Nassarawa Civic Library
A public building that stays cool without air conditioning
- Location
- Nassarawa, Kano
- Year
- 2022
- Floor area
- 3,200 m²
- Status
- Completed
Deep overhangs, a thermal chimney and rammed-earth walls. In Kano heat the reading room sits eleven degrees below the street.
Comfort came from the section
The brief asked for a public reading room that could stay useful through heat and power cuts. Thick earth walls slow the day’s heat, deep roofs protect the openings and a high chimney draws warm air out of the centre.
Courtyards break the library into smaller, shaded rooms where children, students and elders can read at the same time. The building uses familiar materials in a precise new way, so maintenance can remain local.
Project details
- Location
- Nassarawa, Kano
- Year
- 2022
- Category
- Institutional
- Status
- Completed
- Floor area
- 3,200 m²
- On site
- 20 months
Project gallery
Design reference imagery showing the intended spaces, materials and atmosphere.
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