself is a series of vaulted forms of different sizes and structure built in light earth bricks and covered with sandstone.

The centre is formed of a series of vaulted forms linked by outside areas in a combination of “ins and outs”.

Access to the Centre is a small bridge that gives the ¿UVWLQGLFDWLRQDERXWWKHPDVVLQJRIWKHSURMHFW

An outdoor amphitheatre and facilities for researchers are included in the program.

7KHODUJHVWYDXOWVSDQVPZLWKDWKLFNQHVVRIPP7KHVHYDXOWVDUHPDGHRIWKLQQRQ¿UHGVWDELlized earth bricks. They form a double curved structure that were constructed with minimum formwork.

the general history of Mapungubwe is told with information on the context, artefacts found in Mapungubwe, history and social organization of the kingdom.

All provisions for lighting, climatic performance, heat control, acoustics and other systems are achieved through natural control.

3953.SAF Add the Project code number HERE

Document B

ARCHITECT’S RECORD 2013 AWARD CYCLE 1.

IDENTIFICATION [Name of project. If the project has been known by a different or previous name, please indicate this in brackets. Please provide the actual street number or location of the project, even if the correspondence address is different.The longitude and latitude are required so the project can be documented on Google Maps.] Project Title: Mapungubwe Interpretive Centre Street Address: Mapungubwe National Park City: Limpopo Province Longitude: 29.2389° E

II.

Country: South Africa Latitude: 22.1925° S

PERSONS RESPONSIBLE: A.Architect/Planner [Name and address of architect(s), architectural firm(s), or other person(s) responsible for the project; for joint projects, be sure to indicate the name of the principal designer(s) at the end of this section. (Other project staff should be listed as project affiliates in section C of the record.)] Name : Peter Rich Architects with Michael Ramage and John Ochsendorf Mailing address : 9 Escombe Ave, Parktown City : Johannesburg Postal code : 2193 South Africa Country : Telephone : +27 (11) 726 6151 Facsimile : Email : [email protected] Principal Designer. Peter Rich Website : http://www.peterricharchitects.co.za

B.Client [Name of the individual, company or institution who commissioned the project. If the project owner is different from the client, or if the current users of the building are not the client, please note their name(s) as project affiliates in section C. If the main client is the local, regional or national government, please indicate the responsible government ministry or department. Where known, please indicate the name of the individual responsible within the ministry or department.]

Name : Antoinet van Wyk, General Manager: Infrastructure & Special Projects, South African National Parks Mailing address : PO Box 787 City : Pretoria Postal code : 0001 South Africa Country : Telephone : +27 (012) 426 5126 +27 (012) 426 5446 Facsimile : Email : [email protected]

C.Project Affiliates/Consultants [Please list the other key people involved in the project and indicate their roles and responsibilities, e.g. engineers, consultants, contractors, economists, master craftsmen, technicians, site supervisors, other architects, clients, etc. who have played a significant role in the project. Please cite their addresses and contact details on a separate sheet.] Name Michael Ramage and John Ochsendorf

Role Designers and Structural Engineers, tile vaults

Timothy Hall

Architect

Henry Fagan

Structural Engineer, overall project

James Bellamy

Vault construction training and supervision

Usna Bouer and DHRC

Contractor and Quantity Surveyor

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3953.SAF Add the Project code number HERE

III.

TIMETABLE [Please specify year and month for both commencement and completion of each step in the design and construction processes. For large projects, or for those completed in phases, indicate the dates for the first phase and for each subsequent phase, and clearly note which phases of the project have been completed.] Competition Dec 2005

A.Commission B.Design

Start March 2006

Completion August 2007

C.Construction

Start October 2007

Completion June 2009

D.Occupancy

Official Opening 09/12

Remarks:

IV.

AREAS AND SURFACES [Please specify in square metres.The total combined floor area should include basement(s), ground floor(s) and any and all upper floors. If you wish to provide details for any particular elements within the overall project, please use and attach a separate sheet.] A.Total site area B.Ground floor area

Not known; land is part of a National Park 1130 m2

2750 m2 C.Total combined floor area (Including basement(s), ground floor(s) and all upper floors) Remarks:

V.

ECONOMICS [Specify the amount, currency and date of transaction. Please indicate the amount both in U.S. dollars and in the local currency, along with the exchange rate used.] Amount in local currency

Amount in US dollars

A.Total initial budget B.Cost of land

Not known

C.Total actual costs (Without land)

16,450,000 ZAR; USD 1,875,000 (Google currency conversion 09/10/2012)

D.Actual cost (Per square metre)

5,981 ZAR/m2; USD 681/m2

Remarks:

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3953.SAF Add the Project code number HERE

VI.

