Mali National Park, Bamako, Mali
For the 50th anniversary of the Independence of Mali, the National Park in Bamako reopened with new amenities such as an up-scale restaurant, a sports center and several entrance buildings. All buildings are covered from the outside with a local natural stone, reinforcing local cultural heritage and saving building costs.
The exterior stone walls provide a natural climatized barrior for the interior spaces. Large overhanging roofs shade the facades and also act to protect the interior and surrounding space from the hot sun. The restaurant is situated on top of a rock formation and is nestling up against the different height levels. Although the building was designed with passive ventilation objectives, it has the added option of closing the roof vent for air-conditioning. The concern was always to integrate the spectacular view over the park and the nearby lake into the design. The sports center employs the same architectural language as the restaurant and consists of three pavilions situated around an elliptically-shaped playground. The buildings are positioned to provide ample shading for the playground as well as the interior recreation spaces.
Epic Mali Culture & Adventure Route © Monika Newbound
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