Ousting 17 other companies from Europe, USA and Africa, SHoP Architects was awarded first prize for their design of the Botswana Innovation Hub. The 270,000 sqf office and research building will be a testament to Botswana’s support of research, as well as her promotion of innovation and entrepreneurship.
More about the winning design after the break.
As the hub is comprised of state of the art laboratory spaces for “technology-drive and knowledge-intensive foreign and local businesses,” it seems only fitting that SHoP incorporate the latest green technology available. The most dominate sustainable technique is SHoP’s “energy blanket” roofscape – a system that combines passive and active systems. Large overhangs passively shade the building’s interior volumes, while mechanisms collect and re-use water, and both passive and active photovoltaic systems harness solar energy. With this new roof, the passive and active systems will offset at least half of the building’s operational energy costs.
PROJECT FACTS
Client: Botswana Development Corporation
Location of Project: Gabarone, Botswana, Africa
Phase: In Design
Type of Project: Commercial / Research
Project Size: 270,000 SF building area / 57 hectare site
PROJECT CREDITS (Competition Team)
Architect: SHoP Architects New York, NY including Jen Conway, Zach Downey, Kevin Fennell, Steven Garcia, Tyler Goss, Shannon Han, Rem Koning, Chris Lee, Ayumi Sugiyama, Andrea Vittandini
Principals: Christopher R. Sharples,William W. Sharples, Coren D. Sharples,Kimberly J. Holden, Gregg A. Pasquarelli
Structural Engineer: Arup
MEP Engineer: Buro Happold
Sustainability Consulting: Buro Happold
Civil and Geotechnical Engineer: Langan
Landscape Architect: Hood Design
Virtual Design & Constructionand Integration Services: SHoP Construction
