Comments on: Green Building in Zimbabwe Modeled After Termite Mounds

By: Inhabitat » BIOWAVE: Biomimicry Solution for Ocean Power

Inhabitat » BIOWAVE: Biomimicry Solution for Ocean Power — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:30:03 +0000

[...] Biomimicry – or designs based on natural systems – is one of the most intriguing methods for designers and engineers to create innovative and efficient solutions to problems. Inspired by forms and functions found in nature, this approach to sustainable design allows for environmentally friendly solutions for energy, waste reduction and a bevy of other design challenges. Using biomimicry as the guiding design principle, the Australian firm BioPower Systems has developed Biowave: an ocean power system that harnesses energy by mimicking the motion of underwater plants in the ocean currents to generate electricity. [...]

By: Khadija

Khadija — Sun, 27 Jan 2008 11:16:12 +0000

is it possible to get permission to use the above images in a related article i’m writing?

By: Eno

Eno — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 11:15:51 +0000

I am glad that architects are looking to alternative solutions to design problems that can save the earth for disaster, and I am glad the alternative methods are functional and cheaper. With many more projects like this, maybe we just might survive…

By: Norbert

Norbert — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 16:29:42 +0000

The Biomimicry Institute link after the article duplicates the link for the TED talk. The correct link is http://biomimicryinstitute.org.

By: Patrick Schofield

Patrick Schofield — Tue, 18 Dec 2007 10:06:59 +0000

I’ve spent time in this building (I’m from Zimbabwe) – it is quite beautiful and I recall being very excited when it was built. It’s true that Mugabe has lead Zim to the edge of the abyss, but pls remember that Zimbabwe was in a period of economic growth & prosperity when this building was constructed. It was a real celebration of innovative design and reflected the extraordinary intellectual capital that had grown in Zimbabwe – hence the location is neither ironic or ‘disgusting’ within the context of the era in which it was completed.
Now the once bustling shopping mall is largely empty – the ‘ants’ have left for greener pastures !
Anyone interested in termites & their extraordinary social structure should read a wonderful book by the South African Naturalist, Eugene Marais, titled, ‘The Soul of the White Ant’.

By: SC

SC — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 17:33:47 +0000

Heartbreakingly ironic location for such forward-thinking ideas as even now, prime minister Mugabe purposefully drives his own people into starvation and trains children to kill (http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/panorama/3479353.stm)

If you follow the money, you find the client that commissioned this amazing building is City Centre Properties (Pvt) Ltd, which is owned by Old Main. Old Main, a financial company, is named along with Barclays and others as having provided loans to keep Mugabe’s regime alive, e.g. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/world/story/0,,2000349,00.html#article_continue.

Even the architect of this brilliant project (who has designed many buildings in Zimbabwe) has to work outside of Zimbabe because of the political climate: http://www.corenetglobalausnz.com/Text/1176773185461-3916/pC/1141013992186-5167/ (interview with architect)

By: Biomimicry Guild

Biomimicry Guild — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 22:35:42 +0000

In addition to the Biomimicry Institute, you can find more information about biomimicry and biomimetic ideation at the Biomimicry Guild.

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 14 Dec 2007 03:37:06 +0000

Termites are amazing and very successfull at living lightly in large communities. Not sure but their maybe more termites/ant on the earth than humans in biomass! This principle of biomimicry was also used in the design for CH2 in Melbourne – check it out – Also the principle architect was South African?

By: C

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 10:51:28 +0000

I am NOT surprised that this ingenious knowledge could and does come from African countries like Zimbabwe, there are some incredibly talented people in Africa. And yes they are STARVING AND DYING in Zimbabwe… so hearing about a brilliantly designed SHOPPING MALL, is really ironic and disgusting.

By: AlienFarmer

AlienFarmer — Tue, 11 Dec 2007 09:25:24 +0000

Really cool idea! Who knew termites were such ingenious little buggers. I think the idea of cooling tubes has been used before, but I have never seen it used to this degree. Simply amazing!

AlienFarmer
http://www.SolarCoupons.com

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 21:13:33 +0000

Eastgate was built sometime in the early 1990s. When I lived in Harare (in the late 90s) it was full of offices and shops, and did indeed stay quite cool. Also, it had a killer deli on the second floor with really great salads.

By: Brian

Brian — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 16:27:58 +0000

Based on the description – Wicked cool! Cooling tubes and other ideas like this have been around for a long time, but it seems like this is a project that actually managed to make it functional and practical for its locale. Nice!

By: Will

Will — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 12:32:45 +0000

I’m not at all surprised that we can learn from the Termites, though of course there is a wild beauty to their own brainless skills.
I am very surprised that the first place to utilize this knowledge is Zimbabwe, most of whose inhabitants are, from what I hear, on the brink of starvation.