PROJECT DESCRIPTION [Describe the nature and function of the project. For example, how did the project come about; what was the initial brief from the client; what is the guiding idea behind the project; were there any major constraints on the development of the design? How do you move through the building and how does it relate to its surroundings?] The Building and Programme Description Sited at the confluence of the Limpopo and Shashe Rivers, the Mapungubwe National Park celebrates the site of an ancient civilization linked to the Great Zimbabwe trading culture in the context of a natural setting that re-establishes the indigenous fauna and flora of this region. The dramatic rocky landscape of the park is a result of violent geological events that resulted in the Limpopo River changing its course from flowing into the Atlantic Ocean to discharging into the Indian Ocean. Sandstone formations, mopane woodlands and unique riverine forest and baobab trees form the astounding scenic backdrop for a rich variety of animal life. Elephant, giraffe, white rhino, eland, gemsbok and numerous other antelope species occur naturally in the area. Archaeological finds of gold, beads and Ivory have provided unequivocal evidence of the presence of a technologically advanced ancient civilization. The area was inhabited by a growing Iron Age community from 900 AD that became rich through trade with faraway places including Egypt, India and China. Here on Mapungubwe Hill the famous Golden Rhino was found – an iconic intricate golden object that has become emblematic of the greatness of southern Africa before colonialism. The site became one of national and historical significance and was awarded World Heritage status. The Interpretation Centre is located close to the park entrance, set against the side of a mesa. The ceremonial centre of this civilization is located on a sister mesa one kilometer away from the site, and is the visual climax of the architectural experience orchestrated by the design of the Centre. Numerous contesting land claims from different tribal groups were lodged which made cohesive community consultation difficult. Overt reference to any tribal vernacular was ill advised in this context. As a result Peter turned to the dramatic and complex landscape for inspiration, which also became the source of most of the materials for its construction. The resulting composition of structures is authentically rooted in their location. An equilateral triangle provides the primary ordering of the building defining a route that climbs the hill gently, ramping through the building and up to the top of the mesa. This underlying order is a subtle reference to triangular motifs etched on stones uncovered on Mapungubwe Hill. The heart of the Interpretation Centre is visually contained by hollow domed cairns that mark changes of direction evoking route-markers found in Southern African cultures. Inspired by the economy found in nature vaulted forms are adopted – a simple expression of natural forces and materials. The vaults delicately rest in the undulating landscape and ‘billow’, exposing the arched edges of their thin shells, an analogy to the archaeological revelation of past cultures. Three vaults are explored – a rectangular large span vault (15m x 8 m), a domed vault (topping the round cairns) and a low arched vault (built as permanent formwork for floor slabs above). These are choreographed to create a series of wonderful sacred cave-like interior spaces and well-defined external areas containing exhibition and learning spaces. Africans believe in the veldt being a place of danger and fertility. Here the buildings envelop external spaces– creating shelter and safety. The domical language of vaults is contrasted by the delicate walkways that create a zigzagging ramped route through the complex. The visitor’s first view, across a seasonal stream, is of the chameleon-like vaulted forms springing directly from the land on robust buttresses. Volumes are linked by terraced seating, contrasting the structured horizontality of the contours with the diaphanous domes and arches. The surfacing of all of the masonry in local rubble stone creates a timeless quality, as if they had erupted from the earth in a geological event similar to that which created the mesas of the site and Mapungubwe Hill. The route provides the visitor with a multiplicity of experiences, evoking the complex social interactions of the many cultures that have traversed the site. The strong southern light is tempered by rusted steel screens that echo the network of branches of indigenous trees; horizontally slatted natural timber evokes traditional shade structures. The arrival point is marked by the first of the hollow cairns, lit by an oculus that reveals the path of the sun. The experience of the internal exhibition space is cavernous and bathed in half light, articulated by the exposed tiles made from the local soil. Light is filtered through fused coloured glass, with dappled patterns reflected from the ponds that cool the air that naturally ventilates the buildings. The termination of this central space is a second cairn, representing the sunset and housing the golden rhinoceros that has become a Southern African icon. Visitors have a choice of route: ramp and stair, internal and external, to move into the upper levels of the vaulted spaces. The route continues outside crossing terraced and covered spaces, leading up the mesa to the highest part of the site and affording a view across a flat expanse to Mapungubwe Hill in the distance, with its backdrop of the Limpopo River. The project’s agenda extends beyond the presentation of ancient and more recent history of the area to awaken an understanding of the vulnerability of the local ecology. The problem of a remote site coupled with a high local unemployment rate and complex contesting tribal land claims also had to be taken into account. These are manifested in the choice of technology, the language of the building, the materials and construction process in which unemployed local people were trained in the manufacture of stabilized earth tiles and in building the tile vaults. The resulting knowledge has been accepted into the culture of the region. Thus, the Centre is not only emblematic of the site, Africa and its unique place in the origin of the world, but also has become part of a story that is still unfolding, of culture developing in symbiosis with its natural legacy.

