The Ziboliboli Art Centre

The Polytechnic, University of Malawi

Project idea

PROJECT GOAL
To create a large scale art center for artists in Malawi. The art center would give exposure to local artists and in return help in preserving Malawian art for generations to come. The project was conceptualized as a response to the problem of poor art exposure in Blantyre City of Malawi and Malawi as a whole.
SECONDARY GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
1. Inclusion of an art school to train and teach younger generations Malawian art and also give them a voice.
2. Be all/majority art inclusive and not just one form of art. The center includes arts like painting, sculpting, music, photography and more.
3. Include communal spaces like restaurants, exhibition halls, library and conference halls to allow multipurpose and for the center to generate more revenue.

Project description

SCOPE
The project mainly included the art related spaces but was made even bigger with other secondary spaces like restaurants, libraries, performance and movie theater, conference spaces and an art school.
The project comprised of 9 storeys; 4 levels of underground parking and 5 floors for the other primary and secondary functions.
In terms of proposed buildings materials, the majority of the envelope uses concrete block for the walls and the curvature of the 'shield' shell/roof is fibre reinforced concrete supported with a steel web structure. The openings use aluminium framing and glass.

Technical information

TECHNICAL DRAWINGS ATTACHED
Site Plan
Floor Plans
Elevations
3D Visualizations
Context
Concept and Form
Free hand Sketches

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