African project New Library – Malawi
an iconic marker
Steven Holl Architects ’ design for a new library at the centre of a new campus in Malawi has been approved by The Miracle for Africa Foundation .
The 66 000 sq . ft . library is organized via a section that provides maximum reflected light to the interior with optimum solar PV collection on the roofs . Natural light bouncing off curved prefabricated roof structures made of Ductile concrete form space like a “ field within a field .”
The free plan library has meeting rooms and archives encased in glass for humidity control . A central rain collecting pool demarks the main circulation desk and ripples through the roof geometry like a wave field in cloud-like light . The construction will utilize local stone and bamboo and local labour . Screens of locally crafted bamboo define the building perimeter leaving a shaded arcade space all around .
This library will be the initial construction of a new campus whose plan morphology has been inspired by paintings of a Malawi batik artist . The client , Mr . Y . K . Chung , chairman of the Miracle for Africa Foundation , made the following comments following the design presentation : “ There is great excitement about this project as an artistic masterpiece , and about the solar energy concept as it works with maximal light , ventilation , and humidity control . I ’ m astonished at the consideration and interpretation of Malawian batik art , the reflective pool , waves in a field of light , and the philosophical axes of the campus . This project is historic , the library will be an iconic marker for a great moment in the architectural history of Malawi and for all of Africa ; especially Malawi , which has been away from modern civilization for so long .”
Malawi , called “ The Warm Heart of Africa ” has a population of 16.7 million . It is among the smallest countries in Africa ( Lake Malawi is 1 / 3 its area ) and it is among the world ’ s least developed countries with the world ’ s lowest income per person ( according to World Bank Report ). The Miracle for Africa Foundation aims to serve the people of Malawi
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