Eastgate Centre: The Urban Termite Mound Location: Harare, Zimbabwe
Built in 1996, the Eastgate Centre is a global landmark of sustainable architecture. Designed by Mick Pearce, this office and retail complex rejects the hermetic "glass tower" typology. Instead, it draws inspiration from African termite mounds to create a passive cooling system that keeps the interior comfortable without conventional air conditioning, saving massive amounts of energy while paying homage to the stone architecture of Great Zimbabwe.
Eastgate: An Ecosystem, Not a Machine
Eastgate Centre is an expression of two architectures: the "new order" of heavy masonry and the "old order" of industrial technology. The goal was not to create a "machine for living," but a living ecosystem that breathes.
The building mimics the biological intelligence of local termite mounds, which maintain a constant internal temperature despite extreme external fluctuations. Pearce applied these principles to create a building that works with the biosphere, not against it.
Tectonics: Stone and Steel
The design is a visual and functional contrast between the heavy and the light. The New Order (The Skin): The exterior is dominated by massive elements of reconstructed stone and precast concrete. These are not just aesthetic; they protect small windows from direct sun and increase the external surface area to release heat at night. The brushed granite finish mimics the lichen-covered rocks of Zimbabwe’s wild landscape. The Old Order (The Core): Inside, the atrium is a celebration of industrial engineering, featuring hanging steel bridges, visible lifts, and lattice beams that evoke the mining machinery of 19th-century settlers.
The Living Building: Natural Breathing
The ventilation system is the heart of the project. Inhalation: Low-energy fans extract fresh air from the central atrium through filters. This air is pushed upwards and distributed through hollow floors, exiting through grilles at floor level beneath the office windows. Exhalation (Stack Effect): As the air is warmed by human activity and computers, it rises toward the vaulted concrete ceilings. From there, it is sucked out through masonry ducts and expelled via 48 brick chimneys visible on the roof, mimicking the natural ventilation of a termite mound.
Data Sheet
Project: Eastgate Centre Location: Harare, Zimbabwe Architect: Mick Pearce Completion Year: 1996 Typology: Offices / Mixed Use Materials: Precast Concrete, Brick, Steel, Glass Key Concept: Biomimicry (Passive Cooling)
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