This commercial and offices building was designed following the structure of termite mounds (an example of biomimicry). It is located in Harare, Zimbabwe, where the temperature between night and day can switch by 10-14 ˚C. The termite mounds are built to be at the constant temperature of 30.5˚C, while the exterior temperature varies between 1.6˚C during night and 40˚C during day. To achieve that, the termite mound has is made of a complex network of galleries, opened on the lateral sides, as showed on the third picture (a 3d model of the galleries network). To maintain the temperature, the termites are constantly opening and closing this series of heating and cooling vents.
Information and pictures extracted from:
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2006/08/biomimetic_buil_1.php
http://www.shadowcentral.net/2005/06/index.html
http://www.epsrc.ac.uk/Stories/News35.htm
Pauline Lazareff
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