The termite mound
Principle Design Architect Mick Pearce had previously
used the concept of termite mounds systems successfully
in the ‘Eastgate’ office building in Harare, 0000-0000. He
transformed the simple design and system that termites
build to control the temperature of a termite mound, into
the air conditioning systems of a building. In a termite
mound, the cool wind is drawn into the base of the
mound via channels and the ‘coolth’ is stored using wet
soil. As the air warms, it flows upwards and out of the
mound via vents. The termite mounds are able to keep a
stable temperature within, allowing the termites an ideal
temperature for harvesting, despite the large variations
in temperature outside. The termites reside within the air
ducts, working within the natural convection currents