Worm Integrated Center by Hactor Kabo Malete is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2023 A' Design Award in Architecture, Building and Structure Design Competition Category.
IronArchitecture· 2023
Worm Integrated Center
Client: Hactor K. Malete
A' Design Award Winner in Architecture Category
Verified Award Winner
Verify Award Status for #151138The Design
About Worm Integrated Center
In the history Botswana's culture, Mophane worm has always been one of the local delicacies. The design concept was inspired by Mophane Worm. The geometric form of the building mimics the body shape of the worm. This Worm lives its life as a worm on Mophane Tree. This relationship between Mophane Worm and Mophane Tree was translated into how the building relates to the natural vegetation surrounding it. The building's connection to nature and natural landscape was crucial in the design. Furthermore, the use of local natural material evokes the character of Tswana vernacular Architecture.
The Recognition
About the A' Design Award
Worm Integrated Center is an Iron A' Design Award winner, a prestigious recognition granted to good designs that meet the professional and industrial requirements expected from well-designed creations. Iron winners demonstrate great skill, high specialization, expert understanding, and creative capacity of their creators. Worm Integrated Center is expected to be a highly regarded, admired, and cherished creation that is practical and innovative. This Iron A' Design Award-winning design integrates industry best practices and has competent technical characteristics linked with know-how and talent. Worm Integrated Center is respected for its thoroughness and is designed to provide quality of life improvements that help make the world a better place.
Interviews
Design Interview
What is the main principle, idea and inspiration behind your design?
This design I did has been nicknamed ‘The Worm’. This is because, it was inspired by one of Botswana’s local delicacies – Mophane worm. Of pivotal importance is the relationship between Mophane worm and Mophane tree in particular. This relationship was translated into how the building commands a harmonious dialogue between itself and the natural vegetation surrounding it. This dialogue is established through the use of scale, material as well as physical and visual interaction/connection between interior of the building and outdoor natural landscape. Creating a building that resonates with this worm further gives the building a sense of cultural significance. The two distinct features (thatched roof and the circular form) evoke traditional Tswana Architecture.
The formal expression of the building is derived from the physique/body shape and posture of mophane worm. The main body of the worm was translated into the floating and overarching roof that covers all indoor spaces below it. The moving multiple legs of the worm are the flexible and openable see-through walls that open to the courtyard as well as the outside natural environment.
What has been your main focus in designing this work? Especially what did you want to achieve?
May main focus was designing a building that relates well with nature and also rooted in the local culture.
What are your future plans for this award winning design?
My future plan is to enter this design for more awards and competitions. The client’s aim is to start building the design towards the end of the year 2023 or early 2024
Grand Interview
Your innovative interpretation of the Mophane worm's form in the Worm Integrated Center creates a striking architectural statement - could you elaborate on how this cultural symbol influenced your spatial arrangement decisions?
The harmonious relationship harmonious relationship between Mophane worm and Mophane tree has evoked the use of free flowing spaces that ‘spill’ to the outside. This necessitated the use of largely openable facades that are also glass to create both visual and physical connection between the inside and outside spaces.
The relationship between the Mophane worm and Mophane tree appears central to the Worm Integrated Center's design philosophy - how did this natural symbiosis shape your approach to integrating the building with its surrounding landscape?
This dialogue/natural symbiosis is established through scale, use of geometry, material as well as physical and visual interaction/connection between interior of the building and outdoor natural landscape. The building winds itself in a circular form and ‘disappears’ into the natural landscape with facades largely openable to the surrounding. The circular form derived from the structural form of the worm, makes it easy to create habitable spaces that are shielded from the external weather elements. In this manner, the wall membranes between the outside and inside can be all open regardless of the weather conditions. This creates a building that’s intricately connected to the natural environment surrounding it.
The Worm Integrated Center's horseshoe shape creates a protected courtyard space - what inspired you to translate the defensive posture of the Mophane worm into this architectural feature, and how does it enhance the user experience?
This creates a safe haven for users that prefer to sit and use the outside spaces, to do so without having to worry about weather conditions. This courtyard is usable regardless on any harsh weather condition. Users are able to use outdoor spaces anytime they will. The further blurred line between the outdoor and indoor spaces allow the users sitting inside to experience the outdoor spaces at the same time.
Behind the Design
Press Kit
Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.
- Unique Properties
- The building consists of the restaurant, bar, gym, central courtyard with leisure pool. It assumes a horse shoe shape of Mophane worm, creating a central circular courtyard with leisure pool and relaxing spaces. The outside façade of the building also opens up towards the natural landscape. The building opens up to both the courtyard and the natural landscape outside. Roughly 70 percent of the façade of the building consists of glazing for visual and physical connection to the exterior.
- Dimensions & Packaging
- The building is 1 180 square meters excluding the courtyard and the swimming pool areas. Primary building materials used for construction are natural and promote sustainability and healthy relationship with the natural environment. They promote natural cooling, ventilation, lighting and cost saving. These include, compressed earth blocks masonry, thatched roof, gum poles. Some of the feature walls are made of stones sourced locally. Glass walls were used for visual connection
- Tags
- Entertainment centre, mophane worm, the worm, natural landscape, mophane tree
- Production Technology
- The geometric form of the building is derived from and composed from the shape of Mophane worm. The main body of the worm was translated into the floating and overarching roof that covers all indoor spaces below it. The moving multiple legs of the worm were translated into the flexible and openable glass walls that open to the courtyard and also the outside natural environment.
- Design Challenge
- The hardest part of this task was creating a building that resembles the form of Mophane worm and at the same translating the relationship between Mohape Worm and Mophane Tree into how the building relates to the natural landscape around it. The Architect had to further make sure that this is not purely a literal exercise of artistic expression but it also further primarily has an effect on the spatial arrangement and relationship.
- Research
- In Botswana’s history, Mophane worm has always been one of the local delicacies and staple foods. Residents also harvest the worm to sell it in order to sustain their lives. Creating a building that resonates with this worm gives the building a cultural significance. The building’s dominant feature which is the roof is made of thatch which reflects traditional Tswana huts. The circular character of the building also connects to the circular forms that always dominate traditional Tswana huts
- Inspiration
- The design was inspired by nature, Mophane Worm in particular. This worm is a local delicacy in Botswana. The building is designed to mimic the body shape of the worm. The Worm lives its life as a worm on Mophane Tree. This relationship between Mophane Worm and Mophane Tree was further translated to how the building relates to the natural vegetation surrounding it. The connection of the building to the natural landscape was crucial in the design.
- Project Duration
- This project has not been built yet. However, the client has indicated that he is intending to commence construction sometime towards the end of the year 2023. The design took 2 months to complete, including technical documentation. The site for the project is in the outskirts of a small town called Letlhakane in Botswana
- Operation Flow
- The building assumes a horse-shoe shape, which is the shape of Mophane Worm when it protects itself against potential external harm or prey. The worm usually coils and creates a safe haven for itself in that horse-shoe shape. This building therefore creates a central protected courtyard where outdoor leisure activities happen. This is where the leisure pool is located. The activities are protected from harsh weather. Indoor activities are all arranged around this courtyard.
Sponsored
Explore Beyond Designers.org
Discover products, services and opportunities from our advertising partners.
More to Explore
Related Designs
Explore more award-winning designs from the same category, selected by merit.
