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Umodzi Epicentre Interior, via kamuna.design<\/p><\/div>\n
Completed in 2025 and recently documented internationally, the 4,500-square-metre development occupies 16.4 hectares of customary land. Its construction took place over six years, with local residents contributing to the production of building materials, construction and landscaping.<\/p>\n
The project was commissioned by the Patter Foundation through an architectural competition restricted to young Zambian practices. Rather than inviting international firms to introduce an unfamiliar architectural model, the foundation sought a design rooted in local construction knowledge and the social organisation of surrounding villages.<\/p>\n
Kamuna Design Studio, led by architect Emmanuel Kamuna, developed the centre around the spatial arrangement of traditional rural settlements. Circular buildings are distributed around shared outdoor areas, creating a network of spaces that accommodates different activities while encouraging movement and interaction.<\/p>\n
Instead of replacing local construction traditions with imported systems, the project uses community knowledge and available materials as the foundation for a contemporary public facility.<\/strong><\/p>\n The buildings are constructed primarily from handmade clay bricks, timber poles, thatch and local stone. Their curved forms and low-reaching roofs draw on established building practices, while the arrangement of the structures allows individual programmes to maintain a relationship with shared outdoor spaces.<\/p>\n Environmental performance is closely connected to these construction decisions. The thick earthen walls provide thermal mass, while openings in the brickwork allow daylight and air to enter the interiors.<\/p>\n The conical thatched roofs incorporate central openings that help release warm air. Together, these passive measures reduce the dependence on mechanical cooling and respond to the climatic conditions of the region.<\/p>\n Umodzi Epicentre Aerial View, via kamuna.design<\/p><\/div>\n The centre operates independently of the electricity grid, using solar power to support its activities. Water is supplied through two boreholes and stored for use across the complex, providing essential infrastructure in a remote setting.<\/p>\n At the centre of the development are educational and professional training facilities. These include classrooms, a library, a technology hub, a tailoring studio and spaces for literacy, numeracy and vocational education.<\/p>\n An agricultural training centre provides opportunities for residents to develop farming knowledge and practical skills. The complex also incorporates a working farm, a maize storage facility and a hammer mill, connecting education with local production and livelihoods.<\/p>\n Healthcare forms another important part of the programme. A clinic operated by Zambia’s Ministry of Health provides outpatient services and maternity care, bringing medical facilities closer to communities that would otherwise need to travel for treatment.<\/p>\n Facilities for younger residents include an early learning centre and a cr\u00e8che. Outdoor recreational areas, including a volleyball court and two football pitches, extend the development’s role beyond formal education and healthcare.<\/p>\n The construction process was itself an important part of the project. Between 2019 and 2025, professional contractors worked alongside community members, who participated in making clay bricks, raising walls and building roofs.<\/p>\n Local artisans also contributed elements such as woven lighting fixtures, incorporating traditional craft knowledge into the interiors.<\/p>\n This participation has continued beyond the completion of the buildings. A community-based team now manages thatching, carpentry and maintenance, while additional facilities remain under development.<\/p>\n Umodzi Epicentre project, via kamuna.design<\/p><\/div>\n Plans include an agricultural produce store, a retail space and a caf\u00e9. Eight dedicated early learning centres are also being constructed across the district, extending the initiative beyond the original site.<\/p>\n The project’s name reflects its collaborative approach. Umodzi<\/em> means unity, drawing on a local proverb about the importance of collective effort. Women from the community also contributed the idea for the centre’s visual emblem.<\/p>\n The initiative brings together the Patter Foundation, community development organisations, local authorities and the Mlawe Epicenter Community Led Development Association. This partnership has supported both the construction of the complex and the development of programmes intended to serve the surrounding population.<\/p>\n In 2026, the project received the Commonwealth Association of Architects’ Environmental Impact Award, recognising an approach that combines local materials, low-energy construction and community participation.<\/p>\n Umodzi demonstrates how architectural commissions can strengthen local construction skills while delivering essential infrastructure designed around the needs and resources of the communities it serves.<\/strong><\/p>\n For architectural practices, the development offers an example of a commissioning model that prioritises local professional expertise and long-term participation. Its significance extends beyond the completed buildings, showing how the design and construction process can contribute to the continued operation, maintenance and expansion of community infrastructure.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Informations compl\u00e9mentaires<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/beedier.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/Zambia-2.png\")
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