I can’t help but notice the message this anthill-like group of vaulted magnificent landmark in the Mapungubwe National Park and World Heritage site in Limpopo could send to other world heritage sites. The Mapungubwe Interpretation Centre in South Africa by veteran architect, Peter Rich, winner of the 2010 ABSOLUT VISI Designer of the Year Award for the centre itself, which also won the World Building of the Year at the World Architecture Festival in Barcelona in 2009.

‘The vaulted structures were built using stabilized earth tiles and the ancient tile vaulting technique, which requires no reinforcing.

The largest free-form vaults span 14.5m, with an un-reinforced masonry vault of only 300mm in thickness. The simple, elegant structures are clad with locally quarried stone, which adds a stabilizing load to the vaults and integrates the centre into its surroundings.

The project contributed to poverty relief in the area by using ecological methods, local materials and labour.’
- Visi.

see the rest here…