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3953.SAF Add the Project code number HERE VII.

MATERIALS, CONSTRUCTION AND TECHNOLOGY [Describe the principal materials used and indicate the basic construction technology. What are the innovative features of the project, if any?] The vaulting, designed and developed in collaboration with Michael Ramage of the University of Cambridge and John Oschendorf of MIT, extends the Valencian tradition of tile vaulting, a 700-year-old construction system (believed to have originated in North Africa), to create lightweight and durable buildings from thin soil-cement bricks. Load-bearing masonry is used to construct roof vaults achieving high structural strength with minimal material. The largest free-form vaults span 14.5m with an unreinforced masonry vault of 300mm thickness. Fired-clay bricks are replaced with less energy intensive stabilized earth tiles, which have a well-established tradition in sustainable practice in Southern Africa. In addition to being structurally efficient, elegantly simple and environmentally sustainable, tile vaults have great advantages for construction in developing areas. When compared to conventional construction, this system offers material and financial savings, waste reduction, and local employment with transferable outputs and skills for future projects. For this project, structural masonry of tile vaults is introduced to South Africa, for the first time combining tile vaulting with locally made stabilized earth tiles that have a low embodied energy. The lack of steel reinforcement simplifies construction, lowers cost and reduces embodied energy. The vaults are built with minimal support, saving time, money and resources on formwork. The Centre represents a significant step forward in developing innovative structures and materials for sustainable construction. The tile vaults at Mapungubwe are doubly-curved structural masonry shells that were built with minimal formwork. The museum complex includes ten free-form vaults, the largest of which spans 14.5 meters, and a number of regular barrel vaults and domes used as permanent formwork for floor slabs. The structural form of the building was designed using computational analysis - with innovative equilibrium methods based on graphic statics, allowing the structural engineer to continually relate the forces in the structure to its form. During the course of the design development the initial sketches evolved from single curvature barrel vaults to doubly curving parabolic structural forms. From an engineering perspective, computational techniques are used to determine the structural geometries for the vaulting. This ensures that adequate safety factors can be achieved for unreinforced thin shells constructed with low strength tiles. By avoiding the need for reinforcement, the process of construction is simplified, the cost of imported materials is lowered, and the embodied energy of the building is reduced. The shells have low stresses of about 1.5 MPa acting in compression only, and the soil-cement tiles have an average strength of 5 MPa. The three-dimensional thrust surfaces are based on two dimensional thrust lines cut through the high apex which are then aggregated perpendicularly to span across the lower “eyebrow” vaults. The initial geometry was determined with a two-dimensional interactive thrust line analysis. Finally, thrust network analysis was used to verify the three-dimensional equilibrium. The lateral thrust of the vaults is highest across the “eyebrows” because they aggregate the loads across the long span. In the biggest vaults the horizontal thrust can be as high as 400 kN. The thrust is resolved with steel tension ties embedded in reinforced concrete buttresses. The thrust across the longer span is resisted and transferred to the ground by the buttresses. Steel tension ties across the barrel vaults (which are acting as permanent formwork for floor slabs) resolve a thrust of 125 KN per meter of vault. After using the dead and live loads to develop the initial structural geometry, reasonable asymmetric loads are applied to determine the thickness and degree of curvature for the vaults. Here a compressive solution is adopted that lies wholly within the thickness of the masonry. The areas of highest compressive stress are checked against the material strength of the tiles to make sure there is a sufficient margin of safety. The vaults become more stable with greater load on them, so the stone that had to be removed from the site was broken into small pieces and used as ballast providing protection to the waterproofing layer, helping the building blend into the surrounding landscape, and ensuring that gravity loads are dominant over wind loads. Using what could have been a waste product had significant architectural and structural benefits. Mapungubwe is a remote site more than six hours drive from Johannesburg, so building with local materials and local labor made economic and ecological sense. Three primary tasks comprise the vault building: tile-making, guide work construction, and tile laying. The client, SANParks, managed the process of tile-making in the year prior to construction of the vaults using government poverty-relief funding, while the guide work carpentry and vault masonry construction was managed by the general contractor. In both construction processes low income, low skilled and unemployed local labour was used. Tile vaults rely on fast-setting gypsum mortar and thin tiles laid on edge. This Mediterranean vaulting method is not in common use today, but between 1880 and 1960 over 1000 buildings in North America were built this way by the Guastavino Company. The tiles are stuck together using limited structural formwork and geometrical guide work only to define the shape. The rapid set of the mortar and the structural shape allows the mason to span between guides, relying on structural action to develop while the building is under construction. This building system could have an important future in southern Africa and other areas of the world where labor costs are relatively low in relation to material costs. The vaulting is usually made from thin fired bricks or tiles, joined together by gypsum mortar and Portland cement. A typical vault is 3-4 layers of tile thick with the first layer bonded by gypsum mortar and subsequent layers with Portland cement. At Mapungubwe earth tiles are used instead of fired clay tiles. While stabilized earth has a well-established tradition with close links to sustainable practice (pioneered by Peter Rich Architects' work with Hydraform), at Mapungubwe it is used to create sophisticated engineered forms through the adaptation of a simple hand press to manufacture tiles of sufficient strength for vaulting. In this way, an established structural system and a well-known material are brought together for a novel solution.

