T
he centre, designed by wellknown Namibian architect Nina
Maritz, offers plenty from a
design point of view, as does the
structural and civil engineering handled
by Buhrmann & Partners. All electricalmechanical engineering was carried
out by Emcon and G S Fainsinger &
Associates, while De Leeuw Namibia was
the quantity surveyor and Groenewald
Properties the building contractor.
Initiated by the Ministry of Regional
and Local Government, Housing and
Rural Development in 2002, the centre
was opened in 2004.
Design aspects
According to Maritz, the HRDC’s design
is based on the metaphor of a pangolin,
with overlapping “scales” as protection
against Namibia’s heat, complete with a
soft, inner core.
The public wing features a kitchen,
library and exhibition hall which faces
north – keeping it cool in summer and
warm in winter, while making the most
of the predominant wind direction. The
roofs, which remind one of butterfly
wings, are of corrugated steel - they not
only catch wind and act as ventilators,
but have also become synonymous with
the centre.
Smart energy use
Around 60% of the centre’s energy
needs come from the sun thanks to
solar panels on the roof. Also, the
clever use of windows makes the most
of daylight and lights only need to be
switched on at night or on overcast
days.
FLEXIBOND
Since the centre often hosts special
First from FNB
events, the kitchen was built to make
provision for several cooking methods,
including solar box and parabolic
cookers. Various wood-efficient stoves
are also used.
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own bank
manager
Wonderful water
Besides various water-saving options,
all taps at the HRDC are have aeration
devices, while greywater from sinks and
basins is drained through filters. Roof
water is collected, stored in tanks and
sprayed through misting nozzles to cool
the centre and to irrigate the gardens.
In actual fact, one of the centre’s most
unique features is the passive downdraft
evaporative cooling system.
Earthly alternatives
During construction, various walling
systems were used, including
compressed soil-cement blocks. Since
the available soil did not have enough
clay to act as binder, a little cement
was added. The blocks were profiled
and interlock when dry-stacked without
cement. Soil came from a stockpile at
Otjomuise, a few kilometres away.
Recycled cement bricks were also
Few bonds give you control over your finances like a FlexiBond from FNB. Access surplus funds any time you
like, via the internet, an ATM or your cellphone. You can also deposit additional funds into your bond to save on
interest repayments.
Visit us on www.fnbnamibia.com.na or contact us on (061) 299 2222.