Thesis Project : An Experiential Heritage Park
'Kitwe Mining Museum'
The Copperbelt University
Year - 2021
Concept - A Journey
Theme - Experiential Architecture
Museums began as an act of collections, collections of various artifacts around the world. these were private owned collections which would be showcased to a private audience. But in modern times, museums have evolved from this being institutions that preserve and showcase a societies heritage and culture and range from historical to science museum.
This project has a focus of the mining history and culture of a the Zambian people, in the mining region of the copperbelt province. The project seeks to shade more light on the life of the miners who are hardly focused on.
On an urban scale, the project is set, in a commercial zone or space, with various amenities around hence the location being in absolute favour of the type of project. The proposed landscape seeks to join places via the use of urban connections or corridors, promoting sustainability and ensuring the proposed park is utilised by the public.
Project Concept - A Journey
“Meaningful buildings always guide our consciousness back to the world and to our sense of self...noteworthy architecture makes us experience ourselves as whole embodied and spiritual beings, incorporated in the flesh of the world.”
Juhani Pallasmaa.
Juhani Pallasmaa.
Project Site - Freedom Park, Kitwe, Zambia.
Picture - Proposed final Site layout
The site has a stream across (Kitwe stream), which provides for a serene beautiful relaxing environment for the entire site and mainly the public park.
Towards the stream, a retaining wall to protect the building from stream water overflows (Which never happens).
Building Form - Plan View of an Open-pit mine
Project Development
Project Visuals
A birds eye view
Kitwe Mining Museum
Project Facade - A mixture of Patinated Copper And New Copper
Why Copper? Because of its cultural significance with the region and country, as it is the countrys biggest mined export material and copper is a sustainable material.
Elevational Views of the building.
A mixture of two shades of copper (Patinated and New)
Conceptual - Museum Restuarant Space with views of the stream and along the urban connection of the hotel and mall.
Conceptual - Back urban connection for pedestrians along the stream (Kitwe stream).
Floor to roof level curtain wall, for natural light into the basement and a tunnel view from basement level.
Basement level view of top floors.
(Concept)
Project Nature requires minimal natural light into the building, maintaining a dark and warm environment, as that of underground mine tunnels.
Museum Interiors. (Conceptual Open exhibition space with circular ramps to first floor level).
Underground exhibition space.
“TO PROVIDE MEANINGFUL ARCHITECTURE IS NOT TO PARODY HISTORY, BUT TO ARTICULATE IT.”
DANIEL LIBESKIND.
