Mbare Mukuvisi Entertainment Venue

National University of Science and Technology (NUST)

Project idea

Mbare Mukuvisi Entertainment Venue is a place that is open to the public. This facility is going to be situated in Mbare, Zimbabwe which is Harare's oldest suburb. It has a vibrant percentage of youth population that are talented. This fact is proven by a lot of home music studios that are gaining popularity nationwide such as the chillspot records studio. Craft work activities are also gaining popularity in Mbare. The specific site of the project is a virgin land that is currently used for state meetings hence considerations of the community have to be incorporated in the design. The Facility aims to empower Zimbabwean children especially the youth. Empowerment is through participatory arts hence the facility includes a cinema that hosts live performances, A multi purpose hall for communal meetings and lectures. An Amphitheater is available to host outdoor performances. The facility also has gallery spaces to display art. A Restaurant, gym and line shops also feature as supporting facilities.

Project description

Film production institutions in Zimbabwe such as Chipawo takes pride in nurturing talent for example Danai Gurira is one such prominent female artist who now owns a name through Chipawo. The design borrows much from the philosophical idea of growth and nurturing talent hence the concept rooting out and shaping out. As illustrated on the concept diagram elements are rooting out and taking shape which is exactly what happens when talent is being nurtured, a person progresses from one stage to another to a stage where they own their own names.

Technical information

The design pays particular attention to public and private zones. Private zones are separated from public zones by use of transition spaces. Galleries act as transition spaces. In these gallery spaces nature is incorporated to create an interdependence between people and nature. Long facades are interrupted by sun shades to soften the glare of sunlight and heat. Seating structures in the cinema are independent of the floor slab for acoustics. Acoustics walls constructed from heavy stud work with acoustic plasterboard as well. The facility includes brick and mortar structures, ventilated facades, screen walls as well as portal frames that creates the dynamic and playful form.A Parametric roof is also included on roofing of the cinema and is held together by steel girders that are held together by steel structures.

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