Eastgate Centre building

About the Product

Product Phase: Available

Inspiring Strategy

Ventilated nests remove heat and gas: mound-building termites >

Product or process

The Eastgate Centre is a shopping center and office building located in Harare, Zimbabwe.

Challenges solved

Purchase, installation, and maintenance of an air conditioning system for a building in Zimbawe has immediate and long-term costs. The challenge was to create a self-regulating ventilation system that would keep the building at temperatures that are comfortable for workers and residents.

Differences from existing products

Mick Pearce worked with the construction company Arup to design the structure, which is passively cooled and does not require a fuel-based air conditioning system. The $35 million building saved 10% on costs up-front by not purchasing an air conditioning system. Rents are less expensive in this building compared to nearby buildings because of the savings in energy costs.

The biomimicry story

Pierce was inspired by thermal control found in termite mounds.