OR Tambo Narrative and Environmental Centre

The OR Tambo Narrative and Environmental Centre is a project of the Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality in which there are the three departments directly involved in the project: Departments of Arts and Culture, Environmental Planning & Metro Parks. The brief comprises: OR Tambo Narrative Centre, Environmental Centre, Multi-Purpose Arts & Crafts workshops, Outdoor Amphitheater & the Caretaker's cottage/ Show House.

The Site is on the banks of Leeupan a natural pan which is in Benoni near Johannesburg. Eco Design Architects and Consultants were recently brought on board as the Green Consultants to assist and consult to the project team in their objective of making this an exemplary green building. The Municipality is intending for this to be a flagship project & an educational experiment that visibly demonstrates green building practices including various alternatives in conservation of energy and recycling of materials, resources & waste. Natural/ Eco-Friendly building technologies include Rammed Earth Construction, Straw Bale Construction, Adobe Construction,Urbanite (recycled concrete), Planted Roofs, Earth Floors.

In recent months Eco Design has been running workshops on site in order to train the team in the necessary natural building skills. 6 months into construction the team is currently busy raising the Rammed Earth walls. Furthermore the Adobe Brick making process is well underway.

Please click here for more info and images about this project. Watch this space as we will continue to post updates on the progress of this project.