Project Name:

Botswana Technology Centre

Client:

Botswana Technology Centre

Location:

Gaborone, Botswana

Date:

2000

Before founding ERA Architects, Ken was the project manager during the construction of BOTEC. This is where he was able to fine tune his skills in low-energy buildings.

BOTEC was designed as a demonstration building, to show developers that low-energy / environmental buildings could have a high-tech & sophisticated aesthetic.

BOTEC was designed around a shaded internal street that is cooled by thermal mass and evaporative cooling provided naturally and at low energy by water features and trees. 7°C cooling effect was recorded.

Solar shading on the northern façade is light, high-tech, smooth & glossy – breaking the conventional perception of solar shading.

Planted internal courtyards opening onto the internal street form the exhaust system, evacuating hot and stale air. The sun and wind drive the ventilation system through the chimneys on top of each courtyard.