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3953.SAF Add the Project code number HERE VIII. PROJECT SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT [How would you describe the project’s significance? Describe the project as it is today – who uses it and how is it used? Describe the aspects of the project that represent a particular achievement (e.g. a technical, economic or social achievement or the project’s response to culture, climate etc.)] We build from the soil of the site. It's not only sustainable, but also beautiful. Mapungubwe's achievement is a demonstration of the possibilities of integrating architectural, social, engineering and environmental ideals. The first tile vaults built in Southern Africa were a series of small test vaults to teach local labourers the bricklaying technique. The Department of Environment and Tourism (DEAT) provided funding to SANParks for poverty relief, meaning a certain percentage of jobs had to be created for unskilled, unemployed labourers. The tile making and tile laying took advantage of this and employed both male and female unskilled labourers from the surrounding communities. The training was initiated by Peter Rich and Ramage/Oschendorf - who provided the skills of an expert mason, James Bellamy (from New Zealand), who remained on site for 8 months. Bellamy trained with Spanish vault builders while constructing a tile-vaulted dome in England. He, with Michael, led the intensive training process of guidework construction and tile laying. Although it took some time to gain expertise and to master the nuances of laying delicate tiles in fast-setting gypsum mortar, the results from the initial vaults, one tile thick and built in two days, were impressive. In a short period of time, the masons gained enough skill to begin laying the soffit of the first vault using tiles set with gypsum, while those who were still learning laid tiles for the subsequent layers in cement-based mortar on the outside of the soffit, which could now be used as formwork for the rest of the vault. The SANParks office component of 3 interlinked vaults was used as a prototype. Following the successful construction of this building, the contractor and his team had enough skills to tackle the remaining vaults. Materials: The proposal used about 85% local materials. Small (15%) quantities of carbon rich materials were used when compared to the 40% (concrete) -100% (steel) of a conventional solution. Embodied energy: By using thin tile vaults instead of reinforced concrete at Mapungubwe, we saved an estimated 9 m3 of steel, resulting in a savings of almost 120,000 kg CO2 emissions for manufacture alone. Using local earth bricks instead of fired clay saved the energy that would have been used to fire over 200,000 tiles. Significant amounts of CO2 were saved by radically limiting transportation of materials. Labour intensive construction reduced polluting machinery (sourced from afar) with small format construction methods that have minimal impact on the surrounding environment. This intensive construction involved skills training which has had a positive impact on the socio-economics of the local area consistent with government strategies for targeting development to local communities. The poverty reduction programme employed a two dozen people for a year making tiles. The construction of the vaults employed a further 80 local people for 8 months. Overall, the project employed 160 out-of-work people for 27 months, including the establishment of 6 small contracting businesses. Cost: During contract negotiation, the vaults were costed by the client against an equivalent structure in reinforced concrete. The tile-vaults were estimated to be 30% cheaper than concrete. However, between estimating costs and construction, the price of steel rose over 200% due to demand throughout South Africa and the world. This would have had a much more significant impact on the project if the vaults used steel in the structure -- but they don’t. Furthermore, it turned out to be difficult to source carpentry skills to work at the remote site. The formwork to build equivalent shaped structures in concrete would have been incredibly expensive to make. If repeated in the same vicinity there would be a further reduction of cost due to the reduction of costed risk and the transfer of knowledge and skills attained. Lifespan: The proposal has a life span of 250 years. The use of fairfaced, robust and natural materials significantly reduces the costs of future maintenance. Environmental performance: The Centre's heavy weight and exposed construction has significant passive environmental benefits. Here the exposed, thick construction absorbs thermal shock and acts as a radiant surface, transmitting the ‘coolth’ from the nighttime ambient temperatures over the day. A displacement ventilation system introducing tempered air (cooled from the ground) allows air to rise naturally as it heats to be expelled at the apex of the vaults (The passive cooling system was designed and effectively implemented in the SANParks headquarters building, but not in the main Centre due to demands of exhibition directors and museum standards to have a supplementary forced air controlled environment.) The vaulted forms allow natural light to penetrate deeply into the building, further reducing energy expenditure. The technology avoids the potential large embodied energy of a conventional solution in such a remote site by using predominantly local materials. Except for the cement added to the earth to give the tiles strength and used in the mortar layers between the tiles, all materials (earth, sand, gravel and stones) came from within a few kilometers of the building site. The use of vaulting and other ‘forms found in nature’ inspired by the dramatic landscape avoids any overt references to any potentially controversial tribal vernacular (the area has many contesting land claims between different tribal groups). By reducing or eliminating steel in the vault construction we aim for a longer life span without concern for deterioration due to rust. The heavyweight construction has passive environmental benefits over a more conventional solution. The building does not only cost at least 30% less than a conventional solution but benefits the local population through using predominantly local labour with the added benefit of a tangible skills transfer. This groundbreaking fusion of tile vaulting with pressed soil technology and its adaptation to engage low skilled, unemployed labour offers a practical example of sustainable building in the developing world. Peter and Michael (though the foundation of a sister company Light Earth Designs LLP) have applied the approach to different building types and climates (designs are due to be constructed for a sports complex in Rwanda, a lodge in Ethiopia, and a school and cultural centre for women in South Africa), but Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre remains the only permanent building built using this technique to date. The future is exciting with Light Earth Designs LLP formalising skills training and transfer, poverty relief and construction management and contracting in a single entity. We will demonstrate further that highly engineered, progressive and beautiful building envelopes can be built using local labour and materials.

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Mapungubwe Interpretive Centre

Project Affiliates and Consultants

Michael Ramage Department of Architecture Cambridge University 1 Scroope Terrace Cambridge CB2 1PX United Kingdom

DHCT Deon van Niekerk, Quantity Surveyor, PO Box 6659 Ansfrere, 1711 South Africa

+44 (0)1223 760 121 [email protected]

+27 (0)11 763 8991 [email protected]

John Ochsendorf Department of Architecture Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Ave Cambridge MA 02139 USA

USNA Bouers Piet C P van Staden Contractor for Mapungubwe PO Box 4464 Louis Trichardt, 0920 South Africa

+1 617 253 4087 [email protected]

+27 (0)84 516 1441 +27 (0)15 516 2314 [email protected]

Timothy Hall DfID Kigali BFPO 5768 HA4 6EP United Kingdom +250 78 422 4265 [email protected] Henry Fagan & Partners Consulting Structural Engineers 154 Bree Street Cape Town, 8001 South Africa +27 (021) 423 0873 [email protected] James Bellamy 21 Anzac Road Whangarei New Zealand [email protected]

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MAPUNGUBWE INTERPRETATION CENTRE MAPUNGUBWE WORLD HERITAGE SITE, LIMPOPO, 2008-2011

WORLD BUILDING OF THE YEAR 2009

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Mapungubwe Interpretive Centre

WORLD BUILDING OF THE YEAR 2009

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3953.SAF Add the Project code number HERE

Document C

MATERIALS IDENTIFICATION FORM Provide a full list of all material being submitted (CD, DVD, Books, etc.) No.

Description

Remarks

3953.SAF AR: Architect's Record of the project

All materials submitted via WeTransfer due to file size. 3953. SAF also sent by email

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3953.SAF Mandatory Materials.zip: contains AR, 2 A3 Presentation Panels, images and thumbnails, material and image lists, Peter Rich and Michael Ramage CVs.

All the required materials in one place

3

3953.SAF Optional Materials.zip: contains 3 Additional Presentation Panels, Bibiliography, award list and websites referring to project, Construction sequence time lapse video, Brick '12 project video

Supplemental materials that help describe the